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Beagles are friendly and playful pups that make great additions to active families who want them to join in on their adventures.
The beagle’s small size means they are easy to handle, but their big energy means they have no trouble keeping up!
But how much can you expect to pay when adopting a beagle pup?
Find out how much beagle puppies cost and everything you need to know about this wonderful breed below.
Beagle Vital Statistics
- Scent hound
- Height – 13-15 inches
- Weight – 18-30 pounds
- 10-15 year life expectancy
- Friendly and doesn’t like to be left alone
- High energy and needs lots of exercise
- Stubborn and can be challenging to train
- Medium to low shedding
Full breed information on the American Kennel Club website.
How Much Is A Beagle Puppy?
Beagles are purebred dogs, and the price of buying one of these pups from a breeder varies greatly around the United States.
Puppy prices are heavily affected by supply and demand. When getting a beagle puppy from a respected breeder, you can expect to pay anywhere from $500 to $1,200 depending on where you are located.
You will find more expensive beagle puppies—some have been known to sell for up to $6,000—but these are usually the offspring of award-winning show dogs that are invested in by enthusiasts looking for a dog for competitions.
If you encounter a breeder selling a beagle puppy for less than $300, this can be a major red flag.
This may indicate that the puppy comes from a puppy mill, where the parents are overbred and the dogs don’t tend to be treated well so the sellers can maximize profits.
In 2022, the Humane Society rescued 4,000 beagles from a breeding facility that seems to have been breeding the dogs for animal testing. All the dogs have now been placed in homes. Read our guide to identifying and avoiding puppy mills here.
If you would prefer to adopt a beagle in need of a home from a shelter, there are many rescues around the country that specialize in these friendly pups.
The Beagle Freedom Project is a great place to start. There are also Brew Beagles active in the northeast and Triangle Beagle Rescue in North Carolina.
There are often many puppies available because, sadly, beagles are the dogs most commonly used in animal testing.
Adopting a dog from a rescue or shelter is rarely free, and you can expect to pay between $100-$500 to adopt from most shelters. This may seem expensive, but you get a lot for your investment.
Along with generally supporting an agency doing good work, before you take your puppy home from the shelter they will have had a thorough medical examination, received all their necessary vaccinations, been treated for worms, fleas and ticks, and been spayed or neutered.
You will also probably receive 30 days of pet insurance plus an ID collar, tag, or microchipping. Considering the cost of doing these things yourself, the adoption fee is a bargain!
You can read more about rescue adoption fees here.
Factors Affecting Beagle Cost
There are some factors that can legitimately affect the cost you can expect to pay for a beagle puppy.
Size
You may meet a breeder who claims to be selling a pocket beagle, which is a smaller beagle weighing up to 15 pounds.
While this is not recognized as a separate breed by the American Kennel Club, and technically will not qualify as a beagle, these dogs are popular and tend to be more expensive.
But be aware: They need just as much exercise as their larger counterparts.
Color
Beagles can technically be any hound color, but they are usually tricolor with a black saddle, white legs, chest and belly, and tan color around the head and saddle.
Other color combinations can be more expensive. Expect to pay slightly more for a different color, such as the red and white beagle.
About Beagles
Beagles were bred in England from the 15th century as hunting dogs. Their sensitive noses and agile and energetic nature meant that hunters could follow them to sniff out prey.
Their small size meant that the hunters could also carry them when the need arose.
Beagles have around 220 million scent receptors in their noses, compared to about five million in yours.
This is why beagles are also sometimes used in airports to sniff out contraband, since they also tend to be less intimidating for passengers than larger sniffer dogs.
The incredibly friendly nature of beagles meant that they quickly became popular pets, and they are currently ranked as the 6th most popular dog breed in the United States.
Many people will choose beagles for their small size, thinking they will do well in apartments. But, while beagles will feel at home in a small space, they do require lots of care!
- Beagles are very energetic and need at least an hour of exercise everyday. This can be spread out over several sessions. If they don’t get their exercise, they can become destructive.
- Beagles are social pack animals and love being around their humans. They won’t thrive if they are left at home for hours a day on their own. They need families who have time to spend with them.
- Beagles are known to be intelligent and reward driven (especially when it comes to food), but they can also be incredibly stubborn. Notably, beagles are known to be difficult to housetrain. It could take up to a year of training before you stop seeing accidents.
- Beagles tend to be mouthy, and in addition to barking they tend to howl. While they can be trained to vocalize less, it is instinctive and sometimes necessary. This can irritate the neighbors in close living conditions.
- Beagles are scent hounds with a strong prey drive, so they will tend to wander off in search of small animals when out and about. They are also targeted by thieves, who can sell them to laboratories, so it is important to supervise your beagle at all times.
- Beagles love food! They can get aggressive if animals (or children) try to take their food or approach them while they are eating. If you don’t monitor their diet, they can also end up overweight. They can be food thieves too! So don’t leave those barbecue steaks unattended.
While those might seem like a lot or warnings for anyone who thought that a beagle would make a nice, docile companion for their apartment, beagles are great pets!
- Beagles have a naturally friendly disposition and will quickly become a member of the family. They get along well with children and other animals, and will make friends with strangers rather than start barking. But don’t count on them as a guard dog!
- While the small size of beagles mean they are easy to manage and you can pick them up and carry them when needed, they are adventurous and athletic and will love joining you on hikes and other adventures. Beagles are good swimmers, but they need to grow up around the water to develop a love of swimming.
- Beagles have short coats that don’t shed much and are easy to groom. They also don’t drool too much.
- While they might be too stubborn for first-time owners to teach them tricks, beagles are very intelligent and sensitive. This means they generally know what is required of them in stressful situations. Their friendly nature means they won’t cause any serious trouble.
- You can almost always get a beagle to cooperate with a food reward!
Beagles that have loving homes that support their need for affection and excitement make excellent pets.
Beagle Care: How Much Does It Cost?
As well as the fee for acquiring or adopting your beagle, remember that they will incur costs for the rest of their lives, which is usually between 12-15 years.
How much should you budget for caring for your beagle? Consider the following factors.
Dog Supplies
Just like children, dogs tend to need more things than you might expect, even though they will always prefer your favorite shoes to any chew toy you buy.
When you first bring them home, they will need a bed to call their own along with bowls, toys, and a leash and collar. Crate training is also recommended for beagles, and that can add quite a bit of expense.
You should probably expect to pay between $300-$500 to meet their needs in the first months, and no doubt many of the items you buy will need replacing over the years.
Food
Food is the most consistent expense related to caring for your beagle. A full-grown beagle needs to eat between ¾ and 1.5 cups of good-quality dry food each day, divided into two meals.
Of course, they would prefer some delicious wet food too or some fresh meat off your plate!
You can give them these as well, but remember to count the calories of whatever treats you give them and subtract this from their dry food. Beagles have very little self control when it comes to eating.
It is rarely a good idea to give your dog food off your own plate as it teaches them bad habits and can lead to begging.
But if you do decide to put a piece of meat aside for them, make sure it is prepared without garlic, onion, or other spices.
Not only does your dog not need these, but they can be toxic. Read more about the human foods that your dogs should not be eating here.
Beagle puppies will reach their full height at about eight months old, and their full weight at about 18 months old.
They should be eating puppy food until around one year of age. Puppy food tends to be higher in animal-based proteins and fats, which are essential for growing puppies.
You should take them off puppy food when they get older, as this can cause excessive weight gain in older dogs. Read more about the difference between puppy and adult dog foods here.
Vet Bills And Pet Insurance
Beagles are generally quite healthy dogs, but they can be susceptible to a number of medical conditions such as intervertebral disk disease, hip dysplasia, various eye issues, epilepsy, and hypothyroidism.
A good relationship with a vet can help keep your dog healthy and your mind at ease.
The average cost of pet insurance for a dog in the United States is $45 per month, and beagles do not have any particular health issues that should result in a higher premium.
While this can seem like a big monthly outlay, pet insurance will include most of the regular vaccines and treatments (such as flea treatments) that your dog needs.
You are also covered in case of a serious medical condition or accident that causes unexpected costs.
You can read more about pet insurance for puppies here.
FAQs
How much does a beagle cost in the UK?
Beagle puppies from a breeder in the UK will cost between £500-£1,000 pounds depending on where you are in the country and the quality of the breeder.
Do beagles bark a lot?
Beagles do have a tendency to vocalize and, as well as barking, they do howl. While training from a young age can curb this habit, it is instinctive and you shouldn’t expect to be able to completely stop your beagle from barking.
The Verdict
Beagles are small but energetic e dogs that make excellent pets for active families that love spending time together and in the great outdoors.
While beagles can be stubborn, they have a naturally friendly nature that makes them easy to handle, even for first-time owners.
If you are buying a beagle from a reputable breeder, you can expect to pay between $500-$1,200 depending on where you are in the country.
You will probably also find quite a few beagles in rescues since they are one of the most popular breeds for animal testing, and therefore mass breeding. It is not uncommon to hear of large numbers of beagles being saved and put up for adoption.
If you invest time and energy in your beagle, they will reward you tenfold with their unconditional love and companionship.
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