10 Cool Beagle Facts You Didn't Know
Beagles are the 5th most popular dog breed in U.S.A. and are loved for their friendly and curious personalities. They have a passion for adventure and companionship. The Beagle breed has been domesticated for 1000's of years and was originally used for hunting.
As scent hounds, Beagles are incredible scent hounds and love to follow a trail. They have close to 220 million scent receptors in their noses, compared to only about 5 million in humans, so it comes as no surprise, that they're extensively used by law enforcement for contraband detection, worldwide.
Beagles are medium built dogs, but don't let the size fool you. These sturdy dogs are tough and love being active, although they're seriously independent, some might even call them stubborn, Beagles thrive being trained by a persistent and patient owner. Finally, if you're considering making a Beagle your new best friend, Paw Nation has come up with 10 cool Beagle facts that everyone, even non-Beagle owners, will want to know:
1. Purebred Beagles Have White-Tipped Tails
A purebred Beagle always will have some white in its tail. Even when there are only a few hairs at the tip, or it may be mostly white, a "Beagle" without any white in its tail is most likely a mix.
2. Beagles are Thousands of Years Old.
Beagles are an ancient dog breed, so old in fact, that no one really knows their exact origin. Modern-day Beagles' ancestors lived in England around 1300 years ago, or during the Roman Empire, perhaps even before that. Beagles only really became popular with the advent of fox hunting in England.
3. Beagle Means "Loudmouth" in French
According to Paw Nation, Beagles are known for being very voluble, with baying, barking and howling, In fact, it is believed the name 'Beagle' comes from the French 'bee guayule,' literally 'wide throat,' but more poetically translated as 'loudmouth.'"
4. They're Very Popular in the US
Beagles happen to be, one of the most beloved dog breeds in America. In 2014, they were the fifth most popular breed (down from fourth place in 2013).
5. Snoopy Is a Beagle
The character Snoopy in Peanuts is arguably the most famous fictitious Beagle in the world. For the first few years of the comic strip, Snoopy was silent but later was given an active imagination and inner monologue.
6. Queen Elizabeth I Loved Beagles
Queen Elizabeth II is a famous corgi fan, but the first Queen Elizabeth loved and owned pocket Beagles, which were small enough to fit in one hand.
7. Beagles in the White House
During his term of presidency, President Lyndon Johnson had two Beagles, named Him and Her, in the white house. He was regularly photographed playing and walking the dogs.
8. Barry Manilow Loves Beagles
In the '70s, singer Barry Manilow adopted a Beagle and named him Bagel. Bagel was often featured on his album covers, including one featuring Manilow wearing a t-shirt that read "I Love Beagles."
9. The US Department of Homeland Security Has a Beagle Brigade
Beagles are trained by the US government to sniff out luggage at airports, helping their handlers, to find contraband agricultural products and prevent them from reaching American soil.
10. The First Beagles Were Miniature
The first "Beagles" stood only eight or nine inches high, in fact, small enough to carry in a pocket. This why they were known as pocket Beagles or miniature Beagles, it wasn't until much later that these tiny dogs were bred into the larger hunting hounds we known today.
