Beagleman

The Beagleman, also known as the DoBeagle, is a hybrid mix between the Beagle and Doberman Pinscher. The result is a medium to large-sized dog with a strong personality. With a reputation for being fun, loving, family dogs, they can also be wilful and easily distracted. Also, the Beagleman does love to bark (or howl) and whilst this makes them a great doggy burglar-alarm, the noise level may not suit those with close neighbours.

The Beagleman’s coat is easy to care for and their playful nature makes than good with older children. But be aware the Beagleman is no couch potato, so be prepared to put in the leg-work taking them for long walks each and every day.

About & History

Hybrid dogs, such as the Beagleman, are a relatively recent development, and so their story belongs to that of the parent breeds.

The Doberman

A tax collector is responsible for creating the Doberman breed. In the 19th century a taxman, Louis Dobermann, felt threatened on his rounds by the hostile reaction of those with outstanding taxes to pay. For his personal protection he set about breeding an imposing looking dog that would make people think twice about threatening him. The result was the forebear of the Doberman as we know it today.

This original dog was developed from smooth coated hunting dogs, the Rottweiler, the German Pinscher, and a forerunner of the Manchester Terrier. The result was an athletic dog with a physical presence that excelled at guarding.

The Beagle

The history of the Beagle’s ancestor stretch back as far as the ancient world. Likeness of their fore-bears can be found in images from ancient Greece. The Beagle went through a gradual evolution that included bloodlines from dogs, such as the St Hubert Hound, in the 9th century and the 11th century Talbot Hound that came to England with William the Conqueror. These dogs bred with native Greyhounds to create a breed known as Southern Hounds.

In the middle ages, a ‘beagle’ simply meant a hunting hound, and it wasn’t until the 1830s that the Rev Phillip Honeywood established a breeding program – the result of which was the Beagle as we known them today.

Appearance

The Beagleman is a dog of medium to large size, with legs well-proportioned to their body. Both parent dogs have a good length of muzzle, which gifts the Beagleman with a long snout, ideal for an active dog. In addition, both parents share long drop ears, as does their offspring. Another feature in common is a long straight tail, which happily for the Beagleman is never docked.

Their coat is short but with a dense undercoat. Most commonly, they are either black, brown, or tan, with some white markings. Notably, they often have tan eyebrows, strongly reminiscent of their Doberman parent.

Character & Temperament

A well-adjusted Beagleman is a happy, inquisitive dog that is loyal and loving to their family. However, much of this does depend on how well socialised they were as a pup. The Doberman can be suspicious of strangers and reactive when threatened, hence the importance of their offspring having a raft of positive, confidence building encounters at a young age.

Both parents are working breeds, with the Beagle a hunter-tracker and the Doberman a protection dog. The resulting Beagleman can be more territorial than a regular Beagle and more easily distracted than a purebred Doberman. Hence, training is important to keep them focussed.

But let’s not get too distracted by negatives because the Beagleman is a fun, playful companion who can be both gentle and patient when handled empathetically and trained regularly.

Trainability

Dobermans respond well to training, are highly intelligent, but prone to anxiety. The Beagle is also clever, but inclined to use their wits to their own ends. Happily the use of reward-based training methods is just what both breeds need in order to give them a sense of security and confidence in their owner.

The Beagleman is a strong, energetic dog and teamed with a strong sense of self-worth, this means their owner ideally needs some experience for the best results. Reward based methods are essential, with the Beagle’s strong food motivation proves invaluable for getting and keeping the Beagleman’s attention.

Health

A relatively new hybrid, there is limited evidence as to which health conditions they are prone to. However, some conditions are prevalent in the parent breeds so it’s reasonable to assume that from time to time these may pop up in the pups.

Epilepsy

The Beagle breed has a predisposition to epilepsy. This is a seizure condition where no underlying cause can be found for the dog’s fits. Unfortunately, symptoms can start from a relatively young age, even as young as six months.

Modern drugs are able to reduce the severity or the frequency of the seizures, without impacting on the dog’s quality of life. However, life-long medication is required and this can prove costly for the owner.

Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM)

One condition that is strongly linked to the Doberman breed is heart disease. This is a particular condition known as dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), which leads to debilitation and shortened lifespan.

DCM occurs because the heart muscle becomes fatigued and loses its ability to recover its shape. Think of this as equivalent to repeatedly blowing air into a balloon and letting the air out again. After a while the balloon loses its elasticity and becomes saggy and baggy. This is what happens to a heart suffering from DCM.

Yearly ultrasound screening of Doberman dogs is strongly advised, in order to catch the condition at its earliest stage and start therapy. Whilst there is no definite evidence for an increased risk of DCM in Beaglemans, for the concerned owner regular screening would do no harm.

Gastric Dilation and Volvulus (GDV) or Bloat

The deep chest of the Beagleman places them at increased risk of bloat. This is when the stomach flips over on itself, sealing off the entrance and exit so that gas produced by digestion can’t escape.

Symptoms include the dog trying to be sick but nothing coming up, restlessness, and distress. Dogs with GDV deteriorate over just a few hours and unless treated, will die. Therefore any dog showing symptoms of GDV should seek emergency veterinary attention.

Obesity

The Beagleman has a strong food drive and a need for plenty of exercise. This means careful management of the dog’s diet is essential, coupled with active daily walks. If this balance is not met, they will be prone to weight gain and at risk of becoming obese.

Exercise and Activity Levels

It is vital the Beagleman gets plenty of exercise, both to keep their waistline but also to provide mental stimulation. A bored Beagleman is going to make their own amusement either with destructive behaviour or by barking.

The working nature of the Beagleman’s parents make them an ideal participant in canine sports, such as agility, Flyball or Canicross. In addition, the wise owner involves their pet in activities that engage the dog’s senses such as following a scent trail, or harnesses their nature instinct to chase and retrieve.

Grooming

The Beagleman’s short coat makes them an easy-care dog. Their coat doesn’t knot or tangle, or require trips to the parlour for clipping. Instead, you can get away with a weekly slick down to get rid of shed hair and spread those natural conditioning oils. Alternatively, brush the dog daily for a high-gloss finish and to capture hair before it’s shed on the soft furnishings.

As with all dogs, it’s important to brush a Beagleman’s teeth every day, just as you would your own. This removes plaque before it solidifies into tartar and reduces the risk of dental disease occurring.