Do bull terriers shed?

by Monique

With their active, loyal, and eager-to-learn nature, English bull terriers can make great family dogs for older children and experienced dog owners. But it’s important to know what you’re getting into if you bring a bull terrier home to stay. One of the things that surprises many new bull terrier owners is how much these dogs shed, despite their short hair.

Bull terriers are moderate shedders, shedding more than other terriers and less than non-terriers, such as shelties. Bull terriers lose some hair all year round but shed their full coat in spring and fall, with the changing seasons. The amount of hair shed depends a lot on their age, diet, genes, and time of year.

There are quite a few things that affect how much your bull terrier sheds. The good news is that there are things you can do to keep this to a minimum and keep your bully happy. And it all starts with understanding why these beautiful terriers lose their hair…

Why do bull terriers lose so much hair?

There are a few reasons why bull terriers lose so much hair.

Bull terriers have a single coat, which is made up of short hair that has a strong, hard texture. This coat protects them from the sun’s rays to keep them cooler in summer and protects them from the cold in winter. However, bull terriers are not meant to live in very cold or wet weather and will need protection from these elements.

As a dog with a single coat, bull terriers shed twice a year when the seasons change. This full shed is often called ‘blowing coat’ and happens because of the change in temperature.

In spring, bull terriers shed their coat to replace it with a lighter, cooler coat for summer. And in the fall, bull terriers shed their coat to grow a thicker, warmer coat for winter.

This explains the seasonal sheds but what about the rest of the year?

All hair goes through three phases: growth, rest, and shed (or falling out). When a hair reaches the shed phase, it falls out no matter the season. This process makes way for new hairs to grow and keeps the coat healthy and strong.

It is because of these three hair phases that bull terriers and pretty much all dogs lose hair during the rest of the year.

You might notice more hair falling out around the neck or collar area than the rest of the body. This is a natural thing for a single coat dog and is nothing to worry about.

When do bull terriers shed?

There are a few things that cause bull terriers to shed and how much hair they lose.

First is the bull terrier’s age. A bull terrier puppy will shed its puppy coat anywhere between 3 and 12 months of age. When shedding this coat, the dog will lose a lot more hair than normal and this shedding may last several weeks.

English bull terriers will start their routine seasonal shedding after they are at least one year old.

The second factor that affects shedding is time of year.

Bull terriers lose some hair during the year but shed their full coat twice a year, when it starts getting warmer and when it starts getting cooler. This is usually in the spring and fall seasons, so you will probably need to brush your bull terrier more often in April or May and August or September.

The third factor that influences shedding is genes and allergies.

Every dog is different and so is their shedding pattern. Some bull terriers shed a whole lot more than other bull terriers simply because of their genes.

Also, bull terriers are prone to allergies in their food and environment. These allergies may cause the dog to lose fur until the things causing the allergies are removed.

The fourth factor that influences shedding is diet.

A bull terrier needs to eat a healthy, balanced diet in order to grow and keep a healthy fur coat. If a bull terrier lacks nutrients, oils or vitamins, their hair may start falling out and any new hair that does grow may be dry and brittle.

The fifth factor that influences shedding is stress.

If a bull terrier is stressed, anxious, or lonely, they may start losing their coat due to stress hormones in their body.

These stress hormones force the hair follicles into the rest phase, so they stop growing new hairs. When this happens, the old hair isn’t replaced and becomes dry and brittle, so it breaks easily or falls out altogether.

The sixth and final factor that affects shedding is being sterilized.

If you neuter or spay your bull terrier, you might notice stronger shedding for a few months. Hormones keep hair follicles strong and healthy, and neutering your dog will influence these follicles and hair loss.

This is nothing to worry about – your dog’s shedding cycle should return to normal after a few months.

Tips to control bull terrier shedding

Here are some tips to help keep your bull terrier’s shedding under control:

1. Brush your bull terrier with the right brush

The good news is that a bull terrier isn’t high maintenance when it comes to grooming.

A bull terrier needs to be brushed once a week to control the usual shedding. This should take you 5 to 10 minutes (or longer if you both enjoy the bonding time).

But when the seasons change, in spring especially and in fall, increase brushing to daily to keep hair loss under control and minimize how much hair ends up lying around.

While brushing, check your dog’s skin for any ticks, allergic reactions, or problems that need attention.

After brushing, it’s a good idea to wipe down your bully with a damp cloth to remove any loose fur. You can also dust them with dry shampoo to freshen the fur.

Try not to wash your bull terrier too often as this may dry out their sensitive skin. Plan to bath your bully only when they have dirt or mud on them or have rolled in something stinky.

If you do want to give your bull terrier a full bath, do this before brushing as washing the fur can loosen a lot of hair and these hairs will need to be brushed out after the bath.

Brush your bull terrier with a curry dog brush or rubber mitt to remove hair. If you want something even more effective, it may be worth investing in a FURminator to remove any shedded coat.

TIP: Use a FURminator for short-haired dogs to remove most of the loose hair on your bull terrier. This will do wonders to keep the shedding under control.

2. Feed your bull terrier a high-quality food

A strong, healthy coat starts with good nutrition, so be sure to feed your bull terrier a high-quality dog food that’s made for the breed and their age.

Bull terriers are prone to suffering from skin conditions and seasonal allergies. If your bully is experiencing these, speak to your vet about putting the dog on a special diet. The vet will probably recommend a balanced diet of raw food, without any grains or olive oil as these often irritate a bull terrier’s skin.

A good diet will help your bull terrier grow a stronger coat, which will keep shedding to a minimum as the hair won’t break off or fall out very easily.

3. Supplement your bull terrier’s diet

Many bull terrier owners like to supplement their dog’s diet with vitamins and fatty acids, to keep the coat strong and healthy.

A good overall supplement to use is called NuVet, which is available as a wafer or powder. This supplement gives dogs the antioxidants, amino acids, vitamins, minerals, and enzymes needed to boost their immune system and improve overall health. This supplement can prevent dry skin and allergy problems in bull terriers specifically.

When it comes to fatty acid supplements, many bull terrier owners recommend using a brand called Grizzly Salmon Oil, which is high in Omega 3. This fatty acid has been proven to nourish hair and sustain hair growth in humans and in dogs

4. Keep your bull terrier calm and give them love and attention

Bull terriers are sensitive, loyal dogs that need a few things to keep them happy. All dogs are different, and some bull terriers may be more emotionally sensitive than others.

It’s important to look for signs of stress in your dog, one of which is any changes in how much or how often they shed.

At a bare minimum, your bull terrier needs an hour of exercise a day or more. These dogs love walks, but they also love exercising their mind and practicing agility, so be sure to give them games and toys for this. Throwing a ball and playing fetch is also a very popular game with this breed.

If you want to know what types of dog toys you can get for your bull terrier and how much they cost, then read the full post by clicking HERE.

Be sure to socialize your dog from an early age so it doesn’t get overwhelmed by other people and dogs. And keep rowdy, unsupervised children away from your bully as they might cause your dog a lot of stress.

Will a schnauzer’s beard grow back?

by Monique

Ask anyone what they think of when they hear the name ‘schnauzer’ and they’ll probably say ‘beard’. This long fur along the snout and under the chin gives schnauzers character and is part of their great charm. But sometimes groomers trim the beard shorter than the owner wants or groomers chop it all off.

So, will a schnauzer’s beard grow back? A schnauzer’s beard and whiskers will grow back if they are cut too short or shaven off. This regrowth takes 5 to 24 weeks depending on the length of the beard, how fast the dog’s hair grows, age, and how healthy the dog is. You should see obvious hair growth within 6-8 weeks.

The hair on a schnauzer’s nose and top of the snout may take longer to grow and often stands in all directions as it grows out. Once fully grown, this hair should lie flat with a middle path along the ridge. But did you know that there are ways to help the beard grow back?

How to help your schnauzer’s beard grow back faster

If your schnauzer is running around without a beard, there are some simple things you can do to help the beard grow back faster and healthier.  

You will need to focus on three key areas to help the beard grow: good nutrition from the inside, keeping the dog’s skin healthy and moisturized, and preventing damage to the beard growth.

1.       Make sure you’re feeding your schnauzer good food

Good hair growth starts with good nutrition.

The first thing to do is check what you are feeding your schnauzer. A high-quality dog food with the right vitamins, oils and nutrients is vital for a dog’s coat and beard. Giving your dog the right food is essentially feeding the hair growth from the inside, so the hair can develop properly to grow strong and healthy.

Be sure to feed your schnauzer food that is made for its breed and age. If you don’t know what to feed your schnauzer, ask your vet to recommend some good brands and products. There will be feeding instructions on the bag for you to follow.

2.       Keep the dog’s skin healthy and avoid dry skin

Next, you can add supplements to your schnauzer’s diet.

There are some wonderful dog-specific supplements that can be given to your dog and many schnauzer owners swear by salmon oil and vitamin E to prevent dry skin and dandruff. Please speak to your vet or a trained professional for advice on this if you aren’t sure what to give or how much. You can also add 1-2 teaspoons of coconut oil to your dog’s food every morning to keep their skin moisturized.  

The oil and supplements should help to nourish the skin and prevent it from getting dry.

If your dog spends time in the house and you live in a dry climate or your schnauzer suffers from dry skin, a great option is to get a humidifier. Humidifiers add moisture to the air and can help to prevent dry skin:

Using a humidifier to add moisture to the indoor air may help to reduce the occurrence of dry, cracked skin.

Source: Medical News Today

3.       Avoid damage to the beard

There are a few things that can damage a schnauzer’s beard, causing it to break or the hair to fall out.

One of the most common problems is using a halter harness, which goes over the dog’s head. These harnesses work great for walks, but every time you pull it over the face it can damage or break a schnauzer’s beard.

It’s better to use a step-in harness that doesn’t go over your dog’s head if you’re trying to protect or regrow the beard.

Also, be very gentle with the beard when brushing and washing it, as the hair can break off if it’s fragile.

Is it painful for a schnauzer to get their beard cut?

No, it doesn’t hurt the dog when a schnauzer’s beard is cut or trimmed, unless the skin gets caught. Just remember that trimming a schnauzer’s beard will also trim their whiskers.

How short should you trim a schnauzer’s beard?

The length of your schnauzer’s beard is purely up to you. Some dog owners love a long beard on their schnauzer, others like it shorter and fluffier, while others trim the beard right down as it’s much easier to keep clean and maintain. If not brushed daily, mats and knots can form in the beard and these have to be cut out.

If your schnauzer competes in dog shows, the beard should be long, full, and professionally groomed.

If you do decide to let the beard stay long, it’s a good idea to tidy up the bottom of the beard every 6-8 weeks. Simply follow the curved line at the bottom of the beard and trim off any straggly hairs or dead ends to neaten it up. Never cut the beard straight across as it will end up looking very strange.

Cutting layers into the beard may cause it stand up more, making it wider around the face. Remember that longer, heavier hair will lie flatter on and around the face.

Many people take their dogs to be groomed and are very upset with how the groomer cuts the beard. Never assume a groomer knows what you want them to do. Take photos with to show the groomer how you want the fur cut and the beard shaped or sit there with the groomer while they groom your dog.

Why do schnauzers have beards?

No one can say for sure why mother nature gave schnauzers beards, but it’s thought that their beards are a protection mechanism.

Schnauzers were bred to catch vermin on farms. Vermin is any small wild animal that eats crops, harms animals, or carries disease, such as mice and rats. But these rodents will defend themselves when under attack, and they may scratch or bite a schnauzer’s face and mouth.

It’s thought that the beard is there to protect the schnauzer from such attacks.

When is a schnauzer’s beard fully grown?

Every dog is different and, just like humans, so are their beards. Some schnauzers have longer beards, others shorter beards, and others hardly have any beard at all. Even a beard’s texture will differ: Some beards are long and silky, while other beards are fuzzy and short.

Most owners say that their schnauzers’ beards were fully grown between 10 and 18 months old. Beards often reach their full length by this age but can fill out more between 10 and 36 months of age. Other schnauzers have beards that grow throughout their lifetime.

Schnauzer beards are a lot like human hair – they tend to reach a certain length and then break off naturally. So there’s really no one-length-fits-all rule for schnauzer beards.

A schnauzer’s beard tends to grow faster when the dog is still young and growing. Beard growth may slow down as the dog matures into adulthood, from about 2 years of age.

Do female schnauzers have beards?

Yes, female schnauzers have beards. Their beards also vary in length, texture, and thickness, just as they do with male schnauzers.

How to look after a schnauzer’s beard

If the beard isn’t brushed and washed regularly, it will become knotted and matted. Once the hair has knots and mats in it, the easiest and most pain-free way to fix this is to cut them out of the beard.

To prevent knots and mats from forming in your schnauzer’s beard, comb it twice a day. You also need to wash it at least once a week using a suitable shampoo or a dry shampoo, then condition the hair.

When drying your schnauzer’s beard, gently squeeze it dry with a towel. Don’t ever rub the hair roughly with a towel as this could break off the hair or cause mats and knots.

How to keep a schnauzer’s beard white

There are a few things that can stain and discolor your schnauzer’s beautiful white beard, such as the food they eat, and even their own tears and saliva. This discoloration doesn’t affect the beard or bother the dog, and if you are brushing daily and washing weekly then the beard should stay relatively clean. But this discoloration might bother you.

Here’s a list of simple things you can do to whiten or keep your schnauzer’s beard white if it becomes brown and stained:

1. Gently tie the dog’s beard with a hair tie or scrunchie before mealtimes, to prevent the food from staining the beard.
2. Try a different dog food that doesn’t have grains or cereals in it.
3. Use pet wipes or fragrance-free baby wipes to clean the beard and eye area daily.
4. Put a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar in the schnauzer’s water every day to increase the dog’s acidity level, which fights bacteria and prevents tear stains.
5. Try a dog whitening shampoo, which is made to whiten fur and is gentle enough for your dog’s skin.
6. If you want a natural alternative to whitening shampoo, make a paste from warm water and baking soda. Rub this into your dog’s beard and let it sit for a few minutes before washing it out with clean warm water.
7. Run a fine stripping knife through the beard once a week to remove stained fur.
8. Give your dog a tums antacid once a day. Just don’t choose the peppermint flavor as your dog probably won’t like it.

If all else fails and the beard remains stained and dirty, it might be best to give it a good trim and let it grow out over the next few weeks.

Do Shelties Shed?

by Monique

With their affectionate, playful and gentle personalities, shelties make great family dogs. These sheepdogs get along with everyone, but they can be shy and reserved when a stranger stops to cuddle them.

Despite being such a wonderful breed, it’s important to know what you’re getting into if you bring a sheltie into your home. One of the things that surprises many new sheltie owners is just how much shelties shed.

Shetland sheepdogs, or shelties, are a heavy shedding breed. They have two layers of fur, which gives them a double coat. They lose hair throughout the year but usually shed their full undercoats every spring and fall, depending on their gender and if they’re sterilized.

Why do shelties lose so much hair?

There are a few reasons why shelties lose so much hair.

Shelties have something called a double coat, which simply means there’s a topcoat and an undercoat.

The topcoat hair is straight, long and water-resistant. It keeps the dog warm and protects the skin from the elements, such as the sun, wind and rain. The short fluffy undercoat helps the dog maintain the right body temperature, staying warm in winter and cool in summer.

Because shelties have two layers in their coat, they have twice as much hair to lose than dogs with a single coat. But Shelties’ long hair means they shed in clumps, which can be brushed or gently pulled out. Short-hair, single coat dogs lose single fine hairs when they shed, not clumps.

Sheltie owners say that shedded hair tends to stay on the dog in these clumps or is found lying around like tumbleweed. Regular brushing and grooming prevents the sheltie from getting knots and matted hair.

Lastly, all dogs go through three steps with their hair: a growth phase, a rest phase, and a shed phase. These three phases repeat themselves throughout a dog’s adult life. Shelties are no different and follow the same shed cycle to keep their coats in good condition.

Click here to find out if your Sheltie carries the merle or double merle gene.

When do shelties shed?

There are a few things that cause shelties to shed and that can affect how much they shed. Some of these influences are in your control and others aren’t.

First is the sheltie’s age. A sheltie’s coat grows and develops over the years. The short fluffy undercoat grows first, followed by the thicker, coarser, longer topcoat. The dogs don’t shed much or at all until after they are at least a year old.

Shelties’ coats keep changing, growing and developing until they are between three and five years old.

The second factor that affects shedding is the time of year.

Shelties lose hair all year round but have full sheds at least once or twice a year, when it’s getting warmer and when it’s getting cooler outside. This is usually in spring and early fall, so expect to increase grooming and vacuuming in April or May and August or September.

These full sheds are called ‘blows’ or ‘blowouts’. During a blow, the sheltie loses their undercoat to make room for a fresh new one that’s healthy and strong.

The third factor that influences shedding is hormones.

Hormones do play a role in how often shelties have blows. Males tend to shed less than female shelties overall. Sterilized shelties often have one blow a year, in spring, but sterilized males may only have a full shed once every two years.

If females are unspayed, they shed before the hot summer starts and every 6 to 8 months after their heat cycle.

How long does a sheltie shed last?

Being heavy shedders, shelties shed heavily once or twice a year in a blow and moderately throughout the rest of the year.

Sheltie owners report that most full blows, where the undercoat is shed and replaced with a new one, last about one month.

During a blow, groomers often offer owners a ‘deshedding’ service with a tool like a FURminator. But this is unnatural for the dog and can damage the sheltie’s coat and strip the undercoat. For this reason, deshedding at a groomer or using tools like FURminators are not recommended to speed up the shedding process.

Tips to control sheltie shedding

Here are some top tips from sheltie owners and groomers on how to control sheltie shedding and blows:

1.       Brush your sheltie often with the right brush

Because of their double coat and constant shedding, shelties need to be brushed regularly. If you neglect this, their hair will get knotted and matted. These knots are painful to remove and ungroomed fur can give the dog skin problems.

It’s recommended that you brush a sheltie at least once a week. This should take about half an hour (30 minutes) and is a wonderful time to bond with your dog.

You will need to invest in a high-quality brush if you bring a sheltie home to live with you. Every dog is different and what works for one dog won’t work for another.  

Sheltie owners recommend using one of three brushes:

-> Many sheltie owners say that the Chris Christensen pin brush is best for shelties. This brush has nubs or covers at the end of its pins and should last for years.

To clean the brush during and after brushing, take a wide-tooth comb and thread the comb’s teeth through the brush’s bristles. This should be done along the base of the brush, under the hair.

Once you’ve placed the comb under the hair between the brush bristles, pull up the comb to remove all the dog hair from the brush in one simple movement.

-> Other owners prefer a dog brush without nubs at the end of its pins, such as the All Systems brush on Amazon. Fans of ‘nubless’ brushes say that nubs hook on and pull out more dog hair than necessary.

If you use a brush without nubs, simply use your fingers to pull out the hair and clean the brush.

-> Some sheltie owners like using a professional cat comb to groom their sheltie. If you want to give this a try, look for a cat comb with very wide and thicker teeth that have rounded tips.

No matter which brush works best for your sheltie, it’s good practice to trim the hair around their private parts for hygienic reasons.

2.       Control the amount of hair in the house

The good news is that you probably won’t need a lint brush with a sheltie.

Why?

Because of their long fur, a sheltie’s shedding can be easier to handle and stay on top of than a dog with short hair and/or a single coat. Shelties tend to lose their hair in bunches that often get stuck in their own fur. So regularly brushing and gently pulling out the hairballs will leave less hair lying around the house.

If the hairballs do get on the floor, they’re easy to vacuum or pick up. This is unlike short-hair or single-coat dogs, whose single hairs often weave their way into clothing, furniture and carpets. Once these hairs have taken hold in these materials, it takes careful picking one by one to get them out.

If there’s sheltie fur on your clothes or furniture, simply wet your hand or dampen a cloth and run it over the material. This should easily pick up and remove the dog hair.

3.       Feed your sheltie good quality food

A great coat starts with great nutrition. Be sure to feed your sheltie high-quality dog food.

Giving your sheltie the right nutrients will keep them healthy and give them a strong, shiny coat that helps keep shedding to a minimum.

4.       Get your sheltie sterilized

A sterilized sheltie has full sheds, or blows, less often than an unsterilized or unspayed sheltie. This does depend on the dog as each one is different.

Sterilizing a female sheltie could reduce her blows from twice a year to once a year. Sterilizing a male sheltie could bring his blows down to once every two years.

How To Tell If Your Beagle Is Purebred: Body, Traits, Papers, DNA

by Monique

Beagles are known for their friendly, easy going nature. I used to love taking my friend’s beagle out on long hikes through the forest. If you’re wondering if your beagle is a purebred or not, there are a few things you can do to find out.

So, how do you tell if your beagle is purebred? You can get a good idea if a beagle is purebred by looking at its body. Most purebred beagles have some white in their tail and four white paws. Also look to see if the body coloring, ears, weight and height are typical of a purebred. To be 100% sure, get a dog DNA test or buy from a breeder who has a DNA Profile Number from the AKC.

There are many signs that can tell you if your beagle is purebred, you just need to know what to look for. But even if your dog has all these signs and registration papers, it doesn’t guarantee that it’s purebred. Here are some things to look for when trying to tell if your beagle is purebred:

Typical physical characteristics of purebred beagles

Check the dog’s tail

Beagles have a high-set tail that often stands upright, especially when their nose is down to the ground following a smell trail. The tail has a slight curve in it.

Most purebred beagles have some white in their tail, even if it’s just a few hairs at the end. This white tip was bred into beagles so that their tail would be visible in the long grass during a hunt. The white tips helped hunters know where the dogs were all the time.

Check the dog’s paws

Beagles typically have four white paws.

Check the dog’s head

Purebred beagles usually have a thin white stripe along the front of the top of their heads. Mixed breeds might not have this stripe on their forehead.

Check the dog’s front legs

Purebred beagles have straight front legs.

Check the dog’s body coloring

The American Kennel Club (AKC) recognizes the following colors on beagles: black, white, tan, red, redtick, blue, bluetick, lemon, and fawn.

The blue color refers to a soft black tone, that looks blue. The ‘tick’ in redtick and bluetick means freckle-like spots on the beagle’s coat.

True beagles have two or three colors on their fur.

Check the dog’s ears

Beagles have long fluffy ears that hang lower than their face. Their wide ears cover most of the sides of their head.

Check the dog’s height and weight

Beagles change slowly and steadily between the ages of 6 months and 18 months. All dogs, like people, have growth spurts, so there’s no exact weight for beagles at each age.

The American Kennel Club (AKC) recognizes two beagle heights: 13” (33 cm) and 13-15” (33-38 cm). If your beagle is slightly smaller or bigger, it doesn’t mean that your beagle isn’t purebred. There will always be some dogs that are slightly bigger or smaller than the norm.

To measure a dog’s height, get out a measuring tape. Dog height is measured from the ground to the highest point of the shoulder blade. This point is called the withers.

A typical 13” high beagle should weigh less than 20 pounds (9 kg) according to the AKC. The larger size beagle of 13-15” (33-38 cm) high usually weighs about 23-30 pounds (9-13.5 kg).

The beagle breed is prone to gaining weight if they don’t get their recommended hour of active exercise each day.

Typical behaviors and traits of beagles

If your dog is a purebred beagle, it will probably show some of the typical beagle personality habits and traits. Beagles were bred for hunting in packs and are wonderful family dogs with energetic personalities.

Here are some typical behaviors of purebred beagles:

Beagles follow their noses and like to escape

If your beagle takes every chance it gets to escape from your garden and go off exploring with their nose on the ground and tail in the air, then your dog is a typical beagle. Beagles are famous for being escape artists.

If you have a beagle, make sure there are no gaps in the fence where it can escape and find out HERE about putting in a dog microchip.

Beagles shed all year

Being a short-hair breed, beagles shed moderately all year and quite heavily in Spring. If your dog’s coat is smooth and dense, getting thicker during the colder months, and has 2 to 3 colors in it, then it has a typical beagle coat.

Beagles need a lot of exercise

Typical purebred beagles need a lot of exercise – at least one hour a day of active play. They were bred for hunting and exploring, so they need to be able to run and get out all their energy.

If beagles don’t get enough exercise, they become frustrated and destructive. When taking them out for a run or to play somewhere outside your garden, keep your beagle on a leash as they are easily distracted and won’t hear you calling them back once they’re on a hunting trail with their nose.

Beagles bark and howl quite a bit

Beagles love to communicate what they’re feeling vocally. In fact, they’re famous for being loud (just ask anyone who’s lived next door to one!).

If you leave your beagle alone in the garden too long, it will be barking and howling for attention very quickly.

Buying a purebred beagle from a good breeder

If you are getting a beagle and want a purebred dog, then it’s best to use a reputable breeder. To stand the best chance of getting a purebred dog with the right beagle genes, here are some questions to ask the breeder to make sure they are responsible and reputable:

• Do you raise the puppies inside your home?
• Do you belong to the National Beagle Club of America?
• Do you show your dogs in events?
• Do you take part in the voluntary DNA program run by the American Kennel Club? If yes, can I see the DNA Profile Numbers for your dogs?
• Do you socialize your puppies?
• Do you screen your beagle puppies for hip problems? If so, can I see the results?

If the breeder answers yes to all or most of the questions above, and can give you proof, then there’s a good chance that it’s a responsible breeder you can probably trust.

Also make sure that the breeder doesn’t sell puppies before 8 weeks of age and that he/she asks you questions too, to make sure they sell puppies to responsible owners.

Never buy puppies from a pet store, whether you want a purebred dog or not. There’s no way of telling where the dog came from or how responsible the breeder is.

Ask your vet if your beagle is a purebred

If you are wondering if your beagle is a purebred, ask your vet what they think the next time you’re there for a visit. Your vet will have had training and hands-on experience with beagles, and they can tell you if your beagle has all the signs of being a purebred or if it is probably a mixed breed.

Again, this is only the vet’s opinion and is not a definitive answer. See below for the only way to be 100% sure that your beagle is purebred…

Get a dog DNA test

The only thing that makes a purebred dog is the genes (DNA), nothing else. It doesn’t matter if the dog looks like a purebred beagle or not, or if the vet thinks he is purebred.

Even if the beagle is registered with the American Kennel Club (AKC), it doesn’t mean that the dog is purebred or that the dog’s parents are who the breeder says they are.

Michele Welton, dog trainer and author, sums this up nicely:

Always remember that GENES make a dog purebred. The presence or absence of registration papers doesn’t change the genes (DNA) inside a dog. He can be purebred without having papers – and sadly, he can have papers without really being purebred. Only a DNA test can tell you whether he’s really purebred.

Michele Welton, YourPurebredPuppy.com

The only way to be 100% sure that your beagle is purebred is by getting a dog DNA test done. If you want to find out how much they cost and what they test for, click HERE to read my full article on what dog DNA tests cost and test.

Some breeders are now taking part in the AKC’s voluntary program for dog DNA testing. Dogs that have been tested and are found to have the genes/DNA for a purebred beagle are given a DNA Profile Number. The breeder will be able to provide you with this information if they have had the dog’s DNA tested.

A dog DNA test is painless, can be done at home quickly and easily, and the results will be emailed to you within a few weeks. This is a simple answer to a tough question!