When someone talks about puppy dog eyes, they must have the beagle in mind. The beagle is of the hound class with a sweet looking face and eyes that make you want to hug the little darling. While you probably have seen more than one beagle and know generally what these dogs are like in looks, you may not know the actual specifics of this small to medium size dog.

A standard sized beagle stands 13 to 16 inches tall and weighs between 22 and 35 pounds with the female tending to be slightly smaller than the male in most cases. These dogs are squarely built and extremely sturdy. Their skull is fairly long and has a slight dome. Their ears tend to be pendant shaped and hang down and are quite silky to the touch. They have a black nose and a straight tail. Their eyes are large and either brown or hazel in color and extremely soulful. They have a medium length flat coat that is easy to care for.

While many beagles are tri colored, a beagle can actually be any hound color, which means they come in a wide variety of colors including lemon, red shades, lilac, chocolate and a variety of other colors as well.

Personality

The beagle is a breed of dog that is loaded with personality. They are energetic, happy, affectionate and loving animals who have a gentle disposition and the courage of a much larger sized dog. Though highly intelligent these dogs are also stubborn and when training one you must exercise a good deal of patience and consistency.

Beagles are a scent type hound, which makes some people view them as a little on the flighty or flaky side as they can be paying attention one second and off following a scent the next. However, make no mistake about this breed’s intelligence they are smart and under the right conditions can be trained and trained well.

Due to their energy level the beagle needs a great deal of exercise and should be both taken for walks on a leash and allowed free play in a fenced in area. They love chasing balls and playing scent games and will quite literally play themselves into exhaustion if not stopped and made to rest.

Although originally bred to be hunting dogs, a beagle makes an excellent family pet and is good with both children and other dogs. A beagle that is raised in a family environment will be openly affectionate with “his people” and will give puppy kisses whenever allowed. Their love of play provides for some comical moments and their gregarious personality makes them a joyful companion.

Beagles make great pets for anyone who has the energy to keep up with them and has the patience to be consistent when training them. They are also one of nature’s true comedians and anyone who has ever owned a beagle can tell you that it is almost impossible not to love and enjoy this breeds stubbornness and all.