There has been an increase in the popularity of a Pocket Beagle and many pet lovers are now interested in owning one. For this reason, I have decided to walk you through a guide on this special dog breed. So, what is a Pocket Beagle?
Pocket Beagles are very similar to the Beagles, except for one aspect. As their name implies, they are a lot smaller in size than a typical Beagle dog. Pocket Beagles are very adorable, houndy, and playful, and they love being companions with people and their fellow dogs.
In this article, we give you answers to the most enquired questions about Pocket Beagles. We have many pet lovers asking about the lifespan of a Pocket Beagle, how to take care of them, the possibilities of caring for them alone, and the grooming tips for the Pocket Beagles.
However, before answering these questions, we will first have a look at why many dog owners love these canine buddies for their companionship by looking at how big Pocket Beagles get.
How Big Do Pocket Beagles Get?
A young Pocket Beagle measures about 7 inches and can only grow up to 13 inches in height as an adult. The average weight of a Pocket Beagle is 15 lbs, while some can weigh up to 20 lbs.
Due to the nature of their genes, a Pocket Beagle will remain small forever.
It is important to note that the weight of male and female Pocket Beagles have no notable differences. This is unlike the other dog breeds where the males are significantly larger than the females.
Appearance
Pocket Beagles are cute dogs and many of them appear in two-tone patterns. Some have the appearance of a mix of white, brown, and tan colors while others may have a combination of white, black, and tan colors.
They are sturdy-looking canines and are easily recognized by their dome-shaped skull, comparatively shorter legs in proportion to other parts of their body, and their miniature foxhound-like appearance that is well adapted for hunting.
More so, they have large brown or hazel eyes, with soft long ears that curve towards their cheeks and appear rounded at the tip.
Coat
The coats of Pocket Beagles are hard, short to medium in length, and they get thicker during the winter to protect your furry friend.
Not only do these coats serve a protective function during winter, but they are also resistant to rain.
Sense Of Smell
Pocket Beagles are scent hounds and have one of the greatest senses of smell among other dog breeds. This unique ability makes Pocket Beagles well-adapted for hunting and as detection dogs.
What Is The Lifespan Of A Pocket Beagle?
Pocket Beagles are found to have a high life expectancy. The average lifespan of these energetic and friendly dogs is between 12 to 15 years.
Just like every other dog breed, some Pocket Beagles have health problems that are capable of reducing their lifespan. Some of the common health problems of Pocket Beagles are:
Hypothyroidism
Hypothyroidism affects the thyroid gland of Pocket Beagles. They become less active, increasingly obese, and have poorer coat formation. For Pocket Beagle puppies suffering from hypothyroidism, they will fail to increase in height.
Epilepsy
Epilepsy is usually frequent among Pocket Beagles and affects the brain of your furry companion. It causes them to have frequent seizures, impacting their quality of life. This condition can be managed with proper medication when detected early.
Other Common Health Problems
Apart from the above health problems which are the most common among Pocket Beagles, your dear pooch may also suffer from other conditions, such as hip dysplasia, brachyury (short tail), spina bifida, deafness, cataracts, glaucoma, optic nerve hypoplasia, pyruvate kinase deficiency, epilepsy, inguinal hernia, cryptorchidism, and many other congenital diseases.
Why Do Pocket Beagles Fart So Much?
It is not uncommon to see Pocket Beagles fart so much and a bit of the gas each day is just fine for your dog’s health. The reason for farting so much is because of their regular high-protein meals and energetic lifestyles that make them consume lots of food between small intervals.
Why Does My Pocket Beagle Stink So Bad?
There are a couple of reasons Pocket Beagles stink so badly. Apart from their farting frequency, another reason is apparently due to the natural odor present in their hair follicles. The oils in their hair follicles can become noxious especially when your furry farts, gets playful, or becomes wet.
How To Take Care Of Your Pocket Beagle?
Exercise
Pocket Beagles are hunters and as such, keeping them static is very unnatural for them. Over time, the lack of exercise makes them gain weight and leaves them prone to health problems.
Many exercises can be done with a Pocket Beagle. For example, taking a walk down the park, and letting your favorite canine buddy run around the garden are good forms of exercise.
Quite often, you should take your dog to the garden or a secure park and let it perform high-intensity exercises similar to its natural hunting activities.
Ideally, your four-legged furry friend should walk outside for 30 minutes once or twice every day.
Diet
Pocket Beagles love food and during mealtime, they will eat voraciously. Their instinctive hunting abilities make them great food hunters and when left to roam freely, they raid all corners of the home for food until they are satisfied.
They have high food servings daily due to their active and playful lifestyles. Being voracious eaters it is important to feed them with the right quantity of food. Doing this prevents canine diabetes and excessive weight gain.
The recommended total daily amount of food for Pocket Beagles is ⅞ to 1⅜ cups of dog food divided into two to three meals every day.
The quality of dog feed is equally as important as the quantity of the feed due to its significant impact on the general health of your dear fido. A balanced Pocket Beagle diet contains multivitamins and essential nutrients for the utmost performance of their body.
One such balanced meal is found in the Pet Plate’s nutritional package containing high-grade ingredients. Each dog meal package is nutritious, highly protein-rich, grain-free, delicious, and loved by many canines.
Dental Water Additives
Water is a source of fluid and minerals for your adorable cuties. Investing in dental water additives containing essential and non-essential minerals greatly improves your Pocket Beagle’s dental health.
Dental water additives are fortified with calcium and fluoride for the normal bones and teeth development of your furry friend.
Regular consumption of unfortified water will only result in osteoporosis and a weaker set of teeth, especially the molars.
Can Pocket Beagles Be Left Alone? Temperaments Of Pocket Beagles
Pocket Beagles are naturally social canines. When left alone for long hours, beyond 6 hours or so, they get bored and seldom become aggressive. So, it is best to make preparations before bringing Pocket Beagles into your home.
Not only do Pocket Beagles love socializing with their fellow breeds, but they have also been found visiting the neighborhood frequently and playing with different dog breeds. As such, they are considered to be loving, curious, friendly, affectionate, stubborn, and loud.
Do Pocket Beagles Bark A Lot?
Pocket Beagles are loud canines who love to bark. Training your dear buddy when and when not to bark is important for its learning process.
Are Pocket Beagles Easy To Train?
Training Pocket Beagles in the initial stages is not easy to do, but in time, they will become used to training. Training them when young makes the whole learning process easy for both you and your four-legged furry friend.
Pocket Beagles are very loyal but when punished, they become aggressive and stubborn. As a result, training Pocket Beagles requires patience, and positive reinforcements using treats. You should always reward them for every positive behavior and training passed, rather than punishing them.
They should be given training for barking, hunting, mouthing, and potty. The potty and mouthing training are both important for the cleanliness of your home and they can also be trained to hunt foreign animals in the garden.
To know how to train a Pocket Beagle, always remember the two P’s. The first is patience, and the second is positive reinforcement.
Do Pocket Beagles Shed? Grooming Tips For Pocket Beagles
Yes, Pocket Beagles shed only moderately. The level of shedding also depends on the season.
The winter season causes the hairs of Pocket Beagles to become thick and strong in preparation for the cold season hence, they shed fewer coats during these periods.
However, during summer, Pocket Beagles shed more coats to allow air to easily pass through and cool their body temperature.
They have short to medium-length hairs which prevent their coat from shedding off easily unlike the canine breeds with longer hairs.
Are Pocket Beagles Hypoallergenic?
Hypoallergenic dogs are known to not shed any coats hence, causing no allergies to people. However, Pocket Beagles are not hypoallergenic. They shed their coats throughout the year with an increased level of shedding during summer.
Because Pocket Beagles are prone to shedding their coats at any point in time, there are possibilities that pet owners could have allergies from the loose hairs of their canine buddies.
Grooming
A good grooming and de-shedding tool like the FURminator Undercoat Tool helps remove any loose dead hair on the body of your furry companion preventing any possibility of allergies occurring.
This helpful grooming tool works by gripping any loose dead hair when slid against the undercoat at the same time still maintaining the integrity of your dog’s skin and topcoat.
Bathing
We recommend bathing your Pocket Beagle once every two to six months, and more often if your pooch happens to have mud or dirt all over its coat.
For this, the Pro Pet Works All Natural 5 In 1 Oatmeal Shampoo comes highly recommended, as it cleans, maintains the health of your pooch’s undercoat, prevents the detangling of coats, and provides relief for hot spots and itchy skin.
In addition to these benefits, it eliminates any wet smell your pooch may have.
Related Questions
How Much Does A Pocket Beagle Cost? Pocket Beagles are such a rare breed as a result, they are quite expensive to purchase. The average price for buying a Pocket Beagle ranges from as low as $500 to as high as $2,000. However, there is another option to get a Pocket Beagle. Adopting one is a lot cheaper than buying one from a licensed breeder. The average cost to adopt a Pocket Beagle is $350 to $550 which also includes both the registration and vaccination fee.
Do Pocket Beagles Hunt? Yes, Pocket Beagles are excellent hunters. Historical records have shown that Pocket Beagles were a result of crossbreeding different hound species for the sole purpose of hunting. They are good hunters due to their speed, stamina, and size all of which enable them to easily meander through narrow spaces. However, limited by their size, Pocket Beagles are ideal only for hunting smaller animals, such as fawns, rabbits, and small garden animals.
Do Pocket Beagles Swim? Although Pocket Beagles don’t like getting wet and are not well adapted for swimming, they can swim when properly trained. However, it is important to note that Pocket Beagles prefer following scents, running, and chasing their prey in the jungle or on open fields rather than on the water.
