Beagle Behavior
The Beagle is one of the most popular pets in the world for good reasons.
This breed is gentle, sweet, outgoing, and curious. The Beagle is rather hyper as a puppy, and has a good amount of energy as an adult. This is definitely not a sedentary dog, and if you want to own a Beagle, you’ll have to be the type of person who likes to stay active with your pet.
The Beagle usually gets along very well with everyone and are wonderful canine family members. The Beagle has adapted very well on his journey from scent hound to the amazing family dog that he is today.
With any dog breed, the Beagle does have its own unique characteristics and temperament.
Let’s take a look at what makes this dog breed just so special and lovable.
The Life Expectancy of the Beagle
All dog breeds are given a general life expectancy number. One must remember that this is the average age. It depends quite a bit on genetics…
If a certain dog carries hereditary health issues this will affect life span quite a bit.
Also, how an owner cares for his/her Beagle will greatly affect the life span of this breed. You may be surprised to learn that some of the leading causes of death for this breed are avoidable.
The average life expectancy of the Beagle is 12 to 15 years, with a median of 13.5 years. Many Beagles live well into their teens.
What are the Beagle colors ?
Beagle Colors
Let’s look deeper into the possible colors of this amazing dog breed.
The 25 Possible Color Combinations
- Tan
- White
- Brown
- Lemon
- Red
- Blue
- Black
- Black & White
- Blue & White
- Red & Black
- Black & Tan
- Brown & White
- Lemon & White
- Red & White
- Tan & White
- Black, Red & White
- Black, Tan & White
- Black, White & Tan
- Black, Tan & Blue tick
- Black, Tan & Red-tick
- Black, Fawn & White
- Brown, White & Tan
- Blue, Tan & White
- Red, Black & White
- White, Black & Taine
The 6 Possible Markings
- Ticked
- Black Markings
- Brown Markings
- Spotted
- Tan Markings
- White Markings
When a Beagle is Always Hungry
Do you ever wonder why in the world your Beagle is always hungry? Maybe despite feeding him a quality diet and making sure that his meals are properly scheduled, he still acts as if he is starving to death?
Does this breed have an endless stomach? Or does the Beagle have a ravenous appetite due to a high metabolism? Owners wonder if constant cravings for food are caused by a medical issue, a behavioral issue or something else entirely.
This section will answer all of your questions, including:
- The Top 3 medical conditions that can cause a sharp increase in appetite
- The top 2 behavioral reasons Beagle puppy or dog may always be hungry
- The 1 food related reason for being ravenously hungry
So, if your puppy or dog is an eating machine, this article will help sort it all out.
The Top 3 Medical Conditions that Can Cause a Beagle to Act Hungry All of the Time
It must first be mentioned that there are some serious health conditions that can cause a sudden increase in appetite. These should be considered before taking steps to resolve behavioral issues that are causing a Beagle to act as if he is starving.
No dog should be ruled out as ‘not being able to have that’. For example, while diabetes will affect older and overweight dogs more than younger, lean ones, there are 2 year old Beagles of proper weight with diabetes.
The old saying of ‘it’s better to be safe than sorry’ works well in this regard. Let’s go over the top medical reasons for a dog always being hungry
1) Diabetes – This is a tricky disease. With some dogs there will be weight loss but also increased appetite. When the body is insulin resistant, the body overproduces insulin. This sends a signal of hunger to the brain and cause a dog to eat much more than normal. It may come and go in waves or it may appear to last all of the time.
You’ll want to keep an eye out for other signs that include: excessive thirst, increased urination, and weakness. Less common but still important symptoms are: fruity smelling breath, urinary tract infections, vomiting and chronic skin infections.
2) Cushion’s Disease (Hyperparathyroidism ) – This is a condition in which the dog’s body produces too much of a hormone called glucose portico. This normally strikes older dogs between the ages of 10 and 14, though it can be seen in adolescent Beagles as young as 4 or 5 years old. The Beagle is one of the breeds that is prone to this, so owners should be aware of the possibility.
Other signs to look for other than a dog always being hungry are: increased thirst, increased urination, loss of bladder control (this disease can develop slowly, so a Beagle may have an accidentally here and there and in time, they will happen more frequently) and weight gain (due to both increased hunger and retention of fluids).
As it progresses, the Beagle may have a potbellied appearance, have trouble with mobility and have shortness of breath.
3) Malabsorption Conditions – We are grouping this under one malady for the sake of organization; however this includes any disease that hinders the Beagle’s ability to absorb proper nutrients.
This includes EPI (Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency) which also has signs including: loose stools and weight loss (despite eating all of the time). For some dogs, there is less common signs such as a greasiness to the coat and/or vomiting.
Malabsorption can also be caused by a bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine. Along with increased hunger there will be weight loss and diarrhea. Some Beagles will also have vomiting and/or loud gurgling sounds coming from the stomach. To treat minor nutrient absorption issues at home for puppies that are not gaining enough weight, there are some good prozyme supplements.