Mixed Breeds
Beagle Mixed Breeds
For the record, we do not condone the purposeful breeding of a purebred Beagle and a different breed, or any other type of mixed pairing. However, there are lots of caring people that have adopted a Beagle mix, and we
do support them. Mixed dogs end up in shelters more than any other type and are in need of loving homes.
Beaglier: A Beagle and a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel hybrid dog. By Rangajk95 (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
Overview
Every breed that exists today, does so due to some extent of crossbreeding if you look back far enough. The Beagle is thought to have descended from the Southern Hound, who itself is thought to have come from a mix of English Talbots (slow moving, mostly solid white scent dogs) and Greyhounds (mixed in for speed).
Today, when two purebreds are paired, this is often referred to as hybrid or designer dogs. It should be noted that there is a huge difference between hybrids and mongrels or 'mutts'.
The intentional pairing of two different purebreds results in a hybrid dog. While these are not recognized by major kennel clubs, one relatively recent dog that that was previously considered to be a Beagle mixed designer dog was eventually accepted (more ahead).
Mongrel or mutts, on the other hand, are dogs that are of unknown parentage and may be a mix of more than one breed.
For example, a Beagle sire with a crossbred dam of unknown origin or a puppy that is the result of two dogs of unknown origin.
The Pros and Cons of Mixed Breed Dogs
Pros - There are some documented studies that do show that hybrid dogs have some advantage in regard to being healthier than purebreds; however many people do exaggerate the extent of this, which is known as hybrid vigor. Hybrid vigor does not wipe out all possible health issues; it does however decrease the odds of developing some conditions.
A study published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association regarding purebred VS mixed breed health, showed that 10 genetic disorders were found less in mixed breed than purebreds. This included eye conditions such as cataracts, the heart issues of both aortic stenosis and dilated cardiomyopathy, Intervertebral disk disease, chronic skin issues due to allergies, bloat, elbow dysplasia, under-active thyroid and Portosystemic liver shunts.
And as mentioned above and as will explained in more detail below, a Beagle mix was accepted as a 'new' dog after just a bit under 200 years of the first mixing of two types of dog.
Cons -
When you take a purebred dog and breed him to a different breed to create designer dogs, this weakens the integrity of the dog's bloodlines. The goal of ethical breeding is to improve the bloodlines, and therefore this works against that pledge.
Throughout the centuries, some breeds have come close to extinction and hypothetically, any breed including the Beagle is at risk of this if the practice of strict and careful breeding of two quality Beagles is not continued.
Additionally, hybrid crosses are not accepted by the AKC, FCI, CKC (Canadian Kennel Club) or any other respected organization and most will never be recognized. The demand for designer dogs has created a marketing trend of pairing two dogs without thought to the outcome and some breeders simply create new names for these mixes to appease a section of the puppy buying public that deems the mix to be cute, healthier or both. This holds true as well for the so-called Pocket Beagle.
Our take:
We do not personally endorse, encourage or promote purposefully creating Beagle mixes. Every breed has such a unique and rich history, with centuries of careful breeding selection to improve the appearance of the dog.
Ethical and respected breeders work diligently to carefully pair dogs to improve quality... the strengths of one can negate the faults of another... and over time health issues can be decreased while more and more dogs are meeting strict breed guidelines that have been set to ensure the stability and unity of each breed.
For example, why take a Beagle that has such a rich history as a hunting dog with a beautiful hound color coat that is packed tight and water resistant and pair him with a Pomeranian?...
A Pom is a toy sized dog that descended from larger Spitz sled dogs and over time was bred down in size to be a tiny lap dog that has a fluffed double coat that gives the dog the nickname 'ball of fluff'... just to create a mix that someone decided should be called a Pomeagle? (see photo to the right or below).The beautiful, unique coats are lost on the resulting puppy.
With this said, many puppies and dogs found at shelters and rescue organizations are Beagle mixes and adopting one can lead to having a wonderful canine family member. The Beagle traits seem to hold strong in mixes and many Beagle crosses make for excellent family pets. They are often energetic, loyal and active dogs; though they may have the Beagle's instinct to give chase and/or have his propensity to bark and howl.
Pomeagle puppies, a result of a Beagle and Pomeranian mix. Source: https://flic.kr/p/vaCNqE. Originally uploaded by user Takeshi on Flikr. CC BY-SA 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/)
A Beagle Mix that Gained FCI Acceptance
This mix is the one that we touched on earlier and is one that become popular enough to now be it's own recognized breed.
Beagle Harrier By Grzes1966 (Own work) via Wikimedia Commons
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/)
The AKC's two size classes for Beagles is 13 inch (those 13 inches and under) [33 cm] and 15 inch (those over 13 but under 15) [38 cm].
Beagle Mix Spotlight
A Beagle and Chihuahua mix...
Geno Chopstix Hunt, at 3 years old, photo courtesy of Gene Christopher "Chris" Hunt
The crossing of a Beagle and a Chihuahua is a Cheagle. And this is a unique pairing.
The Chihuahua, the 30th most popular breed, is the tiniest toy breed that exists; the standard calls out for a Chi to be no more than 6 pounds (2.7 kg). This said, some are larger, reaching upward of 10 lbs.
The Beagle, the 5th most popular breed, typically ranges from 20 to 24 pounds (9-11 kg), so is quite a bit larger.
If this hybrid were intentionally bred, the dam would be a Beagle and the sire would be a Chihuahua, since it's vital that the dam be the larger of the two for safer whelping.
Since both breeds are typically quite active and always wanting to be near their humans, this mixed breed bonds very quickly and will keep you on your toes.
Labbe Retriever - Ernie, a Beagle and Lab mix, 2 years old, photo courtesy of owners: Nicky and Gary Bowman
A Beagle and Lab mix, also known as a Labbe Retriever, Beagador or Labeagle.
The Labrador Retriever has long held his record as being one of the most popular breeds in many countries including the US, the UK, Australia, Canada and and New Zealand.
They are exceptionally good with people of all ages and are good choices for therapy dogs. Along with that, they are also sporting and water fowl hunting dogs
and since this trait is in sync with Beagles, this may be why the Beagle and Lab mix is one of the more popular ones that can be found.
Mixing these two dogs will give you a larger dog than the Beagle. Male Labradors range from 65 to 80 lbs. (29 to 36 kg) and females will range from 55 to 70 lbs. (25 to 32 kg). They are taller than the Beagle's height as well, with males reaching up to 24.5 inches (62 cm) and females reaching up to 23.5 inches (60 cm).
Beagle and a Golden Retriever Mix
- This mix of these two gorgeous breeds is known as a Beago, with the 'go' taken from the 'golden' word. Since both breeds are exceptionally friendly and good with children, this Beagle hybrid makes for a wonderful family dog. Beago dogs will have lots of energy and require daily outdoor exercise.
The coat is usually slightly longer than purebred Beagles and often you'll find those golden hues among the many hound colors that are found with Beagles.
Since Gold Retrievers range from about 55 to 75 lbs, most Beagle/Retriever mixes are larger than Beagles.
Pictured is Gandalf, a bit over 6 months old, photo courtesy of Caroline 'Jerry' Hulleza
Puggle -
The Puggle is a cross between a Beagle and a Pug dog. The Pug is a brachycephalic breed, which means that its flat face creates an issue where airways passages and facial structures are compacted, which can lead to breathing issues. When paired with a Beagle, the snout typically becomes more elongated which can eliminate some of the breathing problems and exercise
limitations that purebred Pugs have. The Pug is also a very heavy shedding dog, despite the fact that its coat is very short.
Pugs are the largest of all dogs in the Toy Group. Their weight ranges from 14 to 18 lbs. (6.35 to 8.16 kg) and their height is anywhere from 10 to 14 inches (25 to 36 cm).
While surely there were some accidental breedings and most likely purposeful breeding in the past, the first cross of a Pug and a Beagle is credited to Wallace Havens, a breeder from Wisconsin.
3 Top Reasons to Adopt a Beagle Mix
While no one can deny that the Beagle breed is one of the most beautiful, loyal and wonderful dogs for families of all sizes (after all, that's why we are here... we are devoted to the Beagle breed), there are good reasons to adopt a dog from a shelter... whether you are lucky enough to locate a purebred or you opt for a mixed dog:
1) You can by-pass the puppy stage - The majority of dogs in need of adoption are older. This generally means that you will be able to enjoy dog ownership while skipping the hyper and active puppy stage. In addition, while it is not a 'given' many of those older dogs will also have some sort of housebreaking
training.
2) The initial cost is lower
- Purebred dogs, particularly those of 'show dog' quality can be quite expensive. The cost does depend on the location (supply vs demand) and can also fluctuate seasonally. In general, a Beagle puppy will range from $500 to upward of close to 2K and adopting a Beagle or a Beagle mix from a shelter typically will come with a fee under $200. In addition, all shots will be up-to-date and in most cases spaying/neutering will have been done, which saves you even more money.
3)
You are saving a life
- There are essentially 2 types of dog shelters: kill and no-kill. Those that euthanize dogs, do so when a certain amount of time goes by with an adoption taking place. No-kill shelters rely on volunteers that foster dogs indefinitely until a suitable family can be found. Those that are fostered may sometimes need to be living with many other dogs, without an abundance of one-on-one time with owners.
For those unfortunate enough to be in kill shelters, the statistics are grim... Each year in the US, 3.9 million dogs enter shelters and of those, 1.2 million are euthanized. When you adopt a Beagle mix or any other type of dog, you are literally rescuing him (you're a hero!) and giving him/ her a chance to enjoy their life.
List of Beagle Designer Dogs
Beagle plus:
American Eskimo = American Eagle Dog
American Rat Terrier= Raggle
Basset Hound = Bagle Hound
Bearded Collie = Beacol
Bichon Frise = Glechon
Bolognese = Beaglolo
Boston Terrier = Boglen Terrier
Boxer = Bogle
Brussels Griffon = Bea Griffon
Bulldog = Beabull
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel = Beaglier
Chihuahua = Cheagle
Chinese Shar-Pei = Sharp Eagle
Cocker Spaniel = Bocker Spaniel
Coton de Tulear= Coton-Beagle
Dachshund = Doxle or a Beaschund
Doberman Pinscher = Beagleman
English Toy Spaniel = English Speagle Spaniel
French Bulldog + Beagle = Frengle or a French Bugle
French Bulldog = Frengle or a French Bugle
Golden Retriever = Beago Retriever
Jack Russell Terrier = Jack-A-Bee
Labrador Retriever = Labbe Retriever, Beagador or Labeagle
Lhasa Apso = Be-Apso
Maltese = Malteagle
Min Pin = Meagle
Miniature Schnauzer = Schneagle
Patterdale Terrier = Patterbea
Pekingese = Peagle
Pomeranian = Pomeagle
Poodle = Poogle
Pug = Puggle
Schnauzer = Schneagle
Shih Tzu = Bea-Tzu
West Highland White Terrier = West Argyll Terrier
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