Beagles are medium sized dogs and are seen under the breed of Hound group as they have some similarities to Foxhounds though they have shorter legs. Beagle’s are a breed with a great sense of smell and were originally used for hare and rabbit tracking, as well as being used today as sniffer dogs. As pets they are particularly popular due to their gentle and happy nature and also for the fact that they are a breed with little genetic health problems.

Due to their heightened sense of smell you may find that they can become easily distracted, this will probably be most noticeable when out walking them, and it can sometimes be the cause of them getting a few scratches, although 9 times out of 10 they will be fine.

Some Beagles can suffer from health problems like epilepsy but in most causes this is something that can be treated through medication from your vet. Dwarfism is also a health problem that has been linked to the breed in the past, this is known as ‘Funny Puppy’; this when they are much slower to develop often resulting in them having weak legs and a crooked back.

They are a breed that has long ears, this means that they don’t always get the airflow in them that is needed or that is becomes trapped, and in both of these cases it can cause ear infections. You should also check their eyes on a regular basis to make sure that they are clean to avoid any infections and also as they can suffer from in growing eyelashes that can case discomfort and should be corrected through surgery.

Beagles tend to live between 10-15 years old which is the average lifespan for dogs of their size. Keeping an eye on them and making sure they stay fit and healthy is the best way of making sure they don’t getting any serious illnesses.