Thanks to a sweet demeanor and mid-range frame, the Beagle has been referred to as the Goldilocks of dogs. In other words, these lovable canines are ¨just right!¨ This is certainly the opinion of the breed’s many fans, who celebrate National Beagle Day each year on April 22!
Beagle Trivia
In celebration of the pet holiday we’ve fetched a few fun facts about Beagles!
A Beagle from Japan named Purin (which means “pudding” in Japanese) is a Guinness Book of World Records holder for most balls caught by a dog in one minute (14) and most skips by a dog and a person in one minute– single rope (51)!
Although Beagles hold the number one spot in the heart of their pet parents, no member of the breed garnered Top Dog status at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show until Uno (aka K-Run’s Park Me In First) took the Best in Show title in 2008.
In 1831 naturalist Charles Darwin embarked on a journey around the world in a ship dubbed the HMS Beagle.
Humans only have approximately five million scent receptors, so the Beagle beats us by a nose with around 220 million scent receptors!
Beagles consistently rank among the most popular pooches in the United States. According to the American Kennel Club, in 2020 the Beagle took seventh place among the most beloved breeds.
Famous Pet Parents of Beagles
Barry Manilow — If you are a fan of 70s soft rock, check the back cover of your Tryin’ To Get The Feeling album and you’ll see Barry’s beloved beagle, Bagel!
Meghan Markle — Once a homeless dog from Montgomery County Animal Shelter in Kentucky, Guy is now a royal Rover! The Duchess of Sussex’s canine companion has been immortalized in the pages of two children’s books: His Royal Dogness, Guy the Beagle: The Rebarkable True Story of Meghan Markles Rescue Dog and The Duchess and Guy: A Rescue-To-Royalty Puppy Love Story.
Miley Cyrus — A Beagle called Barbie received a new lease on life thanks to her famous pet parent and The Beagle Freedom Project, which works with laboratories to find forever homes for healthy, adoptable beagles who have been used for research.
Lyndon Baines Johnson — Although Beagles Him and Her are the most well known of the late President’s pooches, LBJ was also a pet parent to another of the breed, whom he named Edgar in honor of J. Edgar Hoover, who presented him with the pup.
Luci Baines Johnson — During his term as President LBJ presented his daughter with two of Her’s puppies, Kim and Freckles.
Famous Beagles On The Big and Small Screens
Cats and Dogs — Although originally given the name Lou as a nickname for “loser,” Lou the Beagle won the hearts of dog devotees as the lead character of this 2001 spy spoof.
Used Cars — A dog dubbed Peanuts portrayed Toby, a clever tail-wagging thespian who played dead in order to get a lemon off the lot in the 1980 Robert Zemeckis comedy about the used car business.
Regarding Henry — A dog named Dennis starred alongside Harrison Ford in this 1991 drama. The Beagle portrayed Buddy, who helped his human with the healing process after Ford’s character suffered head trauma from a gunshot.
Rusty: A Dog’s Tale — A Beagle portrayed the title role in this 1998 family-friendly film, which starred Rue McClanahan and Hal Holbrook.
Shiloh — Based on the Newberry Medal Award-winning book by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, the 1996 film tells the tale of the bond between a boy and an abused Beagle puppy named Shiloh.
The Grape Ape Show — If you were a cartoon-loving kid in the 70s you might remember the gargantuan gorilla and his canine companion Beagle Beagle, who the purple primate called Beegly Beagly.
Star Trek: Enterprise — While lovers of literature may think that a dog dubbed Porthos would be named after a character in The Three Musketeers, Trekkies will recognize the moniker as the name of the Beagle aboard the starship Enterprise.
The Wonder Years — Like the lyrics sung by Joe Cocker at the beginning of each episode of The Wonder Years, young Kevin Arnold navigated preadolescence in the late 60s with a little help from his friends… among them his Beagle, Buster!
The Banana Splits — If you were a child in the late 1960s who sat glued to the tube every Saturday morning you might remember this Hanna-Barbera production, which featured a rocking Rover called Fleegle.
Year of the Dog — The untimely passing of a Beagle called Pencil puts Molly Shannon’s character on a path to becoming an animal activist in this 2007 dramedy.
Spooky Buddies — Pip the phantom Fido helps the Buddies stand up to the Halloween Hound in the 2011 installment of the Disney Buddies direct-to-DVD movie franchise.
Wallace & Gromit — A claymation canine who has captured the hearts of both UK and US fans, Gromit the Beagle is the bestie of his human pal Wallace, with whom he has many adventures in a series of short films and a well-received motion picture. Gromit’s name is a take on the word “grommet.”
Mr. Peabody & Sherman — For fans of history’s smartest dog, watching Mr. Peabody & Sherman on Universal Kids is like taking a trip in the Wayback machine. Mr. Peabody and the human boy he adopted made their first TV appearance in the late 1950s in segment of The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends.
Peanuts — Did you know that Snoopy, everyone’s favorite Peanuts pup, was inspired by Charles Schulz’s childhood dog, Spike? The cartoonist would go on to use the name for Snoopy’s brother.
Underdog — “Never fear! Underdog is here!” The real name of the cartoon canine from the 1960s was Shoeshine.
Blue Peter — Henry, a rescue Beagle/Basset Hound who was found at a branch of Dogs Trust, the largest dog rescue charity in the United Kingdom, has followed in the paw prints of the past nine pups who have brought smiles to generations of British animal-loving little ones of the children’s television series Blue Peter.
Celebrities Who Help Beagles in Need
Helping to create the dawn of a new day for dogs in laboratories, actress Nikki Reed from the Twilight saga joined with members of The Beagle Freedom Project in 2015 at California’s State Capitol to state a case for The Beagle Freedom Bill, which would allow companion animals in labs the chance to live out the rest of their lives in a forever home when testing has come to an end.
NFL star Torrey Smith tackled the tough topic of laboratory experimentation on companion animals by joining with Show Your Soft Side Only a punk would hurt a cat or dog. – Show Your Soft Side for a billboard supporting The Beagle Freedom Bill.
Over the years several stars have taken on the role of volunteer with Beagle Freedom Project, among them Chelsea Handler, Ross McCall, Whitney Cummings, Maria Menounos, Corey Feldman, former Baywatch star Alexandra Paul and Castle cast member Seamus Dever.
Brian Howe — The late rocker recorded a single called “Christmas” which benefited Beagle Freedom Project.
Ricky Gervais and Peter Egan — Scarlett, a Beagle who endured two years of experiments in a toxicology laboratory, has found forever friends in funnyman Ricky Gervais and actor Peter Egan (Downton Abbey, Unforgotten). Scarlett, in her role as Beagle ambassador of FLOE (For Life On Earth) For Life On Earth, along with FLOE celebrity ambassador Egan and the creator of The Office and After Life, continually strive to shine a light on the need to end animal experimentation.
Kim Basinger — Protests by the Academy Award winner once led to a laboratory canceling an experiment which would include breaking Beagles’ legs.
Adopting a Beagle
If you are a potential pet parent who is thinking about welcoming a Beagle into your heart and home, look for a Beagle rescue in your area!
Search for adoptable beagles online:
- Arthur The King Movie Showcases Rescue of Stray Dog - March 12, 2024
- 2024 Bark in the Park Major League Baseball Games - March 11, 2024
- Meghan Markle Celebrates Shelter Expansion - February 22, 2024