The beagle dog breed dates back historically to 19th century England. The breed was registered with the American Kennel Club in the 1880s. It is thought that beagles are derived from inter-breeding of several kinds of harrier and other hunting dogs. Beagles have gained popularity not only for the skill on the hunt but also for their sociable 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.
The ears, feet, and eyes along with the coat need consistent grooming. The long, pendulous ears are prone to infection as water and bacteria can easily become trapped inside. The nails may require more or less trimming depending on your dog’s activity level. Beagle eyes need special care because their long eyelashes may become ingrown.
If you do not feel comfortable grooming your beagle, there are many pet groomers available to maintain your dog’s appearance. They can handle, in particular, tricky areas like trimming your beagle’s nails. Services are relatively reasonable. A “puppy package” may include a puppy wash, brush, nail trim, and style and costs approximately $40-$75.
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.
When grooming your beagle’s nails, trim them with a quality nail clipper. There is no set frequency for when nails should be trimmed since length depends on your beagle’s activity level. If you can hear his nails clicking on the floor it is probably a good time for trimming. Your beagle’s eyes require special attention because they have longer eyelashes than other dogs. Eyelashes need to be monitored and trimmed carefully. An ingrown eyelash will be very uncomfortable for your beagle and may require surgery to correct.
