Mary Allen
Beagles are real professionals at wagging their tails. But why is the end of the rod always white? We have the answer!
The beagle is a real smooch among dogs. The funny four-legged friend takes all hearts by storm, especially with his nature.
But the Beagle’s appearance also helps the lively little fellow to make friends quickly: He’s rather compact, at around 40 cm tall, quite handy, and with his dark eyes and lovable face, he looks awake and simply cuddly into the world.
Beagles are also mostly happy dogs who will flick their tails and wag like the world champions at every opportunity. The white tip of the tail is particularly noticeable.
But why is it always white in this breed of dog? Sure, because the breed standards specify the white tip of the tail and the breeders, therefore, make sure, among many other things, that this characteristic is not lost. But…why does the tip of the tail, which wags so happily back and forth, have to be white?
The Beagle raises the white flag
Usually, waving a white flag means giving up and admitting defeat. With the Beagle, the exact opposite is the case!
Beagles are among the ancient breeds of dogs. They were bred by English hunters as early as the 1500s in order to have a reliable hunting partner. With his bright temper, speed, and keen sense of smell, the beagle seemed perfectly suited to this.
And the color was also ideal for hunting: A Beagle with typical breed markings is really hard to find in the forest. So if he’s supposed to be chasing a bunny or a smaller game, he’ll bring the perfect wardrobe with him. The problem, however, is that hunters can no longer see him either. Once he dives down with his nose to follow a scent, the sniffing instrument doesn’t come up so quickly. The beagle is therefore very difficult to see in the heat of the moment.
Sometimes the hunters could no longer say in which direction the dedicated tail waggers had set off. So you found neither game nor one or the other dog.
However, nobody wants to lose their Waltz in the forest. The hunters of the time also wanted to return from the hunt with all their four-legged helpers. Over time, they found that the dogs with a white tail tip were easier to see. From then on, they bred the animals with the aim of preserving the white tip or making it more pronounced in future generations.
The white tip of the beagle’s tail not only looks cute but also has a useful function: With the white, waving pennant, they are easy to recognize even in the undergrowth.