Beagle: The Curious Explorer with a Nose for Adventure and a Heart of Gold
Fun Fact
The Guinness World Record for ‘Largest Single Breed Dog Walk’ is 1029 Beagles!
About
Beagles are a small breed of dogs bred in Great Britain in the mid 19th century for hunting small animals like rabbits and hares. They are also called scent hounds. They were developed using Southern Hound, North Country Beagle, Talbot Hound and possibly the Harrier. They were later kept as home pets due to its adaptability and ease of maintenance. Unfortunately, this breed is the most used for clinical tests like Toxicity and Biomedical Researches. In a toxicity test, many experimental chemicals are injected into the dog’s stomach. The results are then assessed through an autopsy. So ideally, even if the dog survives the chemical reaction, it is still killed to check the results through autopsy. Many animal welfare organisations around the world are trying their best to stop tests on dogs by educating the general public to support them and stop the cruelty. They are widely used to detect drugs from luggages mostly in airports.
Appearance
Males weigh between 10-13 kilograms and females between 8-11 kilograms. Beagles are small breed of dogs with domed shaped heads and a squarish snout. They have long and droopy ears that hang low on the side of their heads and have large brown eyes. They have a moderately long tail with a slight curve and a white tip. They have muscular hind legs and upright front legs. They have short and dense coats that are water resistant. Beagles are mostly tri coloured with the combination of Tan, White and Black.
Temperament
Beagles are generally active, curious, energetic, happy, even and gentle in nature. They are not considered to be very intelligent and are deemed to be among the lowest degree of obedience intelligence. They are very good with children and thus are very popular family pets. Although they bark at strangers, they can easily be won over and therefore make them bad guard dogs. They do alert the family by barking and howling during strange situations. They are very friendly with dogs and other animals like cats.
LifeSpan/Health
The average lifespan of Beagles is between 11-13 years. Some of the common health issues with Beagles are
Obesity- Beagles tend to overeat as they are high energy dogs.
Back Issues- They are prone to IVDD which occurs when the jelly-like cushion between vertebrae ruptures.
Epilepsy- It’s a common issue with Beagles and with medication, can be controlled.
Parasites- They can easily be infested with mites, ticks, fleas and worms.
Diabetes- They are one of the breeds that are more likely to develop it.
Eye issues- Beagles can suffer from different eye conditions including Retinal problems, Cherry Eye, Cataracts, and Glaucoma.
Dwarfism- Beagles are prone to dwarfism.
Ear infections- Since they have long ears, they are likely to develop different ear infections.
Dental- They are more likely to suffer from tartar build up which causes gum and root infections.
The key to try and increase their life expectancy is to make sure they have a proper diet, required exercise/walk, timely medication, yearly Vaccinations, Deworming tablets every three months and regular blood tests with Vet regarding the overall health.
Maintenance
Although they are considered low maintenance dogs, there are certain things that need regular care. You can bathe them every month to get rid of dirt or bad smells and can be brushed two to three times a week but needs to be checked for ticks and fleas on a regular basis. Brushing the teeth thrice a week is suggested. Since they have long ears, it is important to clean them regularly and keep them dry to avoid infections. They need a minimum of 30-45 minutes of walk per day to deplete excess energy.
Good food and nutrition is significant. Awareness of what to feed and how much to feed is extremely important. Processed food is not ideal due to the chemicals used causing increasing effects on the gut. Bloating, digestive issues, stinky stool, diarrhea, obesity and dehydration are some of the most common issues faced.
Canine diet requires a blend of fresh and natural ingredients . It should include the right amount of protein, fibre, fat and carbohydrate. We understand that it is not easy to make fresh food at home on a daily basis which meets all the nutritional requirements.
We at Genie Pet Meal understand the nutritional requirement of each dog because we customise the food according to the requirement. 100% fresh and natural ingredients like Chicken, 7 types of Vegetables, Rice, Egg white and other ingredients combined in the right quantity makes our food extremely healthy! It’s tailor made for your dog as we keep in mind the importance of giving the best to your fur ball.
