Sometimes called the Poogle, the Beapoo, the Beagapoo, or the Beagledoodle, the Beagle Poodle mix is a cross between a Beagle and Miniature or Toy Poodle. These dogs are fairly small, making them great choices for individuals with apartments or small homes. Since this dog is a hybrid, the offspring can vary depending on the characteristics of the parents. To help you decide if a Poogle is a great choice for you, here’s a look at the hybrid’s history, appearance, grooming needs, health, temperament, and more.
Origin and History
The Beagle Poodle mix has become quite popular among designer dogs, although we don’t know exactly when the mix was created. It’s likely that the Poogle was created at some point during the 1980s, although we don’t know who created the hybrid or where exactly it got its start. Of course, to learn more about this mix, we can look at the origin and history of both the Beagle and the Poodle.
Dogs much like the Beagle are traced all the way back to the times of ancient Romans, although the dogs we call Beagles today have a more muddled history. You see the beginning of the Beagle show up in the southern United States in the 1800s, as southern breeders started breeding these small dogs for hunting purposes. Later the breed was imported to England where it was further refined into the dogs we’re more familiar with today.
Poodles also have a long but muddled history, and they are thought to have come from Germany where they were used to hunt waterfowl. Although the Poodle comes in three different sizes, usually it’s the Miniature or Toy sizes that are bred with Beagles to create the Poogle mix.
Appearance
Your Poogle will be a small to medium sized dog that measures between 9 and 16 inches tall and weighs in at between 10 and 25 pounds. The hybrid generally has body that is rectangular in shape and they are longer than they are tall. These dogs have a deep chest and a long neck, and the head is generally much like that of a Beagle. They have drooping, medium sized ears and round, friendly eyes. The coat of the Beagle Poodle mix can be curly and wavy like the Poodle’s or it may be thinner and straight like that of a Beagle. Usually the coat is medium long and some of the common coat colors include black and tan, white, brown, and gray.
Poogle Temperament
Expect your Beagle Poodle mix to be a very friendly, playful, and affectionate dog, which means these dogs are perfect family pets. They have plenty of energy and they enjoy playing and getting plenty of attention from everyone in the family. The Poogle is eager to please and very smart, and they are usually fairly easy to train as well. These dogs are very alert and they’ll let you know if anything is amiss, making them an excellent watchdog. Of course, since these dogs are playful and easily excited, they need to be trained early. Early socialization is also very important. When training the Beagle Poodle mix, it’s best to keep training sessions short and reinforce good behavior with plenty of praise and treats. Since they are so full of energy, they’ll need to get plenty of exercise each day
Grooming
If your Beagle Poodle mix has the longer, wavy hair of a Poodle, then you’ll need to groom these dogs more often. Longer haired dogs may also need some professional clipping from time to time. If they have shorter hair like a Beagle, then you’ll probably only need to brush their coat a couple times per week. These dogs usually don’t shed very much, so you won’t need to worry about cleaning up a lot of hair. You’ll only need to bathe the Poogle as needed. Their ears need to be checked weekly for irritation and infection, and make sure to wipe them clean. Teeth should be brushed at least a couple times a week to prevent dental problems, and the nails need clipped if they aren’t worn down naturally. If you’re not skilled at cutting their nails, have them done at a groomer so it isn’t painful for your dog.
Working Roles
These dogs are not used in any working roles, but the Beagle Poodle mix makes an excellent companion dog for the whole family.
Health
A Beagle has an average life span of between 12 and 14 years while a Toy Poodle has an average life span of between 12 and 15 years. This means that the average life expectancy of the Poogle ranges between 12 and 15 years. The hybrid is usually quite healthier – usually healthier than the parent breeds. However, you still need to be aware of the health concerns of both parents. Some of the potential health risks that may affect the Beagle Poodle mix include:
- Hip dysplasia
- Bloat
- Cancer
- Epilepsy
- Addison’s disease
- Juvenile renal disease
- Hypothyroidism
- Sebaceous adenitis
- Narcolepsy
- Ear infections
- Glaucoma
- Pulmonic stenosis
- Cherry eye
- Pituitary dependent hyperadrenocorticism
- Corneal dystrophy
- Chinese Beagle syndrome
- Cataracts
- XX sex reversal
- Beagle pain syndrome
- Lymphosarcoma
- Hypochondroplasia
- Anemia
- Deafness