Pocket Beagle: Coat Color And Grooming

The breed standard for Beagles says any hound color is acceptable. Hound colors include all shades and combinations of white or cream, black, tan, lemon, red, brown, liver, blue, and gray.

The most common color for Beagles is tricolor with a black saddle (the area across the back), white legs, chest, belly, and a white tip on the tail, and tan on the head and around the saddle. The second most common color combination is red and white in an Irish spotting pattern on the face, neck, legs, and tip of the tail.

All colors can have freckling, mottling (dark roundish blotches on a lighter background), ticking (small, isolated areas of black hairs on a white background), and grizzling (a mixture of black or red and white hairs).

Whatever their color, they typically have a white tip on their tails so hunters can see them when they're hunting in tall grass.

Although you and I might think a Beagle has a short coat, it's actually classified as medium length. It's also smooth, dense, and resistant to rain.

Beagles are clean dogs, unless, of course, they've found something appealingly stinky to roll in. Otherwise, they don't require frequent baths. They should be brushed with a medium-bristle brush or a hound glove (a rubber mitt with nubs on the palm area) at least once a week to loosen and remove dead hair and encourage new hair growth.

Beagles shed, but because their hair is short, it usually isn't as noticeable as with other breeds. Their coats tend to get thicker in the winter, so they shed more in the spring.

Since Beagles are drop-eared dogs, air doesn't circulate well inside their ears and they can get infections, so don't allow water or oils to enter his ears. Check their ears at least every two weeks for signs of infection or waxy buildup. Check them also if you notice your Beagle shaking his head a lot or scratching at his ears.

You should check your Beagle's nails once a week and trim them if they are getting long.

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