Appearance
Beagles have a smooth, somewhat domed skull with a medium-length, square-cut muzzle and a black or occasionally liver, gumdrop nose. The jaw is strong and the teeth scissor together, the upper teeth fitting perfectly over the lower teeth and both sets aligned square to the jaw. The eyes are large, hazel or brown, with a mild hound-like pleading look. The large ears are long, soft and low-set, turning towards the cheeks slightly and rounded at the tips.
Beagles have a strong, medium-length neck (which is long enough for them to easily bend to the ground to pick up a scent), with little folding in the skin but some evidence of a dewlap. They have a broad chest that narrows to a tapered abdomen and waist and a short, slightly curved tail tipped with white. The white tip, known as the "stern" or "flag" has been selectively bred, as it allows the dog to be easily seen when its head is down following a scent. The tail does not curl over the back, but is held upright when the dog is active. The Beagle has a muscular body and a medium-length, smooth, hard coat. The front legs are straight and carried under the body while the rear legs are muscular and well bent at the stifles.
Size
The Beagle resembles a miniature Foxhound, but with a broader head, shorter muzzle, different expression and legs that are shorter in proportion to the body. They are generally between 13 and 16 inches high at the withers and weigh between 18 and 35 lb, with females being slightly smaller than males on average.
Coat and Color
Beagles appear in a range of colors. Although the tricolor (white with large black areas and light brown shading) is the most common, Beagles can occur in any hound color. Tricolored dogs occur in a number of shades, from the "Classic Tri" with a jet black saddle, to the "Faded Tri" where the faint black markings are toned with brown. Some tricolored dogs have a broken pattern, sometimes referred to as pied. These dogs have mostly white coats with patches of black and brown hair.
Tricolor Beagles are almost always born black and white, with the brownish areas developing later. The brown may take between one and two years to fully develop. Some Beagles gradually change color during their lives.