The Lab Beagle mix is a designer dog that is a cross between a Labrador Retriever and a Beagle. These dogs are full of energy and bring plenty of enthusiasm to any home. You can expect the mix to have the bubbly personality of its parents, and these dogs are intelligent and independent as well. Often referred to as Labbes, these dogs make great companions and they have excellent hunting instincts as well. If you’re considering your own Lab Beagle mix, here’s a look at what you can expect from this hybrid pooch.
Origin and History
Since the Lab Beagle mix hasn’t been around long, there’s not a lot known about this hybrid. It probably was started within the last two decades, although the exact time and place are unknown. To understand the history and origin of the Labbe, it’s important to look at the origin of both parent breeds.
The ancestors of the Labrador Retriever traces back to Canada during the 17th century. Later the Canadian water dogs would be differentiated into separate breeds, including the Chesapeake Bay Retriever, Labrador Reriever, Flat-Coated Retriever, Landseer, and the Newfoundland. Impressed with the Labrador Retriever in particular, visiting Englishmen took some dogs back to England, where breeding continued to improve their abilities as retrievers and gun dogs. Eventually the breed made their way to the United States in the 1920s and 1930s, where they were bred to be competitors in retrieving trials and as shooting dogs. They’ve continued to grow in popularity through the years and have become one of the most popular breeds across the world.
No one is quite sure of the true history of the Beagle, but it’s thought that their ancestors may trace back before Roman times. It wasn’t until the mid 1800s that today’s Beagles were refined by Parson Honeywood, who formed a beautiful pack from a type of hound known as the North Country type. In the Southern United States, a small dog was bred by hunters and called a Beagle. However, General Richard Rowett imported lovely hare hounds to the U.S. from England, and he went on to work on refining the American Beagle breed. In 1885, the American Kennel club recognized the Beagle as part of the Hound Group and the United States National Beagle Club was started in 1888.
Appearance
Because the Lab Beagle mix is a hybrid dog, these dogs may take after either of the parent breeds. Even puppies from the same litter may end up looking very different. The Labbe may end up looking like a small Lab or a larger Beagle. The height of the Lab Beagle mix varies between 16 and 25 inches, and they can range in weight from 30 to 75 pounds. In most cases, these dogs end up with the head and eyes of the Beagle, and many end up having the trademark bark of a Beagle. The coat of the Labbe is usually short and glossy, and it’s usually water resistant. Coat colors may come in black and tan, orange and white, white and brick, brown, fawn, and black. In some cases, these dogs may even have a ticked pattern.
Lab Beagle Mix Temperament
The Lab Beagle mix is a bundle of joy, showing wonderful traits like loyalty, enthusiasm, and love. They are sweet and gentle, and they tend to be very affectionate with their family. These dogs love being around people and they enjoy being active as well. Since they do well with kids, they make great family pets. Because they love being with people, it’s important to avoid leaving these dogs along for long periods, since it may result in separation anxiety. From the Lab side, they get alertness and will often bark at things that seem suspicious, while they may also bark at new scents they smell.
Because of the Beagle blood and their sharp intelligence, they can be a bit stubborn when it comes to training. The Lab Beagle mix will require a trainer that is patient, consistent, kind, and firm. Encouragement and positive reinforcement are essential when training this hybrid. Early socialization and training are essential for a dog that has a well-rounded temperament.
Grooming
The Lab Beagle mix has a short coat, so they don’t need a lot of grooming. Weekly brushings are usually sufficient for keeping flyaway hair at bay. For a shiny, clean coat, baths can be given every couple months or as needed. Trimming their nails is important if they don’t end up wearing them down on their own.
Working Roles
Since these dogs have sporting dogs as parents, they perform well in the sporting field as well. Hunters can also use them for tracking and retrieving.
Health
In most cases, the Lab Beagle mix will live to be between 10 and 15 years old. These dogs may have hereditary disorders and defects common in both Labrador Retrievers and Beagles. Some potential health concerns that may affect the Lab Beagle mix include:
- Chinese Beagle Syndrome
- Anemia
- Narcolepsy
- Hypothyroidism
- Cherry eye
- Pituitary dependent hyperadrenocorticism
- Corneal dystrophy
- Deafness
- Cataracts
- Invertebral disk disease
- Ear infections
- Hypochondroplasia
- Pulmonic stenosis hepatitis
- Allergies
- Elbow dysplasia
- Melanoma
- Hip dysplasia
- Obesity
- Glaucoma
- Progressive retinal atrophy
- Patellar luxation
- Entropion
- Diabetes mellitus
- Lymphoma
- Osteochondrosis
- Congenital portosystemic shunt