Beagle Registration — Register Your Beagle or Any Beagle Mix with DKC

General Appearance

A small to medium-sized hound with a well-balanced and athletic build. The Beagle should appear solid and neither too delicate nor coarse. Its expression is gentle, pleading, and intelligent. Movement is free and easy, with good reach and drive.

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Size

• Height (AKC classifications):

  • 13-inch variety: Up to 13 inches at the withers

  • 15-inch variety: Over 13 inches and not exceeding 15 inches

• Weight: Typically 20–30 pounds

• Proportions: The body length should be approximately equal to the height at the withers, forming a square or slightly longer rectangle.

Head

• Skull: Fairly long, slightly domed, broad and full.

• Stop: Well-defined.

• Muzzle: Straight and of moderate length, with square-cut jaws.

• Nose: Large with wide nostrils, typically black (lighter in some light-colored dogs).

• Eyes: Large, set well apart, soft and pleading expression; hazel or brown in color.

• Ears: Long, low-set, rounded at the tips, and reaching nearly to the end of the nose when pulled forward; set close to the head.

Body

• Neck: Medium length with a slight arch, free from throatiness.

• Shoulders: Sloping and muscular.

• Chest: Deep and broad, extending below the elbows.

• Back: Straight and strong, with a level topline.

• Loins: Broad and slightly arched.

• Tail: Set moderately high, carried gaily but not curled over the back, and often tipped with white.

Legs & Feet

• Forelegs: Straight and well-boned. Pasterns short and firm.

• Hindquarters: Muscular and well-angulated, with firm hocks and good drive.

• Feet: Round, firm, with full pads and well-arched toes—referred to as a “cat foot.”

Coat

• Type: Close, hard, and medium-length. Weather-resistant.

• Color: Any recognized hound color is acceptable, including:

  • Tri-color (black, tan, and white)

  • Red and white

  • Lemon and white

  • Chocolate tri

  • Blue tick or red tick

  • Saddleback variations

  • White tip on the tail is desirable for visibility

Gait / Movement

The Beagle’s movement should be smooth, effortless, and purposeful. Front legs should reach well forward without high action, and rear legs should have strong propulsion. Viewed from front or rear, legs move in parallel.

Temperament

Beagles are happy, friendly, and affectionate. They are neither aggressive nor timid. As pack animals, they thrive with human or canine company and can become vocal or mischievous if left alone. Their keen nose makes them excellent trackers and food-seekers.

• Disposition: Gentle, curious, loyal

• Trainability: Moderate—food motivation is key

• Vocalization: Notable for its distinct “bay” or howling bark

Faults

• Straight shoulders or overly long body

• Excessively shy or aggressive behavior

• Cow-hocked rear legs

• Lack of tail tip or tail carried too tightly curled

• Short muzzle or overly prominent stop

Disqualifications

• Over 15 inches in height at the withers

• Blue eyes

• Overshot or undershot jaw

• Unilateral or bilateral cryptorchidism (in males)

Ideal Owner

Beagles do best with active individuals or families who enjoy outdoor time. They love scent games and long walks, and are good with children and other dogs. A secure yard is essential, as their nose often overrides obedience.

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The Beagle is one of the most popular and recognizable scent hounds in the world. Modern Beagles were refined in 19th-century England, with Reverend Phillip Honeywood establishing a key breeding program around 1830 that shaped the breed we know today. The name appears in English literature as early as 1475 and is referenced by both Chaucer and Shakespeare. The breed is thought to descend from the large white Talbot Hounds that arrived with William the Conqueror in 1066, with possible earlier roots in ancient Greek and English hare-hunting hounds. Beagles reached America in the mid-to-late 1800s; General Richard Rowett of Illinois imported quality English stock in the 1870s. The American Kennel Club recognized the Beagle in 1885, with the first registered dog named Blunder. The National Beagle Club of America was formed in the late 1880s. Today the Beagle consistently ranks in the top 10 most popular AKC breeds and exists in two official height varieties: 13-inch and 15-inch.

Because the Beagle is an AKC-recognized purebred, the American Kennel Club will register purebred Beagles with proper pedigree. However, AKC cannot and does not register any Beagle mix, any Beagle hybrid, or any cross involving a Beagle regardless of generation. Popular Beagle designer crosses include the Puggle (Beagle × Pug), Beagador or Labbe (Beagle × Labrador Retriever), Bagle Hound (Beagle × Basset Hound), Doxle (Beagle × Dachshund), Cheagle (Beagle × Chihuahua), Beagi (Beagle × Corgi), Poogle, Beabull, German Sheagle, and dozens of other mixes. Designer Kennel Club was built specifically to fill this gap.

Designer Kennel Club provides official registration papers and ownership documentation for purebred Beagles (both 13-inch and 15-inch), Puggles, Beagadors, Bagle Hounds, Doxles, Cheagles, Beagis, and all other Beagle crosses with no AKC papers or pedigree lineage required. DKC Foundation Dog Registration ($65) accepts any Beagle or Beagle mix without existing documentation. For breeders, DKC Litter Registration ($100) gives each puppy an individual DKC registration number that new owners can use to register for $45. All registrations are completed online and papers are delivered as a PDF via email within 2–3 business days.

Whether you are registering a purebred Beagle whose papers were lost, a rescue Beagle, a first-generation Puggle, a Beagador, or any other Beagle mix, Designer Kennel Club provides the official breed and ownership documentation accepted for veterinary records, grooming services, training programs, housing requirements, and general ownership verification. Register at designerkennelclub.com/registration.