Aussie Beagle Dog Breed

The Australian Shepherd and Beagle mix, as a crossbreed, is not an official member of any breed group. Neither does any info exist about these hybrids' specific origin; while a Beagle mixed with Australian Shepherd may have existed naturally for a long time, no breeder or breed club has claimed its creation. The Beagle and Australian Shepherd mix likely gained popularity during the designer dog "explosion" in North America in the late 20th century. Whatever the case, these friendly, versatile, athletic hybrids are great in either a working capacity (herding or hunting) or as pets for active families.

A few facts about the Aussie-Beagle mix: they're medium-sized, averaging 18 inches at the shoulders in height and 40 pounds in weight; they have short to medium-length, thick, double-layered coats that shed seasonally; and they're very energetic and will need a lot of exercise.

Some advantages and drawbacks to owning a Beagle-Aussie mix:

Some vital Beagle-Australian Shepherd mix info: these hybrids are the offspring of two breeds with histories as hard workers (the Aussie as a herding dog, the Beagle as a hunter). This means your Aussie-Beagle mix will be smart and task-oriented, and will constantly need a job to do. And if the dog inherits the Aussie's strong herding instincts, it may feel the need to "control" moving objects. It's a good idea to start training and socializing these hybrids early to help minimize this controlling behavior.

Physically, the Aussie-Beagle is medium-sized and athletic: height at the shoulders is typically 16-20 inches, and weight is 30-50 pounds. These hybrids' thick coats can be short or medium in length, and come in a wide variety of colors--black, brown, white, red, and several styles of merle (mottled patches of dark over light), usually in multi-colored patterns. The dog may also inherit the Aussie parent's trait of heterochromia (two differently colored eyes).

The Aussie-Beagle mix will also be quite energetic, and will require frequent outlets for that energy. Consistent physical activity--walks or jogs, games, or even canine sports competitions--is strongly recommended for these hybrids.

Energetic, intelligent, friendly, task-oriented, and at times stubborn, the Australian Shepherd-Beagle mix temperament is one of activity, enthusiasm, and devotion. These hybrids will be very affectionate with family members, and they'll be very loyal to their humans. Both parent breeds are known as "busybody" dogs, so you can expect your Aussie-Beagle mix to share that personality trait. The Aussie-Beagle normally gets along great with kids and other pets, too (though its high prey drive means it may instinctively chase small animals like cats and birds). It's best if this dog grows up alongside any children or household pets, so they learn to be accustomed to one another.

In regards to training: the Aussie-Beagle mix is very smart, and can respond well to it--but this hybrid has the potential for stubbornness (especially if it's more like the Beagle personality-wise), and may need some repetitions when learning commands or tasks. As with any dog, firm, consistent, reward-based training methods are best.

And the Aussie-Beagle mix's watchdog skills are fairly good. While not the most courageous of breeds, these hybrids are alert, loyal, and vocal, and will normally bark at and investigate unknown sights or sounds.

The Aussie Shepherd-Beagle mix, due to hybrid vigor (in which a crossbred dog inherits the healthiest traits of its parent breeds), is pretty healthy. Even so, these hybrids can suffer ailments common to the parent breeds including hip and/or elbow dysplasia, hypothyroidism, various eye issues (the most serious of which is Progressive Retinal Atrophy, or PRA), and epilepsy. Potential Aussie-Beagle owners are advised to ask breeders for health screenings for the dog and/or its parents, or they can have their own veterinarians do the screenings.

Life expectancy for the Aussie-Beagle mix is 11-15 years.