The How-to-Guide to Beagle Grooming | Dogs

By MichelleAdams
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The beagle dog breed dates back historically to 19th century England. The breed was registered with the American Kennel Club in the 1880s. It is thought that beagles are derived from inter-breeding of several kinds of harrier and other hunting dogs. Beagles have gained popularity not only for the skill on the hunt but also for their sociable temperament.

Beagles are pack animals to the extreme and view a human family as their pack. They become very lonely and distressed when left for long periods of time. Their intense sociability is just one of their positive aspects. Beagles have an excellent sense of smell as well as a friendly temperament. Beagles are also attractive physically; they are short haired, with a sturdy body structure, and brown eyes with a characteristically sad expression. Beagles come in various colors (and all are accepted in competition by the AKC) but they are most often represented in the tri-colored shades of black/white/tan.

Because of their short, easy to manage fur, grooming your beagle is a fairly easy task. A yearly bath and occasional dry shampoo is enough to keep these small dogs clean. The AKC and other beagle experts recommend several grooming techniques for this affable breed.

The ears, feet, and eyes along with the coat need consistent grooming. The long, pendulous ears are prone to infection as water and bacteria can easily become trapped inside. The nails may require more or less trimming depending on your dog's activity level. Beagle eyes need special care because their long eyelashes may become ingrown.

If you do not feel comfortable grooming your beagle, there are many pet groomers available to maintain your dog's appearance. They can handle, in particular, tricky areas like trimming your beagle's nails. Services are relatively reasonable. A "puppy package" may include a puppy wash, brush, nail trim, and style and costs approximately $10-$60.

Grooming your beagle involves several guidelines. Because beagles have long, pendulous ears, these can be prone to infection due to water or bacteria becoming trapped inside. Check your beagle's ears at least once per week to make they are clean and free of infection. A good rule of thumb is to wipe his ears whenever he is being brushed.

Follow these guidelines to care for his problem areas. Because they are prone to infection due to water or bacteria becoming trapped inside, the long, pendulum-shaped beagle ears should be checked at least once per week to ensure they are clean and free of infection. Remembering to do this at each brushing is a good rule of thumb.

When grooming your beagle's nails, trim them with a quality nail clipper. There is no set frequency for when nails should be trimmed since length depends on your beagle's activity level. When you can hear your beagles' nails clicking on the floor it is probably a good time for trimming. Use high-quality nail clippers and take your time. If your beagle is hard to handle when using nail clippers you may want to have a professional groomer do the clipping.

About the Author

Michelle Adams is an avid lover of the Beagle and owns a popular website where you'll discover how to have a happy, healthy and well behaved Beagle. Among other topics there, you can also learn all about Beagle Grooming .

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