Faith The Dog

If you want to have a pet that is energetic, cuddly, and easy to take care of, then the beagle is a good choice. A beagle is a popular dog breed that has been in existence for two millenniums already. As proof of their fame, beagles have been featured in several books, films, and comic strips. Snoopy, a dog character in the “Peanuts” comic strip created by Charles Schulz, is considered as the most popular beagle in the world. Aside from Snoopy, the beagle breed is also depicted in Disney’s latest superhero movie, the “Underdog.”

Appearance

Beagles have features that are similar to a foxhound though they have shorter muzzles and broader heads. Beagles have long and floppy ears that turn towards their cheeks. Their eyes are usually large and are brown or hazel in color. Most pet parents consider the eyes as this breed’s most endearing asset because its eyes always express a begging look as if asking its master for a hug. At the withers, most beagles stand at 13 to 16 inches and weigh from eight to 16 kilograms.

Beagles normally have white coats with brown or black patches. However, they can also come in any dog color such as lemon, brown, and red. There are also beagle varieties that are tri-colored, having white coats on their chests, legs, and muzzles, brown shades on their bodies, and patches of black hair.

Temperament and Maintenance

A beagle is an ideal pet for your home since it has a very mild temper and a gentle disposition. Unlike other dog breeds, a beagle can socialize with other breeds and pets since it is not aggressive. However, it lacks the qualities of a guard dog since they can easily be lured by strangers. Since a beagle is a loving and active breed, it easily gets accustomed to different environments, situations, and new human companions.

If you have kids at home or in your neighborhood, having a beagle as a pet will not be a dilemma since this breed can get along with children well. However, like most family dogs, a beagle loves food and considers its mealtime sacred, so children must be taught never to a approach or play with a beagle while it is having its meal. You and your whole family will also love playing with this dog breed since it does not get tired easily because of its stamina that is set for a whole afternoon of playtime.

Although this breed is low maintenance, you still need to check its ears and feet. Since a beagle’s ears are long and floppy, you need to clean it to prevent infections and infestation of ticks and mites. Moreover, a beagle also needs proper bathing despite the fact that it does not have a foul hound odor, which is common in other breeds.