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Beagle breeders

About the Beagle Of the British pack hounds, the Beagle is the smallest.

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Jalhar Beagles Limited

Jalhar Beagles Limited is a limited company registered at Companies House (company number 12728893), incorporated on 8 July 2020. The
Nation: England

About the Beagle

About the Beagle

Of the British pack hounds, the Beagle is the smallest. It was bred to hunt small game, with the hunt followed on foot, and its breed standard names hare as the main quarry. The Royal Kennel Club (RKC) places it in the Hound Group and says the breed dates back in England to at least the 15th century. Elizabeth I is recorded as keeping a pack of miniature Beagles, said to be small enough to carry in a saddle pannier. The breed's pack background shows in its temperament: the RKC describes a friendly, sociable dog that is happiest with company, and credits that nature and its manageable size for its popularity as a family dog.

Size and build

A sturdy, compact hound with plenty of substance for its size. The RKC classes it as a small breed, and the breed standard gives a desirable height at the withers of 33 to 40 cm.

Coat and grooming

The coat is short, dense and weatherproof. The standard permits tricolour, meaning black, tan and white, and also blue, white and tan; badger, hare and lemon pied; lemon, red, tan or black with white; and all white. Every colour except all white can also be mottled, and the tip of the tail should be white. The RKC suggests grooming once a week, and the breed sheds.

Exercise

The RKC lists exercise needs of up to an hour a day, while the Four Counties Beagle Club advises at least an hour. A Beagle's nose may lead it off after a scent, so the RKC advises secure surroundings and the Four Counties club recommends an escape-proof garden.

Temperament and suitability

The breed standard describes a merry, bold and active hound with great stamina and determination: alert, intelligent, even-tempered and amiable, with no aggression or timidity. The RKC says it can suit a town or country home with a small to medium garden. Because Beagles are pack animals, the Four Counties Beagle Club warns that they do badly when left on their own for long spells, and The Beagle Club's code of ethics asks breeders not to sell puppies to homes where they would be on their own for much of the day. Beagle Welfare, the national breed rescue, notes that some people find a new Beagle hard to manage alongside a very young family. The RKC gives a lifespan of over 12 years and the Four Counties club says upwards of 14.

Beagle health tests

Health and testing

The Beagle is in Breed Watch Category 1: the RKC has not flagged any breed-specific concerns for show judges beyond what the breed standard already covers.

The RKC lists five DNA tests for the breed. Two, for Lafora's disease and NCCD, sit under Good Practice, the minimum it strongly recommends; three, for factor VII deficiency, IGS and MLS, sit under Best Practice, and responsible breeders are asked to complete all five. The Beagle Association explains that all five conditions are recessive, so a carrier does not develop the disease, and advises that carriers of Lafora's, NCCD, IGS or MLS are mated only to a clear dog. In brief: Lafora's is a metabolic disease that progresses slowly, leading to seizures and other neurological signs, often not visible until a dog is a few years old; NCCD causes a coordination problem within a few weeks of birth; MLS causes physical deformities and, in some dogs, early arthritis and seizures; IGS stops vitamin B12 being absorbed properly and is treated with regular injections; and factor VII deficiency, a clotting disorder, appears to be minor in most Beagles. The Association has also investigated epilepsy and steroid-responsive meningitis, neither of which is on the RKC's test list.

What the RKC lists for this breed

  • Good Practice: DNA test for Lafora's
  • Good Practice: DNA test for Neonatal cerebellar cortical degeneration (NCCD)
  • Best Practice: DNA test for Factor 7 deficiency (FVIID)
  • Best Practice: DNA test for Imerslund-Gräsbeck syndrome (IGS-2)
  • Best Practice: DNA test for Musladin-Lueke syndrome (MLS)
  • Breed Watch: Category 1

Choosing a Beagle breeder

Choosing a Beagle breeder

Beagle Welfare recommends buying from breeders who belong to the national breed clubs, which have codes of ethics for their members, and The Beagle Club's code makes a useful checklist. It asks breeders to check that buyers are suitable, explain the breed's character, and not sell puppies into homes where they would be alone for long periods each day. Puppies should not normally leave before eight weeks, and each buyer should receive the registration certificate, a signed pedigree and written guidance on diet, worming, grooming, vaccination, training, exercise and basic health. The code also says breeders should not sell to pet shops, dealers or laboratories, and should take a dog back whenever possible if the owner can no longer keep it. Beagle Welfare adds that you should always see the puppies alongside their mother, and that a responsible breeder will have introduced them to visitors and everyday household sounds. Ask to see both parents' DNA results for the five conditions the RKC lists. By law, puppies must be microchipped and registered by eight weeks old.

Questions to ask

  • Can I see both parents' DNA results for Lafora's, NCCD, factor VII deficiency, IGS and MLS?
  • Has epilepsy or steroid-responsive meningitis occurred in either parent's family?
  • What is the litter's inbreeding coefficient compared with the breed average?
  • How have the puppies been introduced to visitors and household noises?
  • Will you take the dog back if I can no longer keep it?

Beagle questions

Are Beagles good family dogs?

The RKC describes the Beagle as friendly, affectionate and sociable, and says it can suit a town or country home. As a pack hound it thrives on company, and the Four Counties Beagle Club warns that it does badly when left on its own for long spells. Beagle Welfare notes that some people struggle to cope with a new Beagle alongside a very young family, so think about timing as well as temperament.

How much exercise does a Beagle need?

The RKC lists up to an hour a day, and the Four Counties Beagle Club advises at least an hour. The club also recommends a secure, escape-proof garden, as a Beagle may follow an interesting scent.

What health tests should Beagle parents have?

The RKC lists five DNA tests: Lafora's and neonatal cerebellar cortical degeneration (NCCD) under Good Practice, and factor VII deficiency (FVIID), Imerslund-Gru00e4sbeck syndrome (IGS-2) and Musladin-Lueke syndrome (MLS) under Best Practice. Ask to see results for both parents and check them on the RKC Health Test Results Finder.

How long do Beagles live?

The RKC gives a lifespan of over 12 years, and the Four Counties Beagle Club says upwards of 14 years, so buying a Beagle puppy is a long-term commitment.

More for Beagle owners and breeders

Official sources