Curious About Beagles? Meet Our Dog, Max

When we first met Max, he was just 8 weeks old. With floppy ears and a stubby little tail, he was just about the cutest little thing we'd ever seen.

Shamelessly spoiled right from the start, that dog wanted for nothing. He spent many a day lounging around on the furniture (beds included), eating chicken and rice, and taking lots of daily walks . . . that is, when he wasn't busy chewing up our stuff!

Our boy has always been so happy and friendly. We've never had a dog who greets people as well as he does. He eagerly welcomes anyone passing through our front door. Anyone. Could be the mailman; it doesn't matter. Outside, you're his enemy, but, inside, you're his new best friend and he could kiss you until you're blue in the face . . . and has!

Over the years, as our family has grown with the birth of our children and the addition of more dogs, Max has pretty much taken everything in stride. We've been lucky. He loves our boys and has always been patient with them, even when they haven't shown him the same courtesy. Two of Max's favorite people, though, were my husband's grandparents. They often hung out together quite a bit and Max was good company for them. He sat with them at mealtime (of course!) and often joined them for an afternoon snooze. They were best buddies. The picture on the right is of Max and Pop.

As for the parade of dogs through our house, well, Max has liked some of those pups more than others. His best friend, or maybe I should say girlfriend, has always been our border collie-mix, Daisy. They've been a couple since the day they met. It was love at first sight. The two of them often lay together, side by side. Max kisses her quite a bit and every once in a while, we'll catch Daisy returning his affection. They are so sweet together!

Of course, life is not always peaceful when you have dogs and, unfortunately, our pups have had their disagreements as well. Max and our cocker spaniel, Maggie, in particular, have not always gotten along, though not by Max's choosing. He likes everybody, people and dogs alike. No, it was our Maggie who took a rather instant dislke to him and, unfortunately, has attacked Max on a few occasions. Though we stopped these incidents immediately, Max has since learned not to invade Maggie's personal space.

Max has had his share of issues. Normal things, really. We've fought with him over space on the bed . . . and lost on more than one occasion. His chewing phase as a puppy seemed to last an eternity. (Of course, I'm sure most people feel that way.) And he barks relentlessly at whomever or whatever dares to pass by our house. Despite these bad habits, though, he's also been one of the sweetest, most lovable, faithful, and the most affectionate dog we've ever had. All these years, he's been there for us . . . by our side comforting us when we've been sick, upset, or depressed, and celebrating our happiness, our successes and failures. He's a good boy. He's our baby. We can't imagine our lives without him and we don't want to.

Even now, at the ripe old age of 15, his body weak with fatigue and aching with arthritis, Max still attempts to rise and meet us when we come home. Though he naps frequently, he's up first thing in the morning for breakfast, greets each new visitor throughout the day, and waits patiently for his rawhide chew at bedtime.

We know too well that our boy is failing and our time with him is growing short. Still, we intend to cherish Max for as long as we have him and treat him with the respect he deserves for the lifetime of joy that he has brought to our family. It's the least we can do.

Photo courtesy of West Greenwich Animal Hospital.

If you're not familiar with the beagle breed, here's a little background to bring you up to speed.

Physically, beagles are short, stocky dogs, that usually weigh around 20-25 lbs, and sport a short, thick coat of varying colors. Trademark beagle colors reflect a mix of white, black and brown. However, they can also be tan and white, lemon and white, or even red and white. Beagles are also very intelligent and can be quite willful. (A lethal, but lively, combination.)

This breed is known to be very personable and family-friendly. They are sweet, happy, loving, energetic . . . and they love kids! Unfortunately, this also means that they are all over you when you come into the house. They love to jump on people and rub up against you. Which bring me to another important point: Beagles shed a lot! It's impossible to pet our Max without ending up with a handful of dog fur. In fact, we use so many of those sticky lint brushes that we should probably own stock in the company.

I love this quote from Dog Breed Info Center. I think it sums up the beagle breed perfectly:

"The Beagle is a gentle, sweet, lively and curious dog that just loves everyone! A happy little tail-wagger!"

. . . I couldn't have said it better myself!

Originally bred for hunting, these loyal dogs led their owners to small prey using a keen sense of smell and distinctive howl. With that said, be careful when exposing these dogs to other smaller pets, such as rabbits, birds, hamsters and such. (Thank God we've never had that problem with Max!)

Beagles are wonderful pets. Their faithful, easy-going, and affectionate nature makes them a great fit for children, seniors, and everyone in between.

Photo courtesy of Dog Barkings.

These "Did You Know" facts are courtesy of Beagle Pro.

• Alongside the Bloodhound, the Beagle dog has one of the best developed senses of any breed.




• Lyndon B. Johnson owned three Beagles named "Him," "Her," and "Edgar."




• The Beagle carries his moderately-long tail like a flag above his back, providing a marker when he follows scent through tall grass.




• The Beagle dog is a loving and popular family member, but sadly this dog breed is used more often than any other in medical experimentation.




• Because of their gentle nature and unimposing build, Beagle dogs are frequently used in pet therapy, visiting the sick and elderly in hospitals.




• In June 2006, a trained Beagle assistance dog was credited with saving the life of its owner after using his owner's cell phone to dial an emergency number.