The beagle harrier dog breed was created in the 18th century by a Frenchman who crossed two English breeds, the beagle and the harrier. The purpose was to have a hunting dog like the beagle but larger.
From the beagle it has in fact inherited the vivacity and the passion, while from the harrier the marked intelligence, the infallible sense of smell and the physical resistance.
It was the French Baron Gerard Grandin de l’Eprevier to fix the characters of this breed. He is considered by many enthusiasts to be the creator of the breed. The creation of this breed has been a long selection in which illustrious French dog lovers had participated, among which Paul Daubigné.
From the first intention to unite in one breed the olfactory characteristics and the predisposition to hunt of the Beagle and a superior size, it has given origin to a breed which is well spread in France, but almost unknown in the rest of the world.
Like many other European hounds, the beagle-harrier population suffered a dramatic population collapse during the World Wars, although it was not more affected than others.
This animal gives its best in hunting hare and wild boar. In Italy we can find some of them in the Po Valley, mainly used for hunting wild boar; it is a resistant and rustic dog that adapts well to all types of terrain and also to different climatic conditions. When hunting, it renders better if it works in a moult.
Character of the beagle harrier dog breed
The beagle harrier is mainly a hunting dog, so it has an inexhaustible energy, which it must vent every day. It is therefore not suitable for sedentary, lazy or elderly people. It is very attached to its master to whom it is faithful and loyal, of incredible intelligence and perfectly capable of understanding commands. Very tonic dog and tireless walker. It feels at ease in all types of terrain and wild places. Its ideal owner is therefore a hunter, but in the absence of these, an athletic person who does a lot of exercise. It loves to receive cuddles, which it can also insistently ask for especially from its adored master.
All the beagle harrier wants is to be in the company of his family, also because this dog suffers from separation anxiety, and therefore it is good not to leave him alone for too long. If forced not to see anyone for several hours, he may also have a destructive behavior towards the furniture of the house.
It is a dog accustomed to working in a pack, so it appreciates the closeness of another dog, and maybe even a cat, as long as they have grown up together, otherwise it could see it as a possible prey.
Its intelligence, loyalty and its predisposition to obey orders make it easy to train. It is therefore also suitable for those who are at their first experience with dogs. Amiable and alert, it never shows aggressiveness or shyness.
With children he is patient, kind, sociable and loves to play. With strangers it is neither aggressive nor distrustful, it tends immediately to make friends, for this reason it is not a good guard dog, even if it barks a lot if it hears something out of the ordinary, so it can maybe alert.
It is not strictly an apartment dog, although you can adapt to it; a secure garden is ideal for this dog that loves to be outdoors a lot, but watch out for escape routes, if he smells an interesting trail, all his hunter aspect comes out and he tends to follow the trail he heard.
Appearance of the beagle harrier breed
The beagle harrier is a medium sized dog, the height at the withers ranges from 45 to 50 centimeters for a weight ranging from 20 to 25 kilograms, the female usually a little less. The beagle harrier is the same as the beagle and the harrier apart from the size. Harmonious, well balanced and distinct. Its overall appearance is solid, energetic, strong and vigorous. It is lighter than the classic Beagle, but larger.
Morphologically, it is a braccoid type dog, with well-developed musculature throughout the body. The shoulders are elongated and oblique, the neck is slightly arched and very mobile, the limbs are suitable for all types of terrain and give it a marked agility and a loose gait. The tail is strong, of medium length and attached high.
The head has a rather large and wide skull. The muzzle has a stop that is not particularly accentuated and has a length equal to that of the skull. Its shape can be defined as sharp and ends with a well-developed black truffle. The ears are of average length and width, and fall close to the cheeks. The eyes are dark brown or hazel, rather large, neither sunken nor protruding; well spaced, with a mild and captivating expression.
The beagle harrier’s coat is flat, thick and not too short. It is very similar to that of the beagle, and follows tricolor patterns with black, white and orange-brown.
Health and care of the beagle harrier canine species
There is no known pathology typical of the breed, provided that the dog is well kept and properly vaccinated. In general, it is a relatively healthy breed. It has a life expectancy of about 11 years. It bears well both heat and cold, but not extreme ones.
As for the care of the coat, just brush it every so often, check often that there are no ticks or fleas. For feeding there are no problems, a balanced diet and lots of movement are the two important things.
