Beagle

Part of the reason Beagles are so popular is because they are a fairly low-maintenance breed when it comes to grooming. Beagles have short-to-medium hair and shed seasonally in the spring and winter. They’ll benefit from regular brushing during this time, which may mean you’ll need to brush them a couple of times a week, or it may need to become part of your daily routine, depending on how much your Beagle sheds.

They usually only need a bath after a good romp in the mud or after following their nose into something messy. Dogs’ toenails grow at different rates, but generally speaking, most dogs need their nails clipped every one to two months. A good rule of thumb is if your dog’s nails touch the floor when they’re standing, it’s time for a trim.

While many pet parents might associate long, floppy ears with ear infections and think they need extra cleaning, experts now believe ear infections are more related to allergies than the ear’s anatomy. A monthly cleaning should do the trick to keep those ears clean, but to avoid over-cleaning, always make sure there is actually dirt in your Beagle’s ears. (You should be able to see dirt specks when you lift their ears.) From there, add a few drops of dog ear cleaning solution, massage with a tissue or cotton ball—no cotton swabs allowed—then let your dog shake their head to dislodge anything that might be in there.

Because dental disease is an issue with the Beagle breed, it’s recommended to brush your dog’s teeth anywhere from two times a day to three times a week to stop plaque and tartar from building up. It may seem silly to brush a dog’s teeth, but periodontal disease is serious business. It can lead to a loss of teeth and even more serious issues like heart, liver, and kidney disease. In addition to regular brushings at home, be sure to take your dog to the vet for professional dental cleanings.

As they’ve transitioned from being solely hunting dogs to members of a household, Beagles have earned a reputation for being difficult to train. While they can be distracted by every smell within a five-mile radius, this gentle breed shouldn’t be trained with a heavy hand. They respond very well to positive reinforcement training and are treat-motivated. Encourage them to listen by making training fun, and before you know it, training sessions will be the highlight of their day—and yours, too!

Even the best-trained Beagle may not be able to overcome their instinct to follow their nose, so training them to come when called is essential. Loose-leash walking is another skill that may take some time to master since they want to follow everything they smell in every direction (a typical Beagle trait). But teaching your dog when it’s time to sniff and when it’s time to walk can be very helpful. For example, training them to “leave it” and “let’s go” when it’s time to walk and “okay” or “go sniff” when they’re allowed to sniff around.

As we’ve mentioned before, Beagles can be talkative. They’re also very intelligent and can sometimes train their humans better than we can train them! To avoid inadvertently reinforcing their barking tendencies, ignore your Beagle when they are trying to get your attention by talking. Reward them with treats or attention when they quiet down. Even telling them “no” can be seen as giving them attention, so resist the urge.

It’s always a good idea to take your dog to a basic training class or seek a certified trainer’s help if you need a professional perspective.

The best food for a Beagle is a complete-and-balanced formula that is age-appropriate. To determine whether a food is, in fact, complete and balanced, look on the package for a statement that says it meets nutritional standards established by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO). You’ll still want to talk to your veterinarian, who can help you determine the best dog food for your dog’s unique needs, based on things like weight, activity level and age.

Beagles come in two sizes, so their ideal weight varies from under 20 pounds for dogs up to 13 inches tall and 20 to 30 pounds for dogs 13 to 15 inches tall. The breed is very food-motivated and has a lot of energy, so if they are overfed and under-exercised, your Beagle may get too heavy. Beagles are already on the shorter and stockier side, but a dog at a healthy weight should have a defined waist and straight sides. If you look at them from above and you see a round potato, your dog is probably overweight. You should also be able to feel their ribs.

If you’re concerned about your Beagle being overweight, your veterinarian is your best resource. But you can also cut down on treats (or switch to something with fewer calories, such as frozen green beans) and slowly increase their exercise by taking a slightly longer walk each day until you build up to about an hour a day. These could be two shorter walks or one long walk. The good news is that exercise for your Beagle means exercise for you, too!

Beagles have a high energy level and need regular exercise—about an hour or so every day— or they may release their pent-up energy in way you don’t approve of. Since they are driven by scent, nosework—where you train a dog to find a certain odor—can be a great option to help expend their energy. You can sign up for nosework classes, but this is easy to do at home, too. All you need to do is grab two to three boxes, put a treat under one of them and let your Beagle sniff it out. Always use the same box as the “treat box” and gradually make it more difficult by adding boxes, stacking them, hiding them around the house, etc.

Agility classes are another great option that can help burn off that Beagle energy, but again, it’s totally something you can set up in your backyard if you have the space. Just don’t let your Beagle off-leash outside of the fenced yard because their instinct to follow a scent is so strong that you could end up with a runaway dog.

If you can’t get outside for the day due to weather or limited time, try a game that exercises their mind. Play hide-and-seek, give them a puzzle toy, or practice those training skills!

The ideal environment for a Beagle is with an active family who can give them plenty of exercise and extracurricular activities. Because of their higher exercise needs and tendency to bark and howl loudly, the breed may not make the best apartment dwellers. They’re also not a dog you can put in the backyard and hope they entertain themselves—this intelligent breed needs interaction. Otherwise, they might bark excessively while running the fence line and chasing every squirrel. Not ideal for them, you or your neighbors!