Beagle Dogs: The Scent Hound

Have you seen beagle dogs? You probably own one. But, do you know that beagles by nature are fun loving? Do you know that just like the rest of the hounds, they love to chase something that catches their attention? Well, beagle dogs are known throughout the world as one perfect choice for family pet. They are owned and raised by hundreds of families these days simply for the reason that beagle dogs make a great companion, even for kids.

Origin of Beagles

Beagle dogs were originally developed as a cross bred between the popular Harrier dogs and the many other breeds in England that belong to the hound family. According to several researches, the beagles were developed for one particular purpose – to use them for hunting. It was so fortunate for the early breeders of the beagles that they turned to be active and effective for hunting quail, hares and pheasants. They hunt these targets with the use of their scents, the reason that beagle dogs are named as the "Scent Hound".

The Beagle Appearance

Just like the rest of the hound family, the beagle dogs have a medium length coat that covers and protects its body from any harmful elements in the environment. This medium length coat is what makes the beagles easy to groom. However, the hairs of the beagles are hard and never silky nor soft. They lie close to the body of this scent hound, making the breed appears like an English foxhound of the small size.

Character and Temperament

As mentioned earlier, the beagle dogs are fun loving animals. They love to socialize and be part of a family gathering, and they are full of energy and temperament. They even adapt to different lifestyles and environment, and they make a great companion even for children. However, all of these attributes can only be seen positively if the beagle dogs are trained properly. If not socialized in a proper way, the beagles tend to lose interest. As a result, they wander around and follow something that captures their interest and attention. This is basically where the importance of obedience training for beagle dogs comes in.

The Right Care

Being fun loving and family oriented, the beagle dogs require proper care. They need daily brushing and even a bath to remove the dirt, loose hair, and dusts that clings to their body. The ears of the beagles should also be cleaned regularly as this scent hound has the strong tendency to develop ear infections and pains. The beagles also require a regular nail trimming.