Beagle is a small scent hound breed, apparently similar to a large foxhound. This breed was specially introduced for hunting hares a phenomenon called Beagling. Beagle has great nostrils and powerful tracking skills. It is used as a detection dog in locating the smuggled imports.

Beagles have been commercialized in Elizabethan times in different sorts of literature, television, paintings, and other art forms.

Recently, the American kennel club (AKC) has listed the top 10 breeds of best pets in which beagles are also included. So in this read, we are going to compare beagles with other top 6 breeds by discussing their similarities and differences, pros and cons. 

1. Beagle dog vs Labrador retriever

Beagle vs Labrador is a tough pick because both of these dogs are wonderfully playful and friendly. Both are intelligent and are listed by the American kennel club in their top 10 pet dog lists of 2021.

Yet, apart from the similarities, both are different breeds and have differences too.

Size & Weight

An adult Labrador is 22 to 25 inches and weighs around 55 to 80 pounds, whereas a fully grown Beagle ranges from 13 to 15 inches tall and it weighs about 20 to 30 pounds.

Grooming

Beagles and Labradors, both require grooming regularly like washing, cleaning, combing, and nail cutting. But a beagle because of its long ears, requires extra care to prevent wax build-up and infections in them.

Noise

Talking about the noise concerns, beagles being hunting dogs love to use their voice openly, either in the woods or in the backyard. They gain attention by doing this. On the contrary, Labradors are quiet dogs and they bark occasionally when excited or frightened.

Intelligence

Beagles were primarily bred for hunting therefore they are not renowned for their vigilance and intelligence. They are intelligent but Labrador loves to learn new things.

2. Beagle dog vs German shepherd

Both beagle and German shepherd are energetic and family dogs. They are playful and hate to be a-sided or left alone.

Size and Weight:

German shepherds are slightly bigger than beagles. Their weight is about 50 to 90 pounds and is 22-26 inches taller. Male members of the German shepherd family are bigger and more muscular than females.

Training

Beagles are playful, but are also reported to be stubborn sometimes, therefore the training has been to be very strict and proper with a well-timed schedule which makes the dog feel that it’s a serious task.

On the other hand, German shepherds are very intelligent and obeying. But they only submit to a single person who they consider to be their alpha owner. So they should be trained accordingly from a very early age.

Noise

Like Labradors, German shepherds are also quiet and bark only when needed. But beagles, as said before, are noisy and love to bark therefore, they would bark at anyone on the gate or a stranger. To avoid it they should be kept busy in training and other activities so they don’t get bored.

3. Beagle dog vs Golden retriever

Beagle and golden retrievers are both listed by the American kennel club in the top 10 breeds of 2021. Both have similarities and differences in their personality, moods, traits, and appearance.

Space

Beagle is a dog suitable for both spacy and compact apartments. Because of its small size, it can adjust in almost all living. However, golden puppies require a good space to do their different activities and are also heavy on the pocket. They require specific dog houses or backyards, but still, they would spend most of the time with family, which is a common trait in both retrievers and beagles.

Health

Both beagles and retrievers are healthy pets, but need vaccines if adapted. Despite being healthy, these pets can be sensitive depending upon the environment they are bred in or live in. 

The most common health issues in both these breeds involve hip dysplasia, progressive retinal atrophy, hyperthyroidism, cancer, etc.

4. Beagle dog vs French bulldog

Beagle vs French bulldog comparison comes up with different sorts of similarities and differences. A few of them are mentioned below.

Exercise

Beagle dogs are very excited and energetic. Therefore, a tough and vigorous exercise is required to calm their frustration down. Their high energy levels make them a good fit to take them to hikes or fetching exercises.

While French bulldogs do not need hard exercise. They simply walk and jump around the house and its furniture and that is possible enough for them to be fit. Excessive exercise or strenuous activities like hiking can cause heart stroke.

Grooming

Beagles as explained earlier, do need grooming frequently but not as much as Frenchies do. The only issue with beagles is their long ears, which should be cleaned regularly to avoid infections.

But French bulls dogs, on the other hand, have significant cleaning and grooming requirements. Like their wrinkled fur needs to be brushed and cleaned daily, because wrinkles are the prime areas where bacterial accumulations appear. Their nails should also be managed properly by cutting them weekly.

5. Beagle dog vs Poodles

Beagle dogs and poodles are very similar in some aspects like their friendly nature, disease sensitivity, and hot weather handling. Yet there are differences too.

Size

The biggest difference between beagle and poodle is the size. Beagles are small-sized dogs while poodles are larger. The standard poodle is about 18 – 25 inches while beagles are 13-15 inches.

Nature

Beagles and poodles are different from each other as well. Although both are family-friendly and hate to be left alone beagles are hunting breeds. They love to bark and are aggressive and excited.

Contrary to that poodles are very calm and human-friendly and were specifically bred to support human loneliness.

Hair shedding

Beagles shed normally like various other dogs, but poodles shed relatively less than other breeds. And therefore, people with allergies to dog hairs can tolerate them up to an extent.

6. Beagle dog vs Rottweilers

Rottweilers are the protective guardians and are giant as compared to beagles. There are a lot of differences in the traits of both breeds.

Playfulness

Rottweilers are average playful dogs, just like any other breed. They enjoy taking part in fun activities as well. But beagle is a highly playful breed. They love to express themselves and use their energy to please the parent and are always looking for something to play with.

Temperament

Rottweilers are alert, fearless, independent, loyal, and protective dogs. They look after the territory very well and are extremely intelligent.

Beagles, on the other hand, are lively, gentle, friendly, energetic, and independent breeds. They are not very good as watchdogs. However, they assist in the hunt and at experts in calling their owner after locating the prey.