An A-Z Guide to Breeding Beagles
Beagle, a popular breed of hound dogs, are curious, cuddly, and nonchalantly sharp. Over the years, they have become a household favourite. If you sufficiently socialise and train them, they can be suitable companions and ideal family dogs. Beagles also get along with other pets, both cats and dogs, as long as they grow up with them. However, did you know that they have a history that is much deeper and soulful as a breed in 19th-century England? The Beagle, a hunting dog famed for its connection with the masses, is believed to have European origins. However, breeders in the UK created the breed in its present form in the middle of the nineteenth century. The Beagle is one of the most ancient dog breeds, with evidence of its breeding dating back to the 5th century A.D. In Ancient Greece, there were hunting dogs that closely resembled modern Beagles in size and purpose. Today, Beagles rank very high in terms of pet preferences. However, as a breeder in the UK, it is of utmost importance to ensure ethical breeding. Our ethical breeding goes beyond ensuring the health and welfare of both male and female dogs including the puppies born. It involves the vitality of preserving a breed and keeping it authentic to its roots. This includes conducting all the activities ensuring the moral codes of conduct. Unethical breeding, on the other hand, is the greatest cause of genetic deformities in puppies as well as dogs getting into shelters. There is more to these dogs than just the sounds they make! We have to place purebred Beagles in a classification on their own. Any other breed or type does not have these physical and behavioural aspects. Beagles bear an uncommon distinction in their resemblance. The possible elements would involve elements such as the hound-like droopy ears, white-tipped tails, and hybrid colours. Here are some factors that can help you distinguish a purebred Beagle for sale from the rest. Coats: The coats of pure-bred Beagle puppies comprise a mix of three colours- black, white, and brown. They are most readily available at inventoried pet stores and breeders. Ears: Adorable ears are a trademark of beagle pups. They are nice and long and droopy with a soft texture. The ear should always be long and flopped down. Thus, when Beagles have erected or short ears, they are normal breeds. Appearance: The lower body of a purebred Beagle is even with some muscular strength and bulk. Based on height, Beagles can either be 11 inches or 15 inches tall. They possess relatively short backs when compared to other hounds and have broad, slightly curved backs. Tails: The white-tipped tail is the most universal feature of identifying a purebred Beagle. Almost all standard Beagles would have great white markings at the tips of their tails. To make sure everything is clear, get a test done. This will ensure that the dog you are planning to breed is purebred. Paws: A healthy and purebred Beagle for sale has four distinct medium white-coloured paws. You must know that purebred Beagles only have fully white paws. A Beagle with coloured paws is possibly from a different breed or mix. Behavioural Indicators Differentiating a purebred Beagle from a mixed breed would take more than just visual analysis. Additionally, their behaviour warrants further investigation. Some moods and behaviour traits help understand the original breed from the mixed one. For instance, here are some common behaviour indicators: 1. Perfect Sniffer: Beagles have the most inquisitive sense of smell you can think of. This is why any Beagle must practice a considerable amount of sniffing, as they are always inserting their noses into every hidden place. Massive Barker: Beagles are huge chatterboxes. They bark all the time; be it when they are happy, excited, or agitated, they can always be heard shouting. They are super attention-seeking and will keep whining if left alone. Thus, the best way to identify if they are purebred is by how much they communicate. Hard To Train: Beagles are extremely focused and clever. This is so deep-rooted in them that it is even difficult to make them do something else. They are unapologetically focused. It’s their stubborn nature that makes it tough to train them. Thus, it is this rigid nature of theirs that can help identify if they are purebred. Breeding is something that will bring out the best in our relationship with dogs. It is fun and demanding at the same time. More so, raising purebred dogs can also be draining, costly, and sometimes devastating. If you embark on the journey of breeding dogs, you should understand that the primary goal should be to better the breed rather than a quest to grow its population. Breeding To Improve Every dog seems like the best choice. However, as a responsible dog breeder in the UK, you need to ensure that you are doing things the right way. To put it simply, take a moment to breathe and process the pros and cons of the dogs you are choosing before deciding to breed them. After all, that is the whole point of dog breeding: to improve upon the existing dog and have a quality companion. Factors for a Suitable Mate Selecting a breeding partner, especially a male for your female, requires one rule in mind. You must mate animals that complement one another. Choose a dog whose bloodlines will give strength to your female dog’s weaknesses. It will also highlight her strengths. For instance, if your female lacks the best coat that she could have, then you should pick a good-coated male from a good line. Knowing the Genetics As a responsible dog breeder, it is important to know the basics of how genetics work. You should research everything about the prospective puppies' health, how they sound, look, and their mood. It will be a result of the genes that are inherited from their ancestors. Hence, the selection of a mating pair goes beyond the superficial physical attributes of males or females. It is thus important to know how their genes have contributed to their traits. When breeding to improve the breed, several factors need to be kept in mind. These factors become a deciding factor in how the new pups will turn out to be. It will also decide if they will be able to survive. Thus, it is important to explore the different mating options before deciding which will be best for your dogs. Natural Breeding A responsible dog breeder in the UK would typically avoid breeding a female dog at her first heat. This is because of the fear of subjecting the young animal to the strains of pregnancy and milk production early in her life. It is also normal to avoid breeding a female dog during every heat cycle due to the need for a rest period in between pregnancies. Generally, in the natural process, both dogs mate normally. Although an experienced female should be paired with a young male dog, sometimes, humans also need to assist them. However, it is important to allow the process at its own pace. They will remain ‘tied’ for a while and separate naturally. Trying to manually separate them can hurt or injure them. Artificial Breeding In case natural breeding is not an option, one can go for artificial insemination. This is a much more straightforward and less complicated process. Collecting a dog's fresh, extended, or frozen semen with proper precautions can easily be done through this process. The female dog should not be less than eight months old. However, it's best to wait until the female is two years of age at least. It is the most sensible approach because her body would have previously matured. This is important before undertaking the stress that comes with breeding. In general, females retire from reproduction by 7 years of age. A veterinarian, however, may advocate for an even earlier retirement due to health issues. They must be neutered once they stop breeding. This is very important for their health. As for the male dogs, they must be above 9 months. Both canines must undergo thorough medical checks and be certified as parents, respectively. This will assess whether any problems may be hereditary in puppies. It will be important to assess the health status of both pets and ensure that they do not possess any genetic illnesses that could be passed through breed lines. Estrus, commonly called a dog's heat cycle, is the period during which the female dog is in a reproduction stage that occurs only when she is ready to mate. Naturally, a female can only mate when she is in estrus, which is once or twice a year respectively. Nonetheless, this is a huge misunderstanding: heat is not the prime breeding phase for a dog. Many dogs do not show eagerness to breed until over 2 weeks after the first signs have appeared. So, what can you do if the female Beagle seems simply uninterested? In most circumstances, un-neutered kept males will almost invariably attempt to copulate with a female regardless of time or circumstance, except for a few instances where the male will simply not respond to the female. The average breeding span is between 1-17 days. But every dog is unique. The good news is that every dog has a cycle; she will raise her rear (a.k.a. flagging) when she is in heat. Once you understand what the breeding cycle of your Beagle is, you will know exactly which days she is in heat. Once you see the female dog is no longer interested in mating, get her spayed immediately. Before getting into the process, it is important to understand the rules surrounding breeding dogs. While getting into the system, it is essential to know all about the dog that you are breeding, its ancestry, and its genetics. This is what ethical breeding is all about. Ethical breeding at the UK Dog Breeding Academy ensures that the pups are safe and sound. It also ensures that the breed of dog is preserved. As an ethical breeder in the UK, you must ensure proper health check-ups of the dogs and a caring environment for the pups. You must take good care of the puppies before they go out to new families. The dogs that end up in a dog shelter come from irresponsible breeders, rather than responsible ones. They are poorly bred, randomly bred, or ‘abused’ dogs that have lived in one or more inappropriate homes during their formative years.How to Identify a Purebred
Physical Indicators
Parameters of Optimal Health for Breeding
Mating Procedures
What is the Right Age for Breeding
Breeding Issues and Heat Cycles
Conclusion
