Dog Profiles: Beagles

  1. Beagles were first bred in England as hunting dogs. 
  2. The HMS Beagle was the ship on which Charles Darwin formed his famous postulations on the origin of species while observing finches in the Galapagos. 
  3. The life expectancy of a Beagle is between twelve and fifteen years.
  4. Probably the most famous Beagle in  popular culture is Snoopy — Charlie Brown’s dog from “Peanuts.” He has his own theme park and an off-broadway musical bearing his name. 
  5. The average Beagle weighs twenty to twenty-five pounds and stands up to fourteen or sixteen inches tall. 
  6. Unlike most breeds, the Beagle has actually grown in size compared to its breed origin. Most dog breeds begin large and shrink over time.
  7. All purebred Beagles have white-tipped tails. You can tell if your dog is a Beagle mix by the absence of white in their tail.
  8. The etymology of the name “Beagle” comes from the Middle French bee gueule which translates literally to “wide throat.” In this sense, “wide throat” really means “loud” or “noisy” in reference to the Beagle’s full-bodied bark.
  9. Queen Elizabeth I from the house of Tudor loved Beagles; the present Queen Elizabeth prefers Corgis. 
  10. Beagles are prized for their sense of smell. In fact, the US Department of Homeland Security employs a “Beagle Brigade” to sniff out luggage and parcels entering the US; they are invaluable in detecting contraband and potentially hazardous materials.