If you get to cross Charlie Brown’s Snoopy with Superman’s Krypto, you’d definitely get one of the most fascinating crossbreeds of all time. And while the Beagador is not going to fight Lex Luthor just yet or join the gang of Peanuts in their next escapade, this Beagle Lab Mix is sure to win the hearts of many because of its fun-loving, carefree nature, but mostly because of its amazing skill set that can wow the crowd. Combining the natural intelligence and agility of its progenitors the Labeagle or Labbe, as the Beagador is also sometimes called, make for one serious contender in any sport and agility competition.
History of the Beagador
There’s dearth of information as to the exact origins of the Labbe or Beagador except that it is a designer breed made by crossing a Beagle and a Labrador retriever. Its country of origin is undoubtedly the United States as it has become the center of many crossbreeding and hybridization programs in the canine world in the past 20 years.
As always crossbreeding is not necessarily a new idea since many of the world’s well-recognized breeds is actually a mixture of different breeds to achieve the desired traits or characteristics of its designer or inventor. For instance, the Golden retriever is actually a crossbreed between a Tweed Water Spaniel and a yellow-colored retriever. The result was then crossbred again with the St. John’s water dog, an Irish Setter, 2 wavy-coated retrievers, and a sandy-colored Bloodhound. As you can see, crossbreeding is but a normal way for a man to create a dog that will carry his desired characteristics for a dog.
In the case of the Beagador, you’ve got two of the world’s most popular breeds; although one is slightly smaller than the other. Both are even-tempered, gentle, and intelligent. The Lab is kind, trusting, and agile while the Beagle is amiable, determined, and highly excitable. Combining the characteristics of these two breeds almost always guarantee a winning combination.
Who are the Parents?
While both Beagle and the Labrador retriever are highly respected dogs in their respective rights, there really is not that much to go about with the Labbe or Beagador. However, one can always take his cue from the parents of this crossbreed.
Labrador Retriever
The American Kennel Club’s top dog for many years now, the Labrador or Lab is a trusting, kind, intelligent, even-tempered, and gentle pet that has become the go-to animal of many individuals seeking companionship and therapeutic assistance. They have this highly acute sense for maladies that they somehow know if someone is in pain, in sorrow, or in other forms of distress that they’d be more than ready to lend their paws just to lift someone else’s spirits.
But the Lab is very agile and outgoing, too. It loves to work and get to fulfill the many responsibilities of servicemen who owe much of their exploits to the bravery, courage, and determination of the Lab.
A descendant of the St. John’s water dog in Newfoundland, Canada, the Lab traces its origins to the Portuguese, Irish, and English working breeds that were brought to this part of the world by Portuguese fishermen in the 16th century. The St. John’s water dog eventually split into the larger Newfoundland and the smaller Lesser Newfoundland, the latter of which is recognized as the direct ancestor of the modern Labrador retriever. Its main task was to retrieve objects from the water such as fish-laden nets, although it was also bred to carry and deliver messages from one boat to another by swimming the distance.
Over the years the Lab has been one of the most loved and most respected dog breeds. From Presidents to Royal families to comic books and the silver screen and to real-life stories of heroism, dedication, and unquestionable loyalty, the Lab is as enduring as Father Time himself.
The good-looking, fun-loving, and smart Lab can grow up to 24.5 inches and weigh up to 80 pounds. When compared to the Beagle, however, it will only last about 13 years on average. As active as the Lab is it really isn’t immune to a variety of health issues such as progressive retinal atrophy, hip dysplasia, and heart disease, just to name a few. Expect these characteristics to be present in the Beagador.
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Beagle
With its classic droopy ears and those inquisitive eyes, the Beagle has been the quintessential star dog of many films as well as signature brands. Gentle and even-tempered, the Beagle is best known for its powerful sense of smell. Many of today’s major airports are guarded by these sniffing dogs, allowing them to sniff through passenger luggage and cargo without raising alarm from unsuspecting passengers. Because of their rather friendly nature, passengers don’t mind and don’t get intimidated by them sniffing around. Use a Belgian Malinois or even a German shepherd and these passengers will already be a nervous wreck.
Originating from England, the Beagle has its heritage drawn all the way to the hunting scenthounds of the 14th century when landed gentry used these dogs to hunt hare and deer. But it wasn’t until 1475 when they were called as ‘Beagles” because of their propensity to bark loudly when it does catch a very interesting scent. Beagle, as it turned out, is French for ‘loud mouth’; although ‘open mouth’ is a much closer description.
The early Beagles were not standardized, often depending on their hunting grounds. Beagles in southern England were slower and more ponderous than those in the British-Scottish boundary where the Beagles were agiler and had better stamina. By the 19th century, Beagle breeders began standardizing the traits and temperaments that would define modern-day Beagles.
The Beagle can grow up to 13 or 15 inches at the shoulder and can weigh up to 35 pounds. They live quite long with some seeing up to 16 years. However, this doesn’t exclude them from hip dysplasia, diabetes, cataract, and heart disease, among others. It does pay to appreciate these things before you decide to take a Beagador since you’re also essentially inheriting these traits; well, at least 50% of it.
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Quick Facts
The Labbe or Beagador is a sturdy, friendly, and very agile pet owing to the unique characteristics of its forebears. However, because of variances in their physical traits, the characteristics of a Beagador can be highly variable, too. This is often dependent on the most dominant trait that is expressed in the puppy. Nevertheless, here are some of the facts that we presently know about the Beagador.
- The average lifespan of a Labbe can be as short as 10 years or as long as 15 years, although it is possible that some dogs may exceed this given the right conditions.
- On the average, a Beagador can grow about 19 to 24 inches in height and can weigh between 25 and 45 pounds.
- It usually has short, dense coat perhaps owing to the water dog characteristics of the Lab. In many cases, the coat is also smooth and dense. It is not known if the Beagador is hypoallergenic. What is known is that it experiences low to moderate shedding that requires infrequent and regular brushing.
- Both the Beagle and the Lab are very friendly to kids. It’s enough to know that the Beagador should be a kid-friendly dog, too.
- The color of the Beagador can be quite interesting. Again, depending on whose parent’s coat color trait is more dominant, the Labbe can be white or cream, black and white, black, black and brown, or brown or chocolate. It is also possible to see a tri-colored Beagador.
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Things You Should Know
Mixing Snoopy with Kyrpto sounds like a cross made in heaven. You may be right. But, before you start calling a Beagador breeder to get your own Labbe you might need to read the following things first.
- Training
Both parents of the Labbe are highly intelligent creatures and they were bred specifically to work. The Beagle is a scent hound, loving the challenge of keeping track of various scents. The Lab, on the other hand, is perfect for retrieving things. However, if you do not put importance in their early puppyhood training, you’ll find the Beagador to be quite a stubborn pet. This is especially true if there’s more Beagle to it than a Lab. As smart as a Beagle is, it can be quite stubborn if not trained properly or trained by someone who doesn’t have any clue as to what needs to be done. Consistency, patience, and firmness are important in the Beagador’s training. If you’re not sure about how to do it yourself, you’d better have a professional dog trainer help you.
- Feeding
It may be shorter than a full-grown Lab, but the Beagador definitely has the stocky appearance of a miniaturized American bulldog. Its muscular built requires only the highest possible quality of proteins. Owing to its energetic nature, you will also need to invest in a high-calorie diet, but the calories should be supplied mostly by fats and proteins and minimal carbs as the Labbe is quite prone to bloating as well.
- Exercise
As already mentioned, the Beagador carries the high level of activity of its forebears. They require plenty of exercise at least 60 minutes every single day. They love playing fetch, although jogging, running, and biking would suffice. It’s the perfect companion for those who lead a rather active lifestyle themselves. Since they are also intelligent, mental exercises should be made an integral part of their daily routine.
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- Socialization
While it is true that the Beagador owes its friendliness to its Lab and Beagle parents, it can be quite stubborn and very tricky to become a pet if not socialized early on. Both the Lab and Beagle are well known for getting along with other pets. However, early pet and dog socialization must occur if one wants harmony in a multi-pet household with a Labbe.
- Grooming
The good thing about the Labbe is that it has a relatively short yet dense coat so brushing doesn’t need to be done on a daily basis. A once-weekly brushing should suffice to make sure that it retains its soft and smooth coat. Brushing your dog’s teeth on a daily basis is highly recommended while trimming the nails can be done at least twice a month.
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- Health
The Beagador, as stocky as it may look, isn’t really that sturdy. It is also prone to patellar luxation, hip dysplasia, bloating, hypothyroidism, intervertebral disc disease, epilepsy, heart problems, and skin allergies.
The Beagador is perfect for the following types of pet parents.
- Lead a healthy and active lifestyle
- Can devote at least 60 minutes of quality time with the pet
- Can provide nutrient-rich, high-protein food
- Knows how to train and socialize a Labbe puppy
- Doesn’t mind bringing home a dog that may have a temperament or characteristic that is different from other dogs of the same crossbreed
Unfortunately, the Labbe is not for everyone. Specifically, you should not own a Beagador if you are any of the following.
- Don’t like exercise or don’t lead an active lifestyle
- Don’t like to spend on high-quality pet food
- Don’t like the uncertainty of a crossbreed
- Stay outside the home for extended periods of time
Temperament
Forever energetic and curious, the Beagador is a joy to have in a family. They make very loyal companions and would like to have fun at all times. They have this insatiable zest for life that they would like to enjoy every moment of it, preferably with their human family or with other pets in the household. It hates being alone and isolated. Behavioral problems can develop if the Labbe is left alone for extended periods of time.
That being said, early socialization and training are crucial so they will know how to use this energy inside them in a more constructive, more positive manner. Without training and socialization, even the most intelligent Beagador can turn out to be the most stubborn hound you’ll ever face. It will respond only to the one who it recognizes as a true leader.
The Beagador is a cross between two of the world’s well-loved hounds. Very eager to equal the achievements of its forebears, it will take time whether the Labbe is up to the task of replicating or even surpassing the many fine qualities of its parents.
