National Beagle Day

Snoopy lovers rejoice: April 22nd is National Beagle Day! These cute, lovable pups can make very cheerful and happy family pets. A local veterinarian discusses this cute pup below.



Coat

As you may know, these pups have adorable floppy ears. You’ll need to keep Fido’s ears clean, as dogs with folded ears can be prone to ear infections. Beagles coats range from lemon yellow to red and white to tricolored. Your pup will also shed his winter coat every spring, and will shed continuously throughout the rest of the year. You’ll need to brush him a few times a week. Keeping up with your furry friend’s peticures and dental care is also important.

Hound Dog

The Beagle is a scent hound, and is a master at following his nose. He’s also considered a foothound. A foot hound is a dog that can be followed on foot. This made them popular, as not everyone could afford a horse. Pedestrians were able to hunt without horses, if they had Beagles, as they could keep up with them on foot.

History

The Beagle’s origins are actually shrouded in history. The name could have originated from the word beag , which was Gaelic for little. Or, it could stand for be’geule , which is a French ‘translation’ of the sound hunting dogs make. In any case, it seems that Fido has been around for quite a while. Records of small hounds being used for hunting in Britain date back to the time before the arrival of the Romans in 55 BC. Things get a little bit clearer after the Civil War. The first Beagle registered by the AKC was a pup named Blunder, in 1885.

Activity

Beagles are small, but they are very playful and active. Fido will need at least an hour of exercise a day. Don’t let your furry buddy run around off-leash, and make sure that your fencing is secure. As mentioned above, Beagles are scenthounds. They’re notorious for running off to follow a scent. They’re also very, very sociable, and tend to get into trouble when left alone. Make sure Fido has a buddy!

Snoopy

We can’t really talk about Beagles without mentioning the most beloved one ever: Snoopy. Charlie Brown’s lovable pup was first drawn back in 1950. If you want to see something super cute, look up the short animated video of the iconic pair meeting for the first time.

Do you have questions about Beagle care? Contact us, your local veterinary clinic, today!