Beago (Beagle & Golden Retriever Mix): Info, Pictures, Care & More

The Beago is a cross between two breeds that everyone knows and loves—Beagles and Golden Retrievers. This is a designer breed that’s relatively new to the scene, so there hasn’t been time for many breed standards to develop. As a result, most of what we know about Beagos comes from the parent breeds, which we know plenty about. While the Beago breed has only been around for a few short decades, Golden Retrievers have been around since the mid-1800s, and Beagles have existed since the 14th century.

While the Beago might seem to be an unlikely hybrid, it’s easy to understand why these dogs were put together. Both parent breeds are renowned for their loyalty and intelligence, though both are also susceptible to a myriad of health concerns, which are less common in their Beago offspring. These dogs display many of the best traits of both parent breeds, making them excellent pets and hunters that are sure to continue growing in popularity.

Beago Characteristics

Beago Puppies

Since the Beago breed is still relatively new, there aren’t price standards in place, so the price you pay for a Beago puppy may vary widely. Those that are intended for showing or hunting could cost substantially more.

Since Beagos are a pretty new breed, you’re not very likely to find one in a shelter, though it can’t hurt to check before purchasing one. Adopting a dog from a shelter can save you a substantial amount of money while giving a lucky pup a second chance at a great life.

If you’re going to be purchasing your Beago from a breeder, make sure to do some due diligence and learn as much about the breeder as you can. See what their reputation is like and read any testimonials or reviews you can find. When you go to look at the puppies, look around the facilities and see what kind of conditions the puppies are kept in. If possible, try to meet the parents so you can get a feel for their health and what your puppy’s genetic future might hold.

Temperament & Intelligence of the Beago 🧠

One reason that both Beagles and Golden Retrievers are so popular is that they’re highly intelligent, extremely friendly dogs. This makes them incredibly easy to get along with. Naturally, with both sets of genes, Beagos can be expected to turn out equally friendly. These dogs tend to be quite affectionate and will take love from just about everyone. They like a lot of attention and don’t want to be home alone all day. If you leave your Beago alone too much, it could become destructive out of boredom and anxiety.

Are These Dogs Good for Families 👪

Beagos get along with everyone, and they can form strong bonds with multiple family members, making them ideal family pets. They’re great with kids and are generally gentle. Thankfully, they’re not the largest dogs, so even smaller children are pretty safe around a Beago, so long as it's socialized and well-behaved.

Does This Breed Get Along With Other Pets 🐶 😽

While Beagos do get along with almost all people, they don’t feel the same way towards all other pets. With hunting deep in their genes, it can be hard for a Beago to turn off its prey drive. As such, smaller animals like cats and even small dogs can often set a Beago off, resulting in a chase. Naturally, this can be quite dangerous for other little critters. Granted, if you properly socialize your Beago often from an early age, you might be able to avoid such behaviors, but a strong prey drive is inherent in this breed.

Things to Know When Owning a Beago:

Food & Diet Requirements 🦴

Beagos are medium-sized dogs, so they don’t require too much food. They don’t have any special dietary needs, though it’s a good idea to feed a Beago a high-quality dog food that’s fortified with glucosamine and chondroitin since the breed is susceptible to joint problems like hip dysplasia. Alternatively, you can supplement your dog’s diet with a joint chew like the PetNC Natural Care Hip and Joint Mobility Support Soft Chews to try and prevent hip dysplasia from becoming an issue.

Beagos do tend to overeat, so you’ll want to monitor your dog’s food intake. If left to their own devices, many Beagos will overeat until they’re overweight, which you don’t want to happen to your dog.

Exercise 🐕

Despite their smaller size, Beagos have pretty substantial exercise needs. They have tons of energy thanks to their hunter parents. Both Golden Retrievers and Beagles are known for their outstanding endurance, and the Beago inherits this trait from them. All that energy is going to need an outlet, so you should expect to spend a good 45–60 minutes exercising your Beago every day. If you skip this, your Beago could get bored and start displaying destructive behaviors that can be difficult to untrain.

Training 🎾

Both Golden Retrievers and Beagles are highly intelligent dogs that can be trained for a variety of tasks with relative ease. Luckily, their Beago offspring also display this affinity for training. They tend to be pretty easy to train, and since they’re so smart, they understand what’s being asked of them. Just make sure to use plenty of positive reinforcement, and you shouldn’t have much difficulty training your Beago.

Grooming ✂️

How much grooming your Beago requires depends on which parent it takes after more. Beagles have very short coats that need little upkeep, while Golden Retrievers have much longer coats that require a bit more maintenance. If your dog takes after the Beagle side more, then it will probably only need its coat brushed once per week. For Beagos that have more of a Golden Retriever coat, brushing up to three times each week might be necessary.

Beagles have droopy ears, so you’ll want to pay extra attention to your Beago’s ears. Keep them clean, and make sure to always inspect for buildup, redness, mites, and any other signs of poor ear health.

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Health and Conditions 🏥

One of the main reasons for crossing the Golden Retriever and Beagle is to avoid the many health concerns that both breeds are highly susceptible to. While Beagos are less vulnerable to disease and health problems than their parent breeds, there are still quite a few conditions that you should keep an eye out for if you’re going to raise a Beago.

Serious Conditions:

Pulmonic stenosis is a congenital heart defect that causes the valve walls of the heart to thicken. This can cause obstruction of blood flow between the heart and lungs. Many dogs will never show signs of pulmonic stenosis, though it can be fatal in some cases.

Hip dysplasia is a common joint condition in dogs where the femur and hip don’t sit together correctly due to malformation during growth. This causes the femur to rub on the hip socket, resulting in pain and reduced mobility.

Elbow dysplasia is an abnormality of the elbow joint that can result in lameness, pain, arthritis, reduced mobility, and more.

Von Willebrand’s disease is a genetic bleeding disorder that results when the body is deficient in von Willebrand factor protein. Golden Retrievers are one of the breeds most susceptible to this condition.

Minor Conditions:

Entropion is a condition that affects a dog’s eyelids, causing them to roll inward. This can result in rubbing that produces pain, ulcers, perforations, and more, which can all reduce the dog’s ability to see properly.

Cataracts are when the lens of your dog’s eye clouds over. This reduces their vision and can even lead to blindness over time. It’s a result of damage to the cells or protein fibers of the eye. Luckily, cataracts can be removed with surgery.

Retinal dysplasia is an early onset or inherited type of progressive retinal atrophy that is usually diagnosed when a puppy is just a few months old. This leads to the wasting of the eye’s photoreceptor cells, which can eventually lead to blindness.

Male vs Female

Male and female Beagos exhibit only minor differences. Physically, they’re very close in size and appearance. Males can weigh a bit more and stand just a little bit taller, but the difference is minor. Temperamentally, males often tend to be a bit more playful and affectionate, while females are usually a little more independent and not nearly as affectionate and friendly as males. Still, temperamental differences vary more from dog to dog than they do between sexes, so how your dog turns out depends more on its upbringing and environment than what sex it is.

3 Little-Known Facts About the Beago

1. They Tend to Be Noisy Dogs

Beagles are known as some of the noisiest dogs around. They howl and bark more than most other breeds, which can be awfully annoying for neighbors. This trait contributes to making them unfit for apartment living. Unfortunately, the apple doesn’t always fall far from the tree, and many Beagos have inherited the Beagle’s penchant for howling and barking as loud as possible. If you’re lucky, your Beago may take after the Golden Retriever side of the family tree more and won’t exhibit this trait. But many Beagos will, so it’s something you should be prepared for.

2. Both Parents Rank High in Breed Popularity

Life isn’t a popularity contest, but being popular definitely has its perks. While the Beago isn’t a very well-known breed just yet, they have the potential to become extremely popular like both parent breeds. Both parents are ranked in the top 10 most popular breeds in America by the AKC. The Golden Retriever is the third most popular breed, and the Beagle ranks number six.

3. Hunting Is in Their Genes

Golden Retrievers were bred to hunt and retrieve. They have tons of energy because they were built to hunt all day long while traversing treacherous environments and swimming through lakes and rivers. Beagles were also bred to hunt. These dogs were built to hunt rabbits and hares, and their short legs made it easier for them to fit in burrows after their prey. All this is to say that hunting is in the Beago’s blood. Beagos are natural hunters, so don’t be surprised if yours exhibits a substantial prey drive.

Final Thoughts

Beagos combine some of the best traits of two highly popular pooches—the Golden Retriever and the Beagle. Both of these breeds were built for hunting, and Beagos will definitely make good hunters. However, they’re also great companion pets, with friendly, affectionate demeanors and the ability to form strong bonds with the whole family. They’re great with kids and relatively easy to care for, though they do need a good bit of exercise, and their prey drive can be activated by smaller animals.

Luckily, if you want to add one of these friendly canines to your family, it won’t cost much. Beagos are pretty affordable, costing just $500 to $1,000 on average from a reputable breeder if you can find a breeder who’s producing them. Your Beago will probably be friendly and easy to train, but it also might be a bit noisy thanks to the Beagle blood. Overall, these are great dogs for anyone who’s got the time and space for an active, energetic, friendly, and affectionate partner pet.

See Also:

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• Goldendale (Airedale & Golden Retriever Mix): Care, Pictures, Info & More

Featured Image Credit: Thipphaphorn Douangchak, Shutterstock