Finding the perfect pet for a family with small children can be a daunting task, with many small breeds that may be good with kids, the Beagle is about the most well rounded breed for children. Its even temper and eagerness to please their owners, makes the Beagle an ideal animal for indoor company.
This trait works well to make them serve as watchdogs as they will generally only bark and carry on around people with whom they are unfamiliar. Often times their skittishness around strangers has been confused with aggression but most often a simple word of reassurance from their owners will quiet and settle them down almost immediately.
Often confused with toy dogs, the breed ranges between 13 and 16-inches tall, standing well above the 12-inch standard for many breeds of toys. With a life span of about 14 years, Beagles have few inherited predisposition for illness or other medical problems although they do sometimes suffer from bone degeneration in the joints, steroid injections can usually help them deal adequately with the associated pain. One problem inherited by Beagles is hypothyroidism, giving them the penchant for excessive weight gain. They may also suffer from dwarfism, but this is a rare occurrence.
Beagles trained for hunting and those that have adequate outdoor space in which to run seldom develop a weight problem, provided their diet is consistent with their needs. One of their physical traits, long eyelashes that contributes to their overall appearance can also cause problems, these long lashes may curl into the eyes and become embedded. But this easily fixed by minor surgery and by the owner being conscious of the possibility during grooming.
In addition to hunting, their sense of smell allows them to also be trained to find contraband hidden away in suitcases and packages. Used frequently by detection services, the small size of the animal rarely intimidates travelers while a border beagle is sniffing their bags.
Their keen sense of smell as well as their stamina made them attractive as hunting dogs, especially during the days when people enjoyed the all-day hunts. They can fit into heavily wooded areas or in thick brush to bring out rabbits.
Even though the faster animals can outrun the beagles, putting its nose close to the ground enabled it to track the animal into even the smallest hiding places.
The all day hunters appreciated the instincts of a well-trained beagle is they could ride leisurely behind the dog as it chased the scent of its quarry into even the thickest of undergrowth, emerging successfully with its prey.