Beagle Grooming

The Beagle has a short-haired, double-layered coat--and overall Beagle grooming is pretty simple. These dogs shed seasonally, so they'll need daily brushing in the spring and fall, but otherwise a couple of brushes a week will do. There are, however, other aspects of grooming your Beagle will need regularly, including ear cleaning, dental care, and pest prevention.

See below for further details on caring for the Beagle coat (including info about brushing and bathing), general maintenance, and more--and learn exactly why shaving a Beagle's coat is not a good idea.

In Beagle care and grooming, maintaining the dog's coat is one of the easiest aspects. With the breed's short-haired, double-layered coat, keeping it clean and neat isn't difficult at all--but regular Beagle grooming is still important so the coat remains fresh and odor-free.

These dogs will need brushing 2-3 times per week for most of the year, and daily during the spring and fall shedding seasons. For the Beagle grooming brush, owners can use either a medium-bristle brush or a grooming glove (or both). Baths are necessary every 3-4 weeks (or more often if the Beagle spends a lot of time outdoors and gets dirty and stinky regularly). And haircuts aren't required--but at least one visit to a professional groomer might prove useful, as the groomer can provide some Beagle grooming tips, and give owners info about how to groom a Beagle in general.

See below for details on brushing, bathing, and optional haircuts.

While giving your Beagle a brush keeps the coat looking nice, it serves other purposes too: it stimulates the skin, increasing the blood flow there (thereby keeping the hair follicles healthy); it helps remove dead hairs, dirt, and debris; and a brush for a Beagle distributes the coat's natural oils.

Most owners believe the best dog brush for Beagles is a medium-bristle brush. In turn, the best brush for a Beagle that's shedding is a grooming glove--and an actual de-shedding tool can be useful as well.

To brush a Beagle: first wet the coat with mist from a spray bottle, then brush the entire coat section by section with the bristle brush, moving in direction of hair growth. During shedding season, use the grooming glove instead, making sure to press down firmly to remove any dead hairs trapped in the undercoat. Those who choose to use a de-shedding tool: go through the coat first with the tool, then brush the dog with the bristle brush as described above.

As a short-haired breed, the Beagle's coat doesn't really tangle--but it does trap dead hairs beneath its outer coat (especially during shedding season), which can create "burrs" or clusters that can look like tangles. Over time, these hair burrs can block the flow of air to the dog's skin and clog the pores, and can get infected if left for too long.

Groomers and owners agree that the best way to minimize hair burrs is with a de-shedding tool (like a Furminator) for Beagle dogs. With the Furminator, Beagle dogs have the dead hairs removed from the undercoat by using the tool to "rake" them out. Using a de-shedding tool will make the dog's coat softer, shinier, and healthier as well.

Why do Beagles smell bad sometimes? They do--for completely natural reasons. Over a period of a few weeks, the dog's thick outer coat will trap dead hairs and the coat's waterproof oils--which can lead to that infamous (and unpleasant!) Beagle Smell.

Obviously, bathing your Beagle every 3-4 weeks will help. You can have your Beagle bath in a bathtub (or the kitchen sink for puppies), or you can use an outdoor kiddie pool and a hose. Owners should also choose their Beagle shampoo wisely. The best shampoo for Beagles includes brands like EarthBath, Vet's Best, and TropiClean. Also needed are baby wipes, cotton balls, and canine ear cleaning solution.

How to bathe a Beagle: first give the dog a thorough brushing to remove excess dirt and debris. Then wet the entire coat, and apply a quarter-sized amount of shampoo to the dog's back. Lather well, working downward and outward. (Don't forget the legs, underbelly, and tail!) Use a washcloth to clean the facial area, then rinse completely. Finish with another quick brushing to make the coat look clean and neat.

For a Beagle, ear cleaning is a separate (but necessary) part of the bath. How to clean Beagles' ears: after the final brushing, use a baby wipe and your index finger to wipe out any waxy buildup in the ear canal and on the inside of the ear flap. Then squirt some ear cleaning solution into the dog's ear canal, according to the product directions. Lower the ear flap and massage the ear for one minute; the dog will likely shake its head vigorously once this is done, which is fine. After 60 seconds, use cotton balls to wipe out the canal as best you can.

Do Beagles need haircuts? In reality, their coats, though double-layered, are still too short for any Beagle style or haircut (though dying its hair is okay, as anyone who's ever seen a pink Beagle can attest!). But owners also ask, "Can you shave a Beagle?" The answer to whether or not it's okay to shave a double-coated dog has long been debated--but the wisest answer is that shaving a Beagle is not a good idea.

Dogs with undercoats, regardless of whether the outer coat is short (like the Beagle's) or long (like the Yorkshire Terrier's), have naturally insulating coats. In cold weather, warm air is trapped between the two layers, which keeps the dog warm. And in hot weather, the same happens with cool air. So the idea that shaving a dog in summer will keep it cooler is simply a myth. A shaved Beagle won't be any cooler than an un-shaved one--plus, the shaved Beagle will be more susceptible to sunburn, and when the coat grows back in it won't have the same texture.

Another myth is that shaving a Beagle will reduce shedding. Wrong! Since it's a dog's undercoat that sheds, unless the dog is shaved bald (which is a terrible idea), the undercoat will still shed the same amount. Owners can reduce Beagle shedding by using a tool called an undercoat rake, which has long, small teeth designed to reach through the outer coat and thin the undercoat.

In short: your Beagle's coat is designed with the dog's comfort in mind--so put those clippers away!

Your Beagle's paws will need regular maintenance in the following areas:

• Clip the nails regularly with standard nail clippers. If the dog's feet "click" when walking on hard surfaces, it's time for a trim. Make sure not to clip the nails too close, though, as doing so can cut into the nail's "quick" (the blood vessel running through it), causing it to bleed and be painful. (BONUS: Those who are fashion-minded can leave the dog's nails a little longer, and add some fancy Beagle nail art!)
• Trim the hair between the toes if it gets long. With a short-haired breed, this shouldn't be a common issue--but if the hair does get too long it can collect excess dirt and debris, which can cause infections. Trim the hair as short as possible using a small pair of scissors.
• Keep the paw pads moist with paw pad moisturizer (available at most pet stores). If your Beagle frequently walks or runs on hot asphalt or ice, the paw pads can become dry and cracked. Apply the moisturizer weekly to keep the pads healthy and soft.

Some details on pest prevention and treatment for your Beagle:

FLEAS AND TICKS

Prevention:

• Use commercial products like flea collars, powders, and sprays
• Use a flea comb once per week
• Wash the dog's bedding in hot water every few days
• Keep yards free of organic matter like grass clippings, leaf piles, etc.; this is where fleas and ticks like to live

Treatment:

• SEE A VETERINARIAN
• Commercial products like shampoos, sprays, and powders
• Clean home thoroughly, including carpets, upholstery, bed linens; an indoor spray or fogger may be necessary in extreme cases
• If the dog keeps attracting pests when it goes outside, lawn treatment might be required

EAR MITES
Beagle ear mites are very transmittable parasites that live in the dog's ear canal. Once there, they reproduce quickly and spread to other parts of the dog's body.

Prevention: Make sure to clean the dog's ears regularly, during which you should check the ear flap and canal for signs of any tiny parasites. If you suspect your Beagle has ear mites, see a veterinarian immediately.
Treatment: Your vet will provide initial cleaning and medication, which owners will need to continue at home. Since the mites are easily transferred to other animals, all household pets must also be examined thoroughly.

Here are a couple of other ways your Beagle needs routine care:

• Teeth: Just like a human's, Beagle teeth need regular brushing to keep the teeth and gums healthy--and to minimize Beagle bad breath! 2-3 times a week, use a standard toothbrush to brush the dog's teeth--but make sure to use toothpaste made for canines, as the human kind can make your Beagle sick if the dog swallows it.
• Tear Stains: Though not very common for this breed, Beagle tear stains do occur. Tear stains are naturally occurring and painless, and happen when the areas beneath the dog's eyes are stained red or brown from the dog's eye secretions (which contain a lot of iron). Though a multitude of treatments exist, veterinarians say cleaning the stained area with a solution containing boric acid (such as contact lens cleaner) is best. Commercial tear stain removers like Angels' Eyes and NaturVet are effective as well.