Beagle (Dog standard)

Beagle is a sturdy, compactly-built hound, conveying the impression of quality without coarseness.

FCI-Standard N° 161 / 24. 07. 2000 / GB

BEAGLE

ORIGIN : Great-Britain.

DATE OF PUBLICATION OF THE ORIGINAL VALID STANDARD : 24.06.1987.

UTILIZATION : Hound.

CLASSIFICATION F.C.I. : Group 6 Scenthounds.
Section 1.3 Small-SIZEd Hounds.
With working trial.

GENERAL APPEARANCE : A sturdy, compactly-built hound, conveying the impression of quality without coarseness.

BEHAVIOUR / TEMPERAMENT : A merry hound whose essential function is to hunt, primarily hare, by following a scent. Bold, with great activity, stamina and determination. Alert, intelligent and of even temperament. Amiable and alert, showing no aggression or timidity.

HEAD : Fair length, powerful without being coarse, finer in the bitch, free from frown and wrinkle.

CRANIAL REGION :
Skull : Slightly domed, moderately wide, with slight peak.
Stop : Well defined, dividing length, between occiput and tip of nose, as equally as possible.

FACIAL REGION :
Nose : Broad, preferably black, but less pigmentation permissible in lighter COLOURed hounds. Nostrils wide.
Muzzle : Not snipey.
Lips : Reasonably well flewed.
Jaws/Teeth : Jaws should be strong, with a perfect, regular and complete scissor bite, i.e. the upper teeth closely overlapping the lower teeth and set square to the jaws.
Eyes : Dark brown or hazel, fairly large, not deep set or prominent, set well apart with mild appealing expression.
Ears : Long, with rounded tip, reaching nearly to end of nose when drawn out. Set on low, fine in texture and hanging gracefully close to cheeks.

NECK : Sufficiently long to enable hound to come down easily to scent, slightly arched and showing little dewlap.

BODY :
Topline : Straight and level.
Loin : Short in the couplings, but well balanced. Loins powerful and supple.
Chest : Let down to below elbow. Ribs well sprung and extending well back.
Belly : Without excessive tuck-up.

TAIL : Sturdy, moderately long. Set on high, carried gaily but not curled over back or inclined forward from root. Well covered with HAIR, especially on underside.

LIMBS

FOREQUARTERS : Forelegs straight and upright well under the hound, good substance and round in bone, not tapering off to FEET.
Shoulders : Well laid back, not loaded.
Elbows : Firm, turning neither in nor out. Height to elbow about half height at withers.
Pasterns : Short.

HINDQUARTERS :
Upper thigh : Muscular.
Stifles : Well bent.
Hocks : Firm, well let down and parallel to each other.

FEET : Tight and firm. Well knuckled up and strongly padded. Not hare-footed. Nails short.

GAIT / MOVEMENT : Back level, firm with no indication of roll. Stride free, long reaching in front and straight without high action; hind legs showing drive. Should not move close behind nor paddle nor plait in front.

COAT

HAIR : Short, dense and weatherproof.

COLOUR : Any recognized hound COLOUR other than liver. Tip of stern white.

SIZE :
Desirable minimum height at withers 33 cm (13 ins).
Desirable maximum height at withers 40 cm (16 ins).

FAULTS : Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog.

Any dog clearly showing physical or behavioural abnormalities shall be disqualified.

N.B. : Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.

Source: FCI >>>