The Blue-Tick Beagle is a uniquely colored member of the beagle family – so-named for its blue coat coloration and the ticking pattern on its coat that sets it apart from more traditionally colored beagles. Although many people believe that the Blue-Tick Beagle is a unique breed, this is not the case – nor is the Blue-Tick Beagle related to the blue-tick coonhound (which is another breed entirely!)
The Blue-Tick Beagle – Personality, Lifespan, Price
If you want to add a Blue-Tick Beagle to your family, what can you expect when you first bring them home? I have compiled everything that you need to know including
- What the Blue-Tick Beagle is
- Whether the Blue-Tick Beagle is a purebred
- All about the Blue-Tick Beagle Temperament
- How much you can expect to pay for a Blue-Tick Beagle puppy
- The Blue-Tick Beagle lifespan
- How big Blue-Tick Beagles get
What is a Blue-Tick Beagle?
The Blue-Tick Beagle is a Beagle that has a partially blue ticked coat. Beagles come in a range of colors, including the standard colors:
- Black ; Tan
- Black, Red ; White
- Black Tan ; Bluetick
- Black Tan ; White
- Black, White ; Tan
- Brown ; White
- Brown, White ; Tan
- Lemon ; White
- Red ; White
- Tan ; White
- Blue Tan ; White
And non-standard colors:
- Black
- Black ; White
- Black Fawn ; White
- Blue
- Blue ; White
- Brown
- Lemon
- Red
- Red ; Black
- Red, Black ; White
- Tan
- White
- White, Black ; Tan
- Black Tan ; Redtick
In addition to coat color, beagles are also known for their markings. AKC standard markings only include ticking. Ticking is when the fur has flecks of color where there would otherwise be a solid white patch.
Non-standard markings include:
- Black Markings
- Tan Markings
- White Markings
- Spotted
- Brown Markings
So, a Blue-Tick Beagle is a beagle with blue coloration (a slate grey/blue coat) and a ticking pattern on their fur coat.
Is A Blue-Tick Beagle Purebred?
The Blue-Tick Beagle is a purebred dog and a member of the beagle family. The only thing that sets the Blue-Tick Beagle apart from a black and tan beagle is the blue-ticked coat.
It is also important to note here that the Blue-Tick Beagle is not related to the Blue-Tick Coonhound. The Blue-Tick Coonhound is a hunting dog, but it is a member of the Coonhound family. The name similarity for these two breeds is just a reference to both the Blue-Tick Coonhound and the Blue-Tick Beagle having blue-ticked fur.
Blue-Tick Beagle Temperament
The Blue-Tick Beagle is a hardy dog that can be a social and friendly family dog or a determined workhorse in the field. This pup has a sensitive sense of smell that makes hunting down prey easy. The Blue-Tick Beagle’s sense of smell makes it the perfect candidate for various types of scent work.
Despite being a great family dog, the Beagle is a talkative breed (which means they are not ideal for apartment or townhouse living.) The Beagle’s barking, baying, and other vocalizations can also become a problem for homeowners living in areas with frequent traffic or pedestrians, as Beagles can be wary of strangers.
This small hunting dog is a pack dog, though, which means that it does not do well as a single pet. You certainly do not need a whole hunting pack of your own, but a minimum of two beagles is advisable if you want your dog to be happy.
Lastly, the Beagle is a working dog which means that there is plenty of energy to spare! However, this also means that without plenty of exercises and mental stimulation, this little dog can cause big trouble as they try to find their own entertainment.
How Much Is A Blue-Tick Beagle Puppy?
The price of a Blue-tick Beagle puppy varies depending on the puppy’s age, the puppy’s breeder, and the sire and dam of the puppy.
When buying from a breeder, the average price of a Blue-Tick Beagle puppy is between $400 and $600. Puppies registered with the American Kennel Club sell for closer to $1,000. Puppies registered with the American Kennel Club and “started” for hunting purposes cost even more depending on the breeder and trainer involved.
Occasionally, breeders will also sell adult Blue-Tick beagles. Adult dogs are often dogs returned to the breeder by a previous owner because of circumstances beyond their control, or the dog is a retired dam or stud dog.
Numerous beagle rescue organizations rescue dogs that need rehoming after being rescued from neglect/cruelty or found as strays and go unclaimed.
In some regions of the country where beagles and hounds get used for hunting, older dogs and dogs that are no longer able to perform their duties in the field often get abandoned. These abandoned dogs usually find their way into local shelters or rescue organizations.
Blue-Tick Beagle Lifespan
The Blue-Tick Beagle lifespan is the same as other beagle colorations – 12 to 15 years.
Some health conditions can influence the lifespan of the Beagle, however, including:
- Epilepsy
- Obesity
- Hypothyroidism
- Chondrodysplasia
- Intervertebral disc disease
- Hemophilia A
Epilepsy – Epilepsy is a neurological condition that causes seizures because of abnormal brain activity. In most cases, epileptic seizures are manageable with lifelong medication. In some cases, however, seizure activity can become uncontrolled and pose a risk of permanent brain damage or even death.
Obesity – Beagles are prone to obesity which can cause a variety of complications that lead to a shorter lifespan. For example, being obese puts more strain on your Beagle’s organs and can wind up shortening their lifespan.
Carrying around additional weight also strains your Beagles joints, which can lead to worsened arthritis that eventually causes the quality of life issues requiring you to make a hard end-of-life decision.
Hypothyroidism – Beagles are prone to hypothyroidism – a condition where the thyroid cannot produce adequate thyroid hormone. Without the appropriate hormone levels, the thyroid cannot function properly, and your dog’s metabolism begins to slow.
If hypothyroidism goes unchecked for a long period, there is even a possibility of your Beagle dying as a result of severe complications.
Chondrodysplasia – Chondrodysplasia is an osteochondrodysplasia where a dog’s bones do not grow to their full size. Chondrodysplasia or canine dwarfism is a heritable condition, and it often causes the dog to have shorter legs, a large head, a protruding jaw, and bowed legs.
Dogs born with chondrodysplasia are prone to obesity, fragile bones, joint pain, and heart abnormalities – all of which can lead to health complications.
Intervertebral Disc Disease – Intervertebral Disc Disease is a degenerative condition that causes the discs between the spinal vertebrae to harden over time. As these discs harden, they begin to squeeze the spinal cord and can cause a variety of negative symptoms that include:
- Paralysis
- Incontinence
- Numbness in the extremities
- Unsteady gait
- Knuckling of the feet
- Inability to stand
- Pain
- Limited head and neck movement
All the symptoms listed above can contribute to significant quality of life issues and lead to medical complications.
Hemophilia A – Hemophilia A is a disorder that affects the ability of the blood to clot. A genetic mutation causes a lack of blood clotting Factor VIII which impacts the blood’s ability to clot properly. This disorder can lead to spontaneous bleeding, internal bleeding, and bleeding into the joints and muscles all of which can cause serious complications and even death.
There is no hemophilia cure, instead of treatment centers around replacing the blood with donor blood until bleeding stops.
How Big Do Blue-Tick Beagles Get?
The Blue-Tick Beagle is a member of the beagle family and grows to the same size as the average beagle. Beagles are medium-sized dogs when compared to other breeds.
Males reach a height of between 13 and 15 inches where females reach a height of between 11 and 13 inches. As with height, the fully-grown male Blue-Tick Beagle is also heavier than the female and weighs between 22 and 25 pounds, where the female weighs between 20 and 23 pounds.
A beagle should reach their maximum height at approximately eight months old, but it can be eighteen months before they reach their maximum adult weight.
The American Kennel Club classifies beagles into two groups based on their height at the shoulder. Beagles that stand at 13 inches high at the shoulder are in one group, where beagles that stand between 13 and 15 inches at the shoulder are in a separate category.