Beagle
The Beagle dog breed is a medium-sized hound. Beagles are scent hounds
used primarily for hunting rabbits to larger hares. Friendly and
lovable, the beagle has been the dog breed of choice for everyone from
President Lyndon Johnson to Charlie Brown. Their non-threatening
demeanor has led the USDA, along with its counterparts in Australia
and New Zealand, to use beagles to search airplane passengers for
contraband. Sadly, their trusting, gentle temperament means beagles
are also the most commonly used dog breed in animal experiments in the
US.
The Beagle's Behavior
Recommended for: House pet, hunting, sniffer dogs (for instance, in
inspections)
According to Wikipedia, Beagles tend to be gentle-tempered and
friendly. Still, some people think they can be stubborn and hard to
train. Beagles are generally not aggressive and work well with
children.
Remember that breed only provides a general clue as to any individual
dog's actual behavior. Make sure to get to know dogs well before
bringing them into your home.
Beagle's Physical Characteristics
Here are the characteristics of the Beagle breed as determined by the
American Kennel Club's published breed standard.
Size: 13-15 inches
Coat: medium-length hound dog-style coat
Color: The American Kennel Club's breed standard does not make a big
deal of color, saying any "true hound color" is acceptable. According
to Wikipedia, the most common beagle coat types are: tricolor (white
with large black and light brown spots), Two-color varieties (white
with lemon, red,), Tick-Varieties (white or black with different color
spots).
Eyes: large, brown or hazel.
Ears: long, fairly broad.
Skull: fairly long and slightly domed.
Muzzle: squared and medium-long
Nose: nostrils large and open
Tail: slightly curved and shorter than most hound tails
Beagle's Origins and History
Below are some quick facts on the history of the beagle breed,
according to Wikipedia.
Country/Region of Origin: United Kingdom
Original purpose: hunting hares
Name: The origin of the word "beagle" is uncertain. Possibly it comes
from the French begueule (meaning "open throat", or "loudmouth") or
from an Old English, French, or Welsh term beag, meaning "small."
Other possibilities: the French beugler (meaning "to bellow") and the
German begele (meaning "to scold").
Historical notes: Edward III had a pack of up to 120 hare hounds with
him on the battlefield during the Hundred Years' War. It is thought
that these were likely either beagles or ancestors of beagles.
Beagle