THE BEAGLE

THE BEAGLE

   The Beagle is a medium size dog bred for hunting small game such as hare and rabbits. There is no true documentation of the breed origin but, it’s believed the Beagle was created in the early 11^th century by mixing the great tracking ability of the English Talbot and the speed and stamina of the Greyhound. Others will argue that there are documents mentioning of pack hunting dogs dating back to the Ancient Greek times resembling the Beagles but not official reports exist. 

 

   Due to the Beagles amiable, sweet and gentle temperament the Beagle appear as the 9^th most popular breed in the United States according to the AKC Dog Registration Statistic in 2012 and 2013. They are very popular within service agencies such as police departments and airport security due to their acute sense of smell making them excellent drugs and explosive detection dogs. Another side of its popularity comes from the famous cartoon “Snoopy” exposing the breed to a different audience, the typical American family.

   The Beagle loves company but make no mistake with this breed; they are mainly led by its nose, meaning they will not listen to humans when they’re focus following any scent that catches their interest. When it comes to scent tracking they are focus and determined. They will climb or dig around fences or any possible obstacle in order to follow their scent. Having a fenced yard is a must when owning a Beagle and consider keeping them inside due to this breed tends to howl or whine when left alone.

   When it comes to health the Beagle is a fairly healthy breed but some of the major health concerns includes:

·         Epilepsy: Seizures that may show themselves as unusual behavior such as running frantically as if being chased, staggering, or even by falling down with rigid limbs and losing consciousness.

·         Cherry Eye: Gland under the third eyelid that protrudes and looks rather like a cherry in the corner of the eye.

·         Chondroplasia (aka dwarfism): Condition where the dog is smaller than normal, may or may not be accompanied by other physical abnormalities, such as extremely short legs.

·         Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA): Degenerative eye disorder that eventually causes blindness from the loss of photoreceptors at the back of the eye.

·         Distichiasis: Additional row of eyelashes known as distichia grow on the oil gland in the dog's eye and protrude along the edge of the eyelid.

·         Glaucoma: Painful disease in which pressure in the eye becomes abnormally high and can damage the pressure inside the eye increases causing damage to the optic nerve and resulting in vision loss and blindness.

   When looking to buy a Beagle puppy make sure of the breeder honesty and reputation. Make sure they provide a health history report of the puppy parents and even better if they provide history if its lineage. Request viewing the parents and the whole litter for a better selection of what you are looking for. Also consider adopting from a known shelter or Humane Society nearby; they tend to provide good care and records of any treatment performed.

   Owning and caring for a Beagle is a challenging task and not recommended for novice owners. Beagles are not the typical obedient dog that comes when called or likes playing fetch in the park. They need to be securely leashed as they will wonder off following their nose not your commands. Growing up and in training they can be stubborn and need a firm trainer with unbreakable consistency. They tend to get distracted easily and disregard instructions. Beagles are best when trained with snack as the smell of food gives them something familiar along their innate hunting instinct. Beagles are best when trained by only one trainer as having different trainers one might undermine the instruction of another thus causing confusion and/or discouraging the dog’s focus and learning interest. If the Beagle is for family purpose, make sure the whole family is informed of the boundaries of the dog and the direction of their training. Beagles are good with children and makes good family pets as long you provide plenty of exercise and activities for them.

   Always do your research about these or any other breed you are interested in and remember to inform yourself about your local pet laws. Always used a leash when walking your dog regardless the breed, this might help avoid any accidental dog related mishap.

Video Link: Beagel Scape. http://youtu.be/MLssW7lyzxw