Beagle
The white tail tip is a working feature — it was bred to stay visible above cover — and it is a reliable character. The ears are notably long, reaching the nose tip when drawn forward.
- Group
- Hound
- Weight
- 9–14 kg
- Coat
- short
- Ears
- drop
- Muzzle
- medium
- Build
- Sturdy
- Origin
- England
What it looks like
Compact and sturdy with a short dense coat, long low-set drop ears, a square muzzle, and a white-tipped tail carried upright.
The characters that confirm it
- A white tail tip on an upright tail.
- Very long low-set ears, reaching at least to the nose when pulled forward.
- Usually tricolour — black, tan and white — though other hound colours occur.
- Sturdy, square-muzzled and compact.
Temperament
Scent-driven to the point of deafness when on a trail. Vocal, food-obsessed, and difficult to recall.
Health
Intervertebral disc disease, epilepsy, hypothyroidism and Musladin-Lueke syndrome, which has a genetic test. Obesity is near-universal without deliberate management.
Confused with
Essentially a larger beagle, 45–60 cm at the shoulder.
Tricolour drop-eared mixed dogs are labelled beagle routinely. The ear length and white tail tip are the checks.
Questions about this breed
How do you recognise a Beagle?
A white tail tip on an upright tail. Very long low-set ears, reaching at least to the nose when pulled forward.
What is a Beagle like to live with?
Scent-driven to the point of deafness when on a trail. Vocal, food-obsessed, and difficult to recall.
What health problems do Beagles have?
Intervertebral disc disease, epilepsy, hypothyroidism and Musladin-Lueke syndrome, which has a genetic test. Obesity is near-universal without deliberate management.