How Big Do Beagles Get?
I am a first-time dog owner, and I adopted a Beagle. I think he is so cute, but I don’t know much about his background or physical traits.
Wishing to learn about his size and how big he will get; I took a look on the internet and found some interesting details about this dog breed. I hope you enjoy it!
How Big Do Beagles Get?
Beagles can get as big as thirteen to fifteen inches to shoulders in height. They can weigh anywhere from fifteen to thirty pounds as an adult. Height and weight will be based on their gender, as females are typically smaller than males, and other factors, like health.
How big they get depends on who their pet parents were and their mother and father’s size as adults.
How big they get can also be affected by their diet, how healthy their nutrition is, their physical activity level, stress levels, and home life or environment.
There are two distinct sizes that the American Kennel Club recognizes as purebred dogs. These include the smaller-sized dog that stands up to thirteen inches at the withers and those that stand thirteen to fifteen inches at the withers.
The first will weigh fifteen to twenty pounds, and the second will weigh from twenty to thirty pounds. These are set for the breed standard which the American Kennel Club recognizes.
That doesn’t mean that there are no Beagles that weigh more or less or are shorter or taller at the withers. As a guideline, this provides an idea of what to expect of this breed, but all dogs are not created equal, even in the same breed.
It is better to focus on how healthy any dog is and how strong and thriving they are and not so much on how big they are unless you plan on taking your Beagle in the show ring. Health, wellness, personality, and character cannot be measured.
Therefore, size doesn’t always matter. If, however, you have a Beagle that appears to be significantly smaller than this guideline, it is best to check with their veterinarian to ensure that they are healthy, thriving, and living their best life.
Beagles are an interesting hunting breed. As a purebred dog recognized by the American Kennel Club, specific guidelines are followed when noting their size and attributes.
There are two distinct sizes of Beagle that the American Kennel Club recognizes.
The smaller size will be anywhere from fifteen to twenty pounds in weight and thirteen inches in height to their withers. The larger-sized Beagle will run twenty to thirty pounds in weight and thirteen to fifteen inches to the wither.
This will vary slightly from female to male as males are generally bigger.
That being said, no guide can determine how big a Beagle will get in height or weight.
While genetics plays a role, there is always the possibility for slight variances based upon their parental background, their own health, and lifestyle, including diet, exercise, and stress levels.
For those pet parents that what to know what size their Beagle will be, it can be far better to know who their parents are and what they look like, and not focus on a chart of guidelines that are set for show dogs in the show ring.
Health and wellness and growth, strength, character, and personality can never be measured by a guide. Any Beagle that appears to be significantly underweight should have a checkup with their veterinarian to make sure that they are as healthy as they can be.
What’s The Best Food For Beagles?
The best diet for your Beagle that promotes good health and for them to grow big and strong is a nutrient-dense one, and of the highest quality ingredient a pet parent can afford. It is best to consult their veterinarian to recommend what type of food is best at each stage of the Beagles’ life.
A healthy diet will likely change throughout the Beagles’ life, with their veterinarian recommending different foods if they are aging, unhealthy, or more athletic.
Treats are a great way to motivate any dog and show love and bring happiness and interest to their daily diet. They should, however, be limited to only when absolutely necessary and for the occasional diversion. Like when the Beagle has done something outstanding, or the pet parents are having a treat as well.
Healthy treat options can also be discussed with their veterinarian. Still, there are plenty of human treats like certain vegetables that can provide interest and promote good health in their daily diet.
When selecting a dog food to feed them, beyond the veterinarians’ recommendations, the dog food should contain very few ingredients, and they should be whole foods.
Chemical, preservatives, and other additives can be unhealthy for your Beagle and should be avoided whenever possible.
Protein should be the first item listed on the ingredients list. Lamb, chicken, and turkey are good choices, and the other ingredients should be easy to read and understandable.
If anything on the label’s ingredients list is foreign or hard to read, it is likely an additive, chemical, preservation, and something that should not be fed to your Beagle.
Does Exercise Affect How Big My Beagle Will Get?
Exercise can affect how big your Beagle will get in terms of weight. Exercise will have no bearing on their height. A lot of exercise isn’t necessarily an issue for your Beagle as long as they receive extra daily food to make up for this extra exercise.
If they do not receive enough food to make up for their extra energy, they can lose weight and fail to thrive at any stage in life. If they are fed too much under the circumstances, they will suffer and gain weight, affecting their health and activity level.
Dogs that do not exercise enough and are couch potatoes can become obese and larger than the guideline. Aside from that, they can become unhealthy because of their lack of exercise, which is similar to overfeeding them compared to the amount of exercise they are receiving.
Exercise is an integral part of a healthy lifestyle, and all dogs, including Beagles, will benefit from the outside time where they can play and exercise.
Too much or too little can affect how big they get and their overall health and, in some rare cases, how long they live.
Pet parents should be mindful of balancing their dogs’ lifestyles. Exercise, rest, food, water, love and affection, socializing, and stress all need to be in balance to promote good health for everyone, even a Beagle.
How Can I Make My Beagle Bigger?
If your Beagle appears smaller than the guideline states, it is essential to remember that it is just a guideline. As pet parents, we can worry that they are unhealthy if all the boxes are checked or don’t match up to the Beagle down the street in size or abilities.
Once we have our worries under control, veterinary consultations are important. If your Beagle has had a recent checkup and received a bill of good health stamp, the pet parent can simply keep a watch on the activities that their Beagle is involved in.
Pet parents can watch how much food the Beagle is eating, their physical activity level, stress level, and sleep patterns for a week or two.
They can monitor the Beagles’ bathroom habits and playtime to give them a clear picture of whether or not something is, in fact, wrong.
If nothing seems off, providing a bit more food daily can sometimes help. It may be possible that your dog has a higher metabolism than another Beagle.
Treats can be added if they are healthy to their diet. Perhaps they are outside running around during the day, adding a little bit of food or some healthy treats to their day when they come in from outside can provide added nutrition and perhaps necessary weight.
If, after a few weeks of feeding a little extra food, the pet parents are still concerned for their dog, they can make a phone call or schedule a visit to double-check with their Beagles veterinarian.
They will be able to examine them and determine if there is a health issue that might be causing the problem and may also perform tests.
How Big Are Beagles?
How big a dog gets is based on many factors, including their genetics and their nutrition. There are guidelines that can give an idea for curious pet parents, they are not always accurate for every dog. Some dogs will fit in the guideline while others may be slightly above or below it.
While this can seem confusing, thoughtful pet parenting based on caring for your Beagle will always point the way to good health, regardless of how big or small, your Beagle ends up being!