Mary Allen
How old does the beagle get?
Anyone who wants a beagle as a pet will certainly ask themselves how long the four-legged friend will be with them.
The life expectancy of the Beagle is 12-15 years, which puts the dog slightly above average.
A long time in which you take responsibility for a living being (see: Buying a Beagle), with all the ups and sometimes downs that come with it.
However, the Beagle will surely repay you with lots of love, loyalty, and lots of fun.
Why does the Beagle have this life expectancy?
Why smaller representatives of the breed often live longer than the giants in the dog kingdom is usually explained by growth in the first year of life. Minis and small four-legged friends don’t need as long from puppy to adult dog and thus to the final stick size as the big ones. These, on the other hand, have enormous growth spurts and increase significantly in size in the first 12 months.
If you are not careful with your posture, you risk deformed bones and excessively stressed tendons and joints, and signs of wear and tear occur earlier. However, even with the best care and husbandry, problems with the musculoskeletal system sometimes occur in giants, which can reduce their lifespan to less than 10 years.
The Beagle is a medium-sized dog and unless they suffer from obesity like many of their breed representatives, a healthy height to weight ratio coupled with your care and nurturing should see them enjoy a happy lifespan of up to 15 years.
Signs of Aging and Changing Needs of the Old Beagle
When the first signs appear that the Beagle is getting old, you should be extra considerate and make some changes as the dog’s needs will change somewhat.
With a little attention and a portion of extra care, you can give your four-legged friend a nice and pleasant old age.
Beagle aging signs that may or may not appear:
Decreased hearing and vision
If the beagle is suddenly no longer available, this is by no means stubborn in old age.
A clouded vision can also cause problems in later years. Stickers on patio doors or other large glass doors are a good idea when visibility is poor. In rare cases, if the dog even goes blind, you should no longer rearrange the furniture in the house to make it easier for him to find his way around.
Important: So that your dog does not get frightened when you touch him, make yourself known with a loud voice or step slowly into his field of vision.
Declining urge to move
The activity usually decreases continuously. The dog loves to snooze during the day and sleeps a lot. Don’t disturb him while he’s recharging his batteries.
However, daily fitness training should still be on the agenda. This keeps the Beagle healthy and avoids obesity, which in most cases leads to even more reluctance to exercise.
Adapt the duration of the walks to the dog and stop romping and fighting with it so intensely. If he seems exhausted, it’s better to finish a game or go home comfortably.
Lackluster fur
Many dogs get gray muzzles with age and eventually the gray or white hairs spread over the body. The coat sometimes looks shaggy and loses its shine, but you don’t have to worry about that.
Although daily brushing usually does not bring back the shine in seniors, the soothing massage with the brush promotes blood circulation and stimulates the old Beagle’s circulation.
Stiff joints
Back problems, as well as pain in bones and joints, cause problems for some four-legged friends in old age. Climbing stairs should be avoided from now on, as should jumping onto the sofa, bed, or into the car.
If you have the stamina, you can carry your Beagle up and downstairs and help him snuggle up on the couch.
There are special dog ramps for cars that are easy to use and make it much easier for the beagle to get into the car.
Age problems
In addition to well-known ailments such as stiff joints and poor eyesight (glaucoma and cataracts), other diseases can also occur more frequently with age.
Herniated discs and hip problems, for example. Cancer is also a serious condition that primarily affects dogs over the age of 10 and requires immediate treatment.
Incontinence
A few beagles are suddenly no longer housebroken in old age and do it among themselves. Do not scold the dog, but clean it and its surroundings without comment, as it is uncomfortable enough for the four-legged friend.
Finally, solving in the house is not intentional. You can prevent this problem a little by letting the beagle out in the garden several times a day, taking him out into the fresh air for a few minutes more often, or using dog diapers or absorbent pads (e.g. puppy training pads).
The last two variants are particularly suitable for the night.
What can I do to help my Beagle live a long and healthy life?
Husbandry conditions
Family connection
A life without his pack, i.e. his people, is an unhappy dog life.
The Beagle is a pack dog and needs the safety and attention of his family to thrive. If possible, the four-legged friend should therefore never have to spend many hours alone at home.
Alone and on their own, many dogs panic, destroy things in their frustration, or get stressed. Temporary kennel keeping is okay if the beagle is not alone and can enjoy the company of other dogs.
Safety
Does your dog hear great, can you be called reliably, and is always focused on you? Excellent! Nevertheless, the Beagle always belongs on the leash in traffic. Even the best-trained dog can be startled or overlooked by a road user. It is different in the country, in the dog park, or in the forest. Here the Beagle can run to his heart’s content if he is properly trained. If he doesn’t know commands very well or he has a pronounced hunting instinct, but you still want to give him more leeway, practice using a tow line.
In the car, on the other hand, the Beagle must be secured. A permanently installed transport box in the trunk (transverse to the direction of travel) is an optimal solution.
A dog harness with a double connection can also offer protection in the event of an accident.
Of course, there are also dangers lurking for the Beagle in the household and garden. He can escape through a gap in the fence, fall off the balcony, eat poisonous substances or food and get poisoned, chew on power cords, etc.
It is therefore important to make your home dog-proof and to defuse potential sources of danger.
Hygiene and care
In order to care for the Beagle from head to paw and to avoid annoying hair in the apartment, the dog should be brushed and groomed regularly and the body openings and paws should be cleaned.
This ensures a nice shine and you can simultaneously examine the dog during the grooming procedure for any abnormalities that could possibly indicate an illness.
For example:
- Swelling under the skin or other bumps/lumps (cancer/tumors)
- Discharge from eyes or nose
- Injuries or foreign objects (glass splinters/thorns)
- Parasites such as ticks, fleas, mites (also check between the toes and in the ears)
- Excessive tartar or inflammation in the mouth
- Glued anal region (diarrhea/worms)
- Flaky skin, hair loss, scabs on the coat
- Changed behavior (head tilt, loss of appetite, exhaustion, …)
In addition to personal hygiene, it is also essential to clean dog accessories so that pathogens or parasites cannot spread unhindered:
- Wash bedding regularly in a hot machine
- Wash out transport boxes (e.g. after a visit to the vet)
- Take good care of the leash, collar, and harness (especially leather) and keep them clean
- Rinse drinking and feeding bowls with hot water
- If possible, wash toys under running water or put them in the washing machine
- Replace brushes, combs, and other grooming accessories regularly or maintain them accordingly
Social contacts
Chasing across the meadow with other conspecifics, fighting, romping, and playing tag together? A dream for every dog, but especially for the beagle.
After all, it was originally bred for hunting in packs and gets along very well with other dogs.
Allow him four-legged social contacts and go for walks with other dog owners, visit a dog school or the local park.
Displacement and employment
The Beagle was bred as a pack dog for towing and is accordingly enthusiastic about movement and running. His owners should therefore allow him sufficient exercise and activity.
In addition to daily long walks, training, games and mental stimulation should also be part of the program. This keeps the Beagle fit, ensures a slim figure, and strengthens its immune system.
Nutrition
The demands on Beagle food change as the Beagle gets older. The puppy, therefore, needs a different feed composition than later the senior. Specialist shops have ready-made wet and dry food that is tailored to different age groups. However, do not buy randomly, but always take a critical look at the ingredients.
In the best case, meat should always be the main component of dog food. A high proportion of vegetables and fruit are also important for optimal nutrition. Stay away if there are too many fillers, such as grain or corn. These have little nutritional value for the Beagle.
BARF is a good alternative to ready-made feed. If you read up on the topic, you will find that homemade dog food is not that difficult to produce. Raw meat in all variations (bones, blood, muscle meat, innards, etc.) makes up the bulk of the food in BARF. There are also other delicious and healthy ingredients, such as cooked vegetables, pureed fruit, herbs, etc.
Breeder
Before a breeder is allowed to mate his beagle, the animals must be tested for some diseases that are typical for this breed of dog.
Only dogs that are free of genetic defects are allowed to breed. This ensures that the offspring are as healthy as possible and that breeding can be constantly improved.
Prevention and controls at the veterinarian
Parasites
They are not only annoying but also stubborn, cause discomfort and pain, and sometimes even transmit diseases. Therefore, regularly check whether your Beagle is infested with parasites (worms, fleas, ticks, etc.) and administer regular worming and flea treatments.
Vaccinations
A regular little prick and the Beagle is already protected from many dangerous diseases, which are often difficult to cure and can sometimes be fatal.
Avoid unnecessary suffering, ensure a basic immunization in the puppy age, and refresh the vaccination status regularly.
However, pay attention to the package insert of the vaccines! Only rarely is it actually necessary to vaccinate annually?
Castration
Bitches sometimes experience inflammation of the uterus, as well as the dreaded mammary tumors. However, the risk of contracting the disease can be minimized if the Beagle lady is castrated before her second heat at the latest.
So if you don’t want to breed yourself, you should definitely consider this intervention.
Also: Research has shown that neutered females and male dogs have a life expectancy that is up to 2 years longer.
However, neutering is controversial because the surgery causes the dog to suffer.
Preventive medical check-ups
In order to be able to recognize illnesses in time and to be able to treat them effectively, the old Beagle should be taken to the veterinarian at least once a year, even if he appears lively and there are no obvious signs of illness.
Blood count, palpation tests, and various checks enable the veterinarian to recognize signs of aging and mitigate them. Even more serious problems can be discovered early and the chances of recovery are good.
Tartar control
Brushing your teeth, chewing toys and chewing articles (fresh bones, tripe) are the best precautions against stubborn plaque. If left untreated, however, it can not only cause problems in the mouth, but germs can also spread from there to other areas of the body, infect organs and damage them.
Therefore, check your mouth and teeth regularly and, if necessary, have tartar removed in the veterinary practice.
The beagle crosses the rainbow bridge – my beagle dies – saying goodbye
Not every Beagle will be able to fall asleep peacefully in his basket and not wake up again. Sometimes, however, the symptoms become so great in old age that a certain quality of life is simply no longer given, the pain becomes unbearable and the dog just suffers.
In such cases, the vet will recommend euthanasia and say goodbye to the gentle beagle. This is done either in the veterinary practice or, if you wish, at your home.
If the beagle is put to sleep in your own four walls, this often means less stress, since the beagle does not have to be driven to the practice and the smells and the environment there cannot frighten it. At home in his familiar environment, the dog will be much more relaxed. If his pack is present, this gives additional security.
Even at the veterinary clinic, the farewell can be made a little easier if the procedure takes place in a separate room and you are given time to mourn. If possible, make an appointment outside of office hours so that you are undisturbed and the veterinarian can take more time.
Of course, in both cases, you also have the option to stay with your four-legged friend until the end and say goodbye. If you like, you can pet the beagle and talk to it gently until it falls asleep. Of course, you don’t necessarily have to go to the treatment room and watch the euthanasia. However, most dogs panic when their master or mistress leaves them alone, possibly still crying and sad and the four-legged friend is suddenly alone with the vet. This situation is very frightening for the Beagle and he spends his last minutes on earth feeling desperate, longing for his family, and scared. So, as difficult as it is, it would be very nice if you could be with your beloved Beagle to the very end and give him the safety and love he needs.
Such a farewell is always very difficult, costs strength, and leaves a large gap. However, as a responsible owner, you shouldn’t shy away from that last step or even feel guilty if the beagle has to be put down. After all, you only wanted and still want the best for your dog, and suffering and pain are certainly not part of it.