Beagle – Overview, history and temperament of the breed

Overview
The Beagle was originally bred for hunting purposes and does remarkably well. Being a scent hound, this breed has the tendency to follow his nose and ignore anything and everything so obedience training at an early age is a must. The Beagle originated as a cross between the Harrier and many other hounds in England. This breed does best when hunting hare, pheasant, or quail.
Character
The Beagle is full of energy and does great in a family environment. They are very lively, active, and high energy making a wonderful childs companion given the proper socialization. This breed is alert and of even temperament and should never show signs of aggression or timidity. The Beagle can be very mischievous and very bold at times so proper precautions must be taken when training and/or socializing this fun loving breed.
Temperament
The Beagle is an all around happy dog that makes a wonderful companion for many different families. This breed adapts to many different environments and lifestyles, if not all. The Beagle is very eager to please, and is very intelligent however training must be consistent as this breed tends to lose interest and focus on something that catches his attention. This breed does extremely well with children, and can do exceptionally well with other pets if socialized properly.
Care
Beagles should require daily brushing to remove any dead or loose hair. A wipe down with a damp towel should suffice for the bathing aspect, however a rubber, wire, or hard bristled brush would work best for the brushing aspect. The ears of this breed should be cleaned on a regular basis, as this breed is prone to painful ears or ear infections. The nails of the Beagle should also be trimmed. This breed is an average shedder, which can be controlled with regular combing.

Coat
The Beagle has a hound type coat of medium length making grooming relatively easy for this breed. The hair should lie close to the body of the dog and should be hard, never soft or silky. The Beagle looks like a small English Foxhound. Beagles have a very sleek and shorthaired coat.
Training
The Beagle is very intelligent and very eager to please making him a wonderful student to work with. However, they do tend to lose interest fairly quickly as they are bound to pick up a scent and follow it. This is when obedience training definitely comes in handy. If properly trained, the Beagle should listen however, if not trained properly, ignoring is a big problem. Consistency and firm yet gentle handling is a must if this breed is to excel as they so desperately want to.
Activity
The Beagle is fairly active and loves long and vigorous walks, as they are the outdoorsy type. Considering they have a very strong hunting instinct, this breed should always be kept on a leash or in a fenced in yard as he is bound to run off if something catches his interest. Two long daily walks are recommended, as this breed seems to have great stamina and be somewhat tireless. The Beagle responds best in a home with a large yard.




Source : http://www.nextdaypets.com/directory/breeds/1100024/
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[...] Although beagle-type dogs have existed for over 2,000 years, the modern breed was developed in Great Britain around the 1830s from several breeds, including the Talbot Hound, the North Country Beagle, the Southern Hound, and possibly the Harrier. It is a breed of small to medium-sized dog. Beagles are excellent with children and this is one of the reasons they have become popular family pets. [...]
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