Reprinted Articles

The history of the breed of dog called beagle is largely unknown. Some say the breed dates back to 200 A.D. The breed began to be referred to as “Beagle” in the 1800s. Beagles have been popular as hunting dogs and family pets as far back as 19th century England. This sturdy, independent breed was registered with the American Kennel Club in 1885. Hunters relied on the specific bark of the beagle as it scented out its prey and appreciated its affinity and enthusiasm for the chase. Though still used as hunting or scent dogs due to their superb sense of smell, beagles are also loved for their affable temperament.

Beagles are pack animals to the extreme and view a human family as their pack. They become very lonely and distressed when left for long periods of time. Their intense sociability is just one of their positive aspects. Beagles have an excellent sense of smell as well as a friendly temperament. Beagles are also attractive physically; they are short haired, with a sturdy body structure, and brown eyes with a characteristically sad expression. Beagles come in various colors (and all are accepted in competition by the AKC) but they are most often represented in the tri-colored shades of black/white/tan.

Because of their short, easy to manage fur, grooming your beagle is a fairly easy task. A yearly bath and occasional dry shampoo is enough to keep these small dogs clean. The AKC and other beagle experts recommend several grooming techniques for this affable breed.

Grooming your beagle includes caring for his appearance and maintaining his overall health. You may choose to groom your beagle yourself or your may have your veterinarian’s office perform trickier grooming techniques such as trimming your beagle’s nails. There are also a number of pet grooming services that will maintain your pet’s appearance for a small fee. For example, a package including a puppy wash, brush, nail trim, and style costs approximately $10-$60.

Beagles, like other dogs, require regular maintenance of their nails. These may require more or less trimming depending on your dog’s activity level. If nails are not trimmed, they may become infected and painful for your beagle to walk on. Eyes and eyelashes are another area that should be groomed. Beagle eyes have a characteristic sad expression. They are usually brown or hazel and have longer eyelashes than other dogs. It is important to make sure beagle’s eyelashes do not grow into his eye as surgery will be required to correct this condition.

Whether you groom your beagle at home or a professional pet groomer takes care of grooming your beagle, follow these guidelines to maintain your beagle’s target areas of ears, nails, and eyes. Remember that to care for his coat, brush him at least once weekly. Beagles rarely need to be bathed but can be dry-shampooed occasionally.

The long, pendulum-shaped beagle ears can be prone to infection due to water or bacteria becoming trapped inside. It is important to check your beagle’s ears at least once per week to ensure they are clean and free of infection. A good method is to wipe the ears whenever he is being brushed.

Because beagles have longer eyelashes than other dogs, eyelashes need to be monitored and carefully trimmed. An ingrown eyelash will be very uncomfortable for your beagle and will require surgery to correct. Remember that to care for his coat, brush him at least once weekly. Beagles rarely need to be bathed but can be dry-shampooed occasionally.

Last 5 posts by Michelle Adams

• Good Beagle Training - August 19th, 2008
• Important Information About Beagle Health - July 16th, 2008
• The How-to-Guide to Beagle Grooming - July 16th, 2008
• Beagle Health Tips - July 16th, 2008
• What You Should Ask Your Beagle Breeder - June 5th, 2008

Tags: Dogs