Smiling Beagle looking up into the camera

Beagle Insurance, Care and Health Advice

Beagles are super playful and love making friends. They were originally hunting dogs – and they still have a great sense of smell, which can get them into all sorts of trouble. Beagles are a popular breed because they're good with people but they do like to make themselves heard with their big bark.

If you're looking to buy a Beagle puppy, or have already welcomed one into your home, this dog breed guide is for you. Here we have all the information you need to know about caring for and looking after your Beagle.

Beagle Facts

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Type
Scent hound
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Lifespan
12 - 15 years
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Size
Medium
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Weight
9 - 11 kg
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Height
33 - 41 cm
Dog breed temperament icon
Temperament
Lively, determined, intelligent
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Exercise
60 mins per day
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Grooming
Low maintenance

Is a Beagle Right for Me?

These little guys are extra excitable, but thanks to their size they don’t need masses of space – a small garden or nearby park is ideal for these playful pups. They love being part of a family, which can include other animals too. A Beagle is the type of dog that needs an owner who can give them lots of time and attention – a good Beagle is a trained Beagle. This can make them a good family dog and ideal playmates for children. 

Beagles can suffer from separation anxiety which means they don’t like to be left alone for long. And bear in mind if you're adopting an older Beagle, they will have already developed their own personality and habits. This can make living with and training a little more challenging – but worth it when they give you all the cuddles.

Beagle puppy playing with a flower

What Are Beagle Puppies Like?

Beagle puppies are super friendly and love exploring. But make sure you get them trained as early as you can – they can be disobedient at times. They have a bad reputation as being difficult to housetrain, but with a little hard work it shouldn’t be a problem.

If you’re buying a puppy and think a Beagle might be right for you, do your research. You should be looking for a reputable, registered breeder, alternatively you can try a nearby shelter or rescue centre. The breeder or centre should have microchipped them already, but you should check to be on the safe side.

Cute Beagle with its tongue out

Life with a Beagle

A Beagle’s determined temperament can get them in trouble. Their deep-rooted hunting instinct will often lead them astray. But you can also make use of that strong nose and playful nature by hiding toys and treats around your home – a great source of entertainment for you and your dog.

Caring for Your Beagle

Beagles LOVE to eat. They’re great nose makes finding food is easy – even if you’ve hidden it – so make sure you keep all food, not just dog food, well out of reach.

Two meals a day of high-quality dog food will sort your Beagle out. Refer to the packaging guidelines for daily allowance as this depends on the size, age and metabolism of your pup - the smaller or less active the dog, the less you may need to feed them.

Beagles are easy-care dogs. They have short coats and don’t need fancy haircuts, so the coat is easy to maintain. A once over with a grooming mitt a couple of times a week helps cut down on shedding.

Even though they shed all year-round, thankfully they don’t need a bath more than four or five times a year – unless they’ve gotten themselves extra mucky of course!

Clean ears are key for these droopy-eared dogs, so use cotton balls to carefully wipe their ears, and make sure they get a pedicure every few weeks.

Beagles are intelligent, high-energy dogs, but have a bit of a stubborn streak. They can be easy to train when they're a young age. Training should start early and it can be more difficult as they get older and mature into an adult dog.

They’re great at problem solving, so obstacle courses are a good choice to keep their mind active – as well as any games that involve their excellent sense of smell. The amount of exercise a day they need a day is about an hour. If they’re bored and don’t get enough daily exercise, they may chew on your furniture.

Beagle Insurance

Here at Everypaw, we care about your dog’s health and want to make sure that when it comes to Beagle insurance you can find the policy best suited to you.

Our Lifetime Dog Insurance has a range of cover levels to choose from. At first glance the range might seem a lot to get your head around. Don’t worry; we break down into a clear comparison table, so you can see exactly the level of benefit you get with our policies. 

Everypaw isn't just about vet fees either, all our policies come with a range of additional benefits, from complementary treatment to 24/7 access to a UK vet team. We're all about insuring your dog with their and your best interests at heart.

Start a Beagle Insurance quote

Common Beagle Health Problems by Vetstream

Beagles are active and generally healthy, but they can be susceptible to certain conditions. Now we know you'll look after and care for your dog, but sometimes there are health issues that are characteristic to the breed.

That's why we've teamed up with vet experts Vetstream to give you a rundown of the most common Beagle health issues that they can suffer from. The main ones to look out for are:

Epilepsy is the term given to sufferers of repeated fits, which are caused by abnormal brain activity. During a fit, the dog will fall on its side and rapidly shake. They may also urinate or empty their bowels. Most fits last 1-3 minutes and no harm is caused.

There is no cure for epilepsy but daily medication can be given to help control the fits. Sufferers of epilepsy can live long, happy lives if their fits are controlled.

Neonatal Cerebellar Cortical Degeneration (NCCD) is a hereditary condition caused by damage to the cerebellum, the part of the brain that controls balance and movement. Affected puppies are slower when learning to walk, more prone to falling over and lack coordination.

There is no cure but there are supportive treatment options to help manage the condition. It is important that Beagles are screened for the condition before breeding, especially as they can be carriers without any symptoms.

Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD) is a congenital heart disease caused by abnormal development of the ventricular septum, resulting in a hole. This hole allows blood to divert from the left side to the right side of the heart.

Small defects are generally well tolerated, but larger defects can lead to congestive heart failure. It is not possible to close the hole, but there are some surgical options to help reduce the blood flow.

Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD) is a common spinal disease in dogs. Sufferers have weakened intervertebral discs; cushions between the vertebrae that act as shock absorbers. This eventually leads to disc herniation or spinal cord compression.

Affected dogs will experience pain and may hang their head low, hunch up their back, shiver, pant or be reluctant to move.

Mild cases can recover with pain medication and cage rest and can be managed with physiotherapy and weight loss. But most cases will require surgery.

Quick Beagle Q&A

Beagles are determined scent hounds – bred as hunting dogs to track down hare and flush them out of hiding places. They are similar in appearance to Foxhounds but are considerably smaller.

You can usually tell the fully-grown size of a Beagle by the time it’s 8 months old, but they don’t stop growing until they are 1 - 1.5 years old. By this point, they will be 33 - 41 cm in height and should weigh 9 - 11 kgs.

Beagles are generally a healthy breed and have a life expectancy of 12-15 years. The correct diet and exercise, alongside regular health checks, will help your dog healthy.

Beagles have a short dense coat that continues to grow and shed. Brushing your dog weekly will help to reduce the amount of fur that falls out, but be prepared to find hair on your floor, clothes and furniture.

Beagles are not considered to be hypoallergenic. They shed a lot and are prone to skin allergies, which cause rashes, dandruff and flakiness. Skin dander (dead flakes of skin) is the main irritant for allergy sufferers.

That’s All You Need to Know About Beagles

This fun-loving breed is everything you could possibly need if you are a family with lots of time and love to share.  They can be little troublemakers but with the right training and exercise, they won’t feel the need to be naughty. Show them love and they will be sure to return it with lots of sloppy kisses.

Content provided from Vetstream's Vetlexicon Canis

Vetlexicon is the world’s largest peer-reviewed online clinical reference source. All our content is written and peer-reviewed by over 1,000 of the world’s leading veterinarians, ensuring relevance, accuracy and quality.
 

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