“Beagle Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Mix”
A designer breed, the Beaglier is the product of crossbreeding a Beagle with a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. The Beaglier first emerged in Australia in the 1990s. It is an energetic, easy going, tiny dog that inherited some of its parent Beagle’s scent drive and hunting instinct. The addition of the personality of the Spaniel makes it a great dog for the entire family.
The playful Beaglier is small to medium-sized. He is gentle and affectionate. It requires some grooming, though. The wavy coat needs combing and brushing a few times each week.
The Beaglier at a Glance
Popularity: First became popular in Australia; now becoming popular all over the world
Purpose of Breeding: As a hound dog (like the Beagle) and Royal Companion (like the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel)
Weight: 10 to 20 lbs.
Temperament: Playful, gentle, and affectionate
Parent Breeds
- Beagle – The Beagle is an adorable, loyal, and sweet-natured dog. It possesses a strong scent drive. It is a great hunting dog.
- The Beagle has two height categories: under 13” and from 13 to 15”. It weighs anywhere from 20 to 30 lbs. Its coat can be tri-color, red and white, and lemon and white. In general, a Beagle is friendly and happy, and unconditionally loves its human family.
- Cavalier King Charles Spaniel – A regal dog, the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel has a royal history. When with its human owners, it can be silly and playful.
- A toy spaniel, it combines the sociability and size of the typical toy dog with the athleticism of spaniels. On average, it is 12 to 13” in height, and it weighs around 13 to 18 lbs.
Beaglier Appearance
The Beaglier inherits traits from both parent breeds. It can be a small to medium-sized pooch. The coat is often wavy and short, but it may also have a longer coat like a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. The Beaglier is usually tri-color.
One of the parent spaniel’s most endearing features is its dark, large, and expressive eyes, and the designer breed often inherits this characteristic. The ears are often Beagle-like: soft and floppy. The muzzle is often shorter than its parent Beagle’s.
Maintenance and Grooming
If your Beaglier comes with a short coat, you need to brush it several times weekly to keep it shiny and remove dead hair. Trimming may not be necessary. If it has a longer coat, you may have to brush it every day to prevent matting and tangling.
You can give a Beaglier a bath on a monthly basis, if necessary. But the ears must be cleaned and examined every week. Be careful not to allow moisture to accumulate in the ears to keep bacteria and yeast from thriving in the hybrid’s ears. You also need to brush your Beaglier’s teeth twice a week to prevent build-up of tartar, which can cause periodontal disease.
Use the grooming time to bond with your pooch. This way, it will sit still and just enjoy the entire process. The dog will love the attention and will carry this attitude towards grooming time until adulthood.
Temperament
In general, the Beaglier is loving, affectionate, and easy going. The designer dog is intelligent, and known to respond well to training. It is great to have around kids and other pets. However, you should always supervise your Beaglier when interacting with unfamiliar dogs and little children. This will prevent any injury to your dog or kid.
The Beaglier doesn’t take being left alone for a long time well. It will experience separation anxiety when you leave it on its own for an extended period of time. It is very happy when spending time with its human family.
The designer breed has strong hunting instincts, making it not suitable to be around cats or smaller animals like rabbits, mice, and gerbils. It is, however an ideal watchdog that will alert its humans to any unfamiliar sound. If you don’t control its distinctive barking early on, it can cause problems, especially if you live in a small space like an apartment unit.
Training and Exercise Needs
The training and exercise needs of your Beaglier may vary, depending on the traits it has inherited from its parent breeds. It may be stubborn like the Beagle, which will make it a bit difficult to train. Training will be easier if your dog has inherited its Cavalier parent’s eagerness to please.
Either way, you can prevent any aggressive behaviors from developing if it undergoes socialization training early. It will live up to its reputation as a gentle designer breed when properly socialized.
Socialization is crucial in making small dogs confident in different situations. Training must be consistent and firm, with a lot of positive reinforcement in the form of treats, praises, and rewards.
If committing to the huge responsibility of training your Beaglier is something that you don’t want to take on, then you should think hard before adopting one.
- Exercise – A Beagle and a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel are worlds apart in terms of going outdoors. The spaniel is bred to keep its humans company at home.
- While it needs some exercise, the Cavalier doesn’t enjoy frequent and long walks. On the other hand, a Beagle can be made to trail a scent for several miles without stopping. Thus, your Beaglier may take after one of the parents, or maybe a combination of both.
- Physical Limits on Exercise – A few health issues can affect both parent breeds when it comes to exercise. Both breeds are prone to hip dysplasia. Thus, it is important that both parents are checked. The spaniel is also susceptible to elbow issues.
Many health problems that affect the parent breeds can affect their ability to exercise. The good thing is that these are less commonly seen in mixed breeds.
Both parent breeds are fine with swimming. Thus, it should be ok to allow your Beaglier to swim for exercise. But, the spaniel’s low stamina in swimming may make your Beaglier tired easily.
The Beaglier is energetic and will need lots of exercise, ideally an hour each day, including leashed walks and frolicking in a fenced area. Just make sure that your pooch can’t escape. Otherwise, its hunting instinct may take over, making it chase a particular scent or another animal.
If you don’t want your Beaglier to munch on your shoes, furniture, and other personal stuff, then make sure to provide lots of toys for your dog to chew on and while away its indoor time.
Health and Care
Just like humans, a dog can inherit the genetic issues that affect either parent. It is therefore crucial to learn about the health problems that affect both parents.
As a breed, Beagles are particularly prone to hip dysplasia. In fact, 1 out of 5 Beagles may be affected. This issue is screened by responsible breeders, and they would be happy to share the results with you.
On the other hand, Cavalier King Charles Spaniels are among the breeds that are most likely to experience patellar luxation or dislocation of the kneecap. In turn, this can cause pain and osteoarthritis in the knee joints. Although this may be less prevalent in mixed breeds, it would be prudent to check if this is not common in your Beaglier’s breeding lineage.
Other major health problems in a Beaglier’s parent breeds include syringomyelia, a disease that affects the spine and the brain that can cause excruciating pain. It is triggered by a malformation at the back part of the skull. It causes the brain’s lower part to be herniated from the lower part of the skull through the spinal cord. Regular medication may be necessary. Sometimes, even surgery may be required for treatment.
On the other hand, epilepsy is one of the specific health concerns of the Beagle breed. It often starts during puppyhood, and persists throughout the dog’s lifetime. While it may be controlled and managed with medication, you should be prepared to make huge financial and emotional investments to ensure your beloved pooch’s health.
One of the most prevalent causes of death for Cavalier King Charles Spaniels is mitral valve disease. This often triggers heart failure. A lot of spaniels get afflicted with this health condition.
In terms of the minor issues in parent breeds, among the most common are gum or tooth problems. Almost 50% of Beagles encounter such a problem when they reach two years of age. These include bad breath and swollen gums.
Consult a vet for guidance on creating a sound dental hygiene routine to keep your Beaglier’s teeth in good health. Just make sure to consistently follow the prescribed dental plan and don’t forget that nutrition can play a huge role too.
Almost 20% of Beagles are diagnosed to have abnormally placed eyelashes. This causes rubbing on the eye’s surface. This can result to ulcers on the cornea if neglected or ignored.
Life Expectancy
On average, your Beagle can live from 12 to 13 years, while a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel’s expected lifespan is around 13 to 18 years. A Beaglier’s life expectancy should be somewhere in between. It can be longer if you can avoid the major health concerns that affect the parent breeds.
How to Find a Beaglier Puppy
If you want to adopt a Beaglier pup, you can check out search guides online that can help you search your ideal puppy. Designer breeds are becoming popular these days. This makes finding a puppy to adopt from a reliable breeder easier.
A Beaglier puppy should cost you around $500 to $1200 if you purchase one from a good breeder. Now, how do you know if you are dealing with a reputable breeder?
Well, first, getting a Beaglier pup through an online ad or from a pet shop should be farthest from your mind. The pups are usually grown up in puppy mills where making profits is more important than the well-being of the animals. Aside from the poor breeding conditions, these sources contribute to the long-term behavioral and health issues of the puppies.
When looking for a good breeder, you need to take a few things into consideration. One, you must be able to visit the breeder’s place, get to meet at least one of the puppy’s parents, and have the chance to see the living conditions of the environment where the puppies are growing up in. You should also learn the health-related practices of the breeder.