Beagles are one of the most popular dog breeds in the United States. They鈥檙e known for being great family pets, but there鈥檚 a lot that you probably didn鈥檛 know about Beagles. Here are 10 interesting facts about this beloved breed.
Beagles Were Bred For Hunting
Beagles are excellent dogs for hunting rabbits and hares. They have a phenomenal sense of smell and seemingly endless stamina. When fox hunting became popular, breeders created the Foxhound by crossing a Beagle with a Buckhound.
Their Ears Help Their Noses
According to the , Beagles鈥� ears, when drawn out, reach the end of their nose. Those long ears actually catch scent particles and keep them close to the dog鈥檚 nose, so they can take in as much information as possible.
They Come in 2 Different Sizes
In the U.S., Beagles are classified in one of two ways in terms of size. There are Beagles under 13 inches and those over 13 inches but at or under 15 inches. The height limit of a Beagle in the U.S. is 15 inches. In England, however, it is 16 inches.
Beagles Can Vocalize 3 Ways
The name 鈥淏eagle鈥� is thought to come from the French word 鈥渂egueule,鈥� meaning 鈥済aped throat,鈥� and Beagles can definitely live up to that namesake. The Beagle is one of the most vocal dog breeds. They can make three different sounds: a standard bark, a yodel-like sound called a bay (which they use when hunting), and a howl.
Beagles鈥� Tails Are Like White Flags
Many Beagles have white-tipped tails. This white tip was bred into Beagles so that they would be visible when they had their noses to the ground during a hunt.
Many Beagles Have Jobs
A Beagle鈥檚 incredible sense of smell makes them a great working dog. Beagles are often used as bedbug detectors. The Department of Homeland Security also uses Beagles in airports to find food in passengers鈥� luggage, in order to prevent the spread of foreign diseases and parasites. This team of dogs is called the Beagle Brigade.
A Beagle Named 鈥楨lvis鈥� Could Smell Pregnancy
鈥淧olar bear pregnancy detector鈥� is a much less common Beagle job, but it does exist. A two-year-old Beagle named 鈥淓lvis鈥� was actually trained to by smelling her poop. Elvis is a tremendous help to zookeepers who couldn鈥檛 tell whether their polar bears are actually pregnant or exhibiting pseudopregnancy. Elvis identified samples from pregnant females with impressive accuracy.
President Lyndon Johnson Had 3 Beagles
Their names were 鈥淗im,鈥� 鈥淗er,鈥� and 鈥淓dgar.鈥� There鈥檚 no explanation as to why the first two were named Him and Her, but the third one was named after J. Edgar Hoover, the Director of the FBI, who gave the dog to Johnson after Him and Her died. Him also sired a litter of puppies while he lived in the White House, and the president鈥檚 daughter, Luci, took two of them and named them 鈥淜im鈥� and 鈥淔reckles.鈥� Freckles remained at the White House after Luci left.
A Giant Beagle Float Featured in the Pasadena Rose Parade
In 1965, a massive Beagle float was part of the Rose Parade in Pasadena, California. But this wasn鈥檛 a true-to-life Beagle. This float measured 20 feet and wore a 10-gallon hat.
Snoopy Is a Beagle
You may not initially think that Charlie Brown鈥檚 beloved pet is a Beagle, but in fact, he is an AKC-registered Beagle.