The Beaglier dog - A good choice for families

The Beaglier dog is a hybrid dog type that initially became popular in Australia, and is now gaining an increasingly large following with the dog loving population of the UK. The Beaglier is a dog produced from the crossing of the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and the Beagle, and is renowned for its exceptionally kind temperament and suitability as a family pet. If you are on the lookout for a new dog to join your family and are particularly seeking a dog that not only tolerates children but actively enjoys their company, look no further than this handsome, good natured and long lived hybrid dog! Read on to learn more about the Beaglier, and why they are considered to be such a good pick for families with children.

The Beaglier ancestry and history

The Beaglier first came into being as the result of attempts to produce a dog that would contain all of the positive personality traits of both the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and the Beagle, while reducing the chances of reproducing some of the breeds’ particular traits. While the Beagle makes for a fabulous family pet, their superior scenting abilities and strong tracking drives can sometimes prove inconvenient in the domestic home setting, and the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel as a breed is prone to rather elevated risk factors for a range of health conditions.

Crossing the Beagle with the Cavalier King Charles spaniel is ultimately intended to reproduce the amazing temperament and personality traits of both breeds, while reducing the likelihood of the dog inheriting two sets of genes for the potential Cavalier King Charles Spaniel health problems, and somewhat reducing the Beagle’s scenting drive.

The appearance of the Beaglier

The Beaglier is generally small to medium sized, weighing between 4kg and 12kg, so a reasonable amount of variance can be seen between the sizes of Beaglier dogs. Beaglier colouring takes on the patched, patterned appearance that both the Beagle and the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel displays, with a wide range of colour combinations possible thanks to the colour diversity of the parent breeds. The coat of the Beaglier is usually short and soft, although it can on occasion appear to owe more to the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel side of their breeding, being rather longer and silkier. Their coats are usually low maintenance and do not generally require professional grooming, although longer coats may require regular brushing.

The Beaglier’s head is generally composed of soft curves without sharp angles, and the ears are floppy and soft.

Beaglier health and wellness

Despite the potential range of health issues that afflicts some Cavalier King Charles Spaniel dogs, the Beaglier is a robust and healthy dog that lives on average for 14 years or even more. The genetic diversity that is introduced by the breeding of two distinct dog breeds means that the likelihood of the resultant puppy inheriting two sets of genes for any problems or health conditions is greatly reduced. The Beagle side of the parentage contains a very wide and healthy gene makeup, and this goes a long way towards enabling good long-term health for the Beaglier.

However, the Beaglier may be slightly more prone than other dogs to inherit some of the more serious and common health problems of the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Mitral valve disease, epilepsy and patellar luxation are all risk factors for the Cavalier King Charles spaniel, which the Beaglier can inherit.

Health testing of the parent dogs and tracing the dog’s ancestry back to identify the presence of any of these conditions prior to breeding can help to minimise the chances of these problems being passed onto the subsequent puppies.

Beaglier exercise requirements

While the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is rather a homebody and tends to enjoy long periods of rest in between their exercise, the Beagle is a pack dog with high energy levels and significant endurance. The Beaglier requires a sufficient amount of exercise to stay happy and well, and plenty of provision should be made for the Beaglier to get lots of enthusiastic walks and play. Active, energetic households that like to keep fit are the best homes for the Beaglier, and these dogs will happily play with children in energetic outdoor games, helping to work off the excess energy of both dog and child!

While the Beaglier cannot be classed in the same group as the liveliest and most energetic dog breeds such as the Collie, nevertheless they will require a reasonable amount of walking and opportunity to run free in order to keep them happy.

The Beaglier personality and relationship with people

The Beaglier is never happier than when in the company of others, and they are generally exceedingly social with other dogs. They view their human companions as part of their pack, and will quickly establish themselves as part of the family. They are particularly good natured, gentle with people who are shy and nervous, and keen to please. Beagliers are also eminently trainable, and respond well to positive reinforcement.

The Beaglier is not only very tolerant of children and extremely unlikely to snap or become grumpy even when under duress, but they actively enjoy the company of the smaller family members, and bond strongly with their young owners.

If picking a dog that will be a positive addition to your family and give your kids a great first experience of dog ownership is your priority, look no further than the Beaglier!