Question: What do you get when you mix a Beagle with a Boxer?
Answer: An adorable canine companion that goes by the name of a bogle (or boggle, depending on how you want to spell it.)
The delightful beagle boxer mix creates a muscular medium-sized dog that is packed to the paws with personality and energy.
Described by some people as a ‘designer dog’ because it is a mix of two purebred breeds, the beagle boxer mix is actually an explosion of canine character and a dog that defies labels.
Like other so-called designer dogs, the beagle boxer mix puppy inherits some of his traits from each of his parents.
However, what both the beagle and boxer have in common is boundless energy and enthusiasm so the prospective bogle pet parent should be prepared to give their dog plenty of exercises.
This is not a breed to be satisfied with apartment living or an occasional walk, these guys are powerhouses and need full on runs two or three times a day.
If this is something that sounds good to you, then read on to learn the lowdown on the beagle boxer mix.
Beagle Boxer Mix
Beagle Boxer Background
Add one plus one, and what do you get? If it’s a beagle boxer mix then the answer is five!
These enthusiastic, energetic, action-packed four-leggers will put 110% into everything they do.
The boxer’s medium size belies the muscular strength of this compact but powerful dog.
With all the bounce of a coiled spring, the boxer is eagerness personified and is intelligent to boot, although whether he chooses to listen to his pet parent or not is another matter.
On the other paw, you have the beagle, which lives his life led by his nose.
The beagle is a hound that loves to follow a scent and has the energy and endurance to do that for miles…and miles…and miles.
Marry the beagle and boxer and what do you get? an intelligent dog with a stubborn streak that loves to sniff and needs plenty of exercises.
But what you also get wrapped up in the furry package that is a boxer mix beagle is a whole lot of fun.
Beagle boxers are ideally suited to a person who loves the outdoors and desires to spend more time there.
The ideal pet parent for this breed lives in a house with a reasonable sized yard that is well fenced (in case your beagle boxer mix takes after the beagle part that is an escape artist).
You should also be patient, understanding, and committed to training a dog that can be willful at times and may choose to ignore you.
The payback is you’ll own a wonderful dog that is packed with character and when he keeps still for long enough, he will lick you to death.
Although the adult beagle boxer falls into the category of a medium-sized dog, standing around 35-50cm at the shoulder, his muscular build will have him weighing in at a respectable 20 – 30 kg: Indeed, you can think of the beagle boxer mix as your own pocket rocket.
Beagle Boxer Character Blend
Looking in-depth at the character of the boxer mix with beagle the dog could inherit characteristics of either parent.
Indeed, there are several aspects to what determines the character of a dog including the genetic traits of the parent breed, the personality of the mother, and the early experiences of the beagle boxer puppy.
The latter reflects the ‘socialization’ of the pup, which is of crucial importance.
One of the biggest influences on the character of your beagle boxer puppy is the experiences he encounters before 18 weeks of age, of which the first 12 weeks are the most crucial.
A puppy kept in an outside run with no exposure to domestic life is going to lack the skills necessary to cope as an adult in a busy family home.
So that you aren’t disappointed and your new puppy lives up to all your expectations, look for a breeder who treats the mother and her pups as if they are part of the family.
Ideally, the puppies should be raised inside the home and be exposed to all the hustle and bustle this involves.
In addition, you want that pup to have met lots of different people at a tender young age, so he grows into a confident, well-adjusted adult.
As to the breed character traits, the beagle boxer mix is like adding semtex to dynamite, so expect a high energy dog.
The boxer breed needs a strong owner who will lay down the law, whilst a beagle is intelligent, eager, but easily distracted by smells.
Know what to expect and you can put a training strategy in place to ensure your new pet pal has all the guidance he needs.
Training your Beagle Boxer Mix
Training is essential from an early age, and beagle boxer mix puppies should be taught to listen to their pet parent from an early age.
Start as you mean to go on with house training, taking the new pup out to his toilet spot immediately you arrive home.
Know that reward-based training methods work best, as both parent breeds are extremely food motivated and happy to do anything if it means a delicious puppy treat.
Consider clicker training as a good tool to get your dog to listen to you, as they link the click-clack sound to getting a treat.
Your beagle boxer mix puppy will then be super eager to work out what he has to do to get you to make the magic sound that he makes training easy.
Healthy Hound?
One of the original arguments for creating designer dogs was the puppies were less likely to have the genetic problems associated with a particular breed.
Unhappily, it doesn’t always work out that way, and if you are incredibly unlikely the boxer mixed with beagle could inherit the worst of each parent, rather than the best.
For the boxer this means the risk of a mast cell cancer, heart problems, and underactive thyroid glands; whilst for the beagle this means eye problems, epilepsy, disc disease and hip dysplasia.
Remember, there is an element of pot luck with beagle boxer puppies as to whether yours will inherit the best or the worst aspects of his parents’ health.
Caring for your Canine
As a pet parent, you have a responsibility to take care of all the physical and emotional needs of your beagle boxer mix.
You must provide a good quality balanced diet, and feed neither too much nor too little (remember, obesity is a big problem in beagles) to keep your dog trim.
Take care of their core vaccinations, including rabies, and be sure to regularly treat him against external and internal parasites, including heartworm.
Also, be aware that whilst veterinary medicine and surgery is hugely sophisticated these days, treatment comes with a large price tag attached.
If you would struggle to pay for an unexpected vet bill then take out pet insurance right away, so that you have cover in place.
Grooming a beagle boxer mix could not be easier, it just a matter of slicking them over with a dog brush once a week to shift the shed hair.
Even bathing is easy since that short coat means the dog shampoo and conditioner dries in a trice and there are no grooming parlor trips to speak of.
Your beagle boxer mix will have wanderlust, and with beagle part of his nature sending him following any scent he finds, he could easily get lost.
With this in mind get your dog micro-chipped so that if he does go on a solo day trip the pound can scan him and match you back up.
Bottom Line
And last but not least, have fun with your beagle boxer mix. You have an active breed that is happy to run alongside as you jog, go hiking with you, or walk for hours at a time.
Prevent boredom by giving him the exercise he craves, such as chasing after balls or by joining dog agility or flyball club.
Why not have fun and treat the beagle part of your dog by teaching him to follow a scent trail.
This is as simple as showing the dog a favorite squeaky toy or perhaps an interactive toy, dragging it over the grass, hiding it under an upturned bucket, and then have your dog scent it out.
Once he gets the idea you can become quite inventive with the trails you lay and the objects you have him find.
All of which is great mental stimulation for the bouncy breed that is a beagle boxer mix.
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