Beagle Breed Standard

General Appearance

A sturdy, compactly built hound, conveying the impression of quality without coarseness.

Characteristics

A merry hound whose essential function is to hunt, primarily hare, by following a scent. Bold, with great activity, stamina and determination. Alert, intelligent and of even temperament.

Temperament

Amiable and alert, showing no aggression or timidity.

Head and Skull

Fair length, powerful without being coarse, finer in the bitch, free from frown and wrinkle. Skull slightly domed, moderately wide, with slight peak. Stop well defined and dividing length, between occiput and nose as equally as possible. Muzzle, not snipy, lips reasonably well flewed. Nose broad, preferably black, but less pigmentation permissible in lighter coloured hounds. Nostrils wide.

Eyes

Dark brown or hazel, fairly large, not deep set or prominent, set well apart with mild appealing expression.

Ears

Long, with rounded tip, reaching nearly to the end of the nose when drawn out. Set on low, fine in texture and hanging gracefully close to cheeks.

Mouth

The jaws should be strong, with a perfect, regular and complete scissor bite ie. The upper teeth closely overlapping the lower teeth and set square to the jaws.

Neck

Sufficiently long to enable the hound to come down easily to scent, slightly arched and showing little dewlap.

Forequarters

Shoulders well laid back, not loaded. Forelegs straight and upright well under the hound, good substance, and round in bone, not tapering off to feet. Pasterns short. Elbows firm, turning neither in nor out. Height to elbow about half height at withers.

Body

Topline straight and level. Chest let down to below elbow. Ribs well sprung and extending well back. Short in the couplings but well balanced. Loins powerful and supple, without excessive tuck-up.

Hindquarters

Muscular thighs. Stifles well bent. Hocks firm, well let down and parallel to each other.

Feet

Tight and firm. Well knuckled up and strongly padded. Not hare footed. Nails short.

Tail

Sturdy, moderately long. Set on high, carried gaily but not curled over the back or inclined forward from root. Well covered with hair, especially on underside.

Gait/Movement

Back level, firm with no indication of roll. Stride free, long reaching in front and straight without high action; hind legs showing drive. Should not move close behind nor paddle nor plait in front.

Coat

Short, dense and weatherproof.

Colour

Any recognised hound colour other than liver. Tip of stern white.

Size

Desirable minimum height at withers - 33 cm (13 ins).

Desirable maximum height at withers - 40 cm (16 ins).

Faults

Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree.

Note:

Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.

Classification