How much should a Beagle weigh?
The age-old question of how much a Beagle should weigh is an important one. Beagle owners everywhere are familiar with the breed’s obsession with food. As a result, it’s not at all uncommon for Beagles to gradually gain a few ounces here and there until all of a sudden, you have an overweight Beagle on your hands. It’s such an easy trap to fall into, because they’re so darn cute.
As a Beagle parent myself, I know these concerns first hand, and have done some research on the ideal weight ranges for breed-standard Beagles in the USA. Here’s what I’ve discovered, and will share with you in this article:
So let’s get straight to it!
1) What is the ideal weight of a full-grown Beagle?
The American Kennel Club (AKC) has divided Beagles into two standard types. All measurements are to the shoulder.
Beagles between 13 and 15 inches tall
Smaller Beagles under 13 inches. (These are sometimes called ‘pocket Beagles’.)
15” Beagles, when fully grown and healthy, should weigh between 20 and 30 pounds. In contrast, the smaller 13” Beagles should weigh between 16 and 20 pounds. If your Beagle falls within these ranges, congratulations! Your pet is in good shape! (And if you know how food-motivated most Beagles are, that’s almost an achievement in itself.)
However, there are a lot of factors that can affect a Beagle’s weight. One of them is genetics. So, even if your Beagle doesn’t fall within the given range, you can still check whether your Beagle is fit, overweight, or skinny by talking with your veterinarian.
And don’t forget that the Beagle breed standard is different from country to country, so check with your national kennel club before assuming your Beagle is over or underweight. (For example, my Beagle Cocoa is from Germany, where the breed standard is a little different from the USA and Beagles are a little taller, and therefore heavier, than most Beagles you come across in the USA.)
2) How much should my 2-month-old Beagle weigh?
What about Beagle puppies? It’s important to keep track of your puppy’s weight at each stage of their lives, especially when they’re very young.
A 2-month-old Beagle puppy should ideally weigh:
3 to 5 pounds if it’s the smaller, under-13-inch Beagle.
4 to 7 pounds if it’s the larger, 13 – 15-inch Beagle.
And how do you know which of these two categories your Beagle falls into? The best way to be sure is to ask the breeder, if they are available to ask. And if you aren’t sure, you should always ask your veterinarian for guidance on your puppy’s ideal weight.
3) How much should my 3-month-old Beagle weigh?
Puppies tend to grow faster during the initial months after birth, so you’ll notice your Beagle getting significantly bigger after just a month after you get them.
A 3-month-old Beagle should weigh:
7 to 10 pounds for 13” Beagles
8 to 11 pounds for 15” Beagles
At this age, your puppy will be experiencing growth spurts and require more food. So make sure to keep your puppy well fed. Most food brands will include guidance on how much of their food to give to your puppy at different age intervals, and they often have customer service people you can speak to if you aren’t sure.
4) How much should my 4-month-old Beagle weigh?
When your Beagle puppy reaches 4 months of age, you should expect it to achieve weights along the following lines:
8 to 11 pounds if it’s a 13” Beagle
9 to 12 pounds if it’s a 15” Beagle.
5) How much should my 6-month-old Beagle weigh?
A 6-month-old Beagle puppy will be starting to look like a small adult dog. Its proportions will start to lengthen out, and it will be noticeably heavier than when you first picked it up. At this point in time, it’s height could be anywhere between 10 and 13 inches.
It should weigh:
12 to 17 pounds if it’s a 13” Beagle
14 to 18 pounds if it’s a 15” Beagle.
6) Table showing ideal weight of a Beagle at different stages of its life.
Here’s a handy summary of ideal Beagle weights at different stages of life, for reference:
7) At what age is a Beagle considered fully grown?
Your Beagle is officially recognized as an ‘adult’ at about 18 months of age. At this time, most dogs are fully grown, and their height will stop increasing. Their bones are fully formed, and your pet’s skeletal muscle is fully developed.
However, this doesn’t automatically mean that their weight will stop increasing. Young Beagles often weigh less than older adults (similar with humans), so it doesn’t mean you can stop paying attention to their weight. In fact, this is the point in time when you probably have to start paying closer attention to your Beagle’s weight, as they won’t be burning as many calories in order to grow, and if you get the amount of food you give them wrong, they can very quickly start to become overweight.
8) What is considered overweight for a Beagle?
A fully grown Beagle should weigh anywhere between 16 and 30 pounds.
But as we all know, there are no absolutes in science, so we have to use this guide alongside other techniques, in order to more accurately gauge whether a Beagle is overweight.
Luckily, there are a few simple tests that you can use to understand whether or not your Beagle is overweight, or underweight, or in good condition.
Start by observing your Beagle’s rib cage.
If you don’t see any protruding ribs, but you can feel their ribs, your Beagle is an ideal weight.
If you can’t see or feel their ribs at all, your Beagle is overweight and may need to be placed on a specialist diet.
If you can see your Beagle’s ribs and feel them, your Beagle is underweight any may need to be placed on a specialist diet.
There are some other indicators that can also help us to understand when a Beagle is overweight:
Your Beagle gets tired easily and pants more than usual.
Your Beagle doesn’t enjoy walks as much as he or she used to, and stops walking after a short while.
Your Beagle is no longer active as it used to be and doesn’t get excited to play fetch.
Your Beagle doesn’t have a well-defined body (you can’t see a neat little waistline).
Your Beagle finds it difficult to groom itself.
If you notice your Beagle suffering with any of these symptoms, it’s wise to speak with your vet, so you can either ensure you control their diet appropriately, or diagnose any other health issues that might be underlying and causing lethargy or weight gain.
9) Is it easy for Beagles to gain weight?
Virtually all Beagle owners know just how easy it is for Beagles to gain weight.
They are an adorable breed with an obsession for food, and an innate talent for emotional blackmail, so it’s very common to find overweight Beagles. In fact, it’s a lot less common to encounter a Beagle who is not overweight than one who is. So this is something to be very aware of as a Beagle owner or carer.
The good news is that Beagles can be very active dogs. They love adventures, and going for walks, and will thrive in an active household. So it can be easy to manage their weight, providing they get sufficient exercise and opportunity to burn calories.
And if you, as an owner, have the self-discipline to deny giving your Beagle all the extra treats, you’re sure to do just fine.
In my experience, a balance of regular and meaningful exercise, combined with healthy vet-approved diet, as well as some fun human-food snacks (in moderation, of course), can produce a happy, healthy Beagle within the ‘ideal’ weight range for their stature.
10) How can I help my Beagle lose weight?
Beagles gain weight easily, so the chances are, at some point in their life, you’ll need to adjust or regulate your pet’s diet.
Don’t panic if your Beagle gets a diagnosis of ‘overweight’ from your vet: there are plenty of things you can do to help them lose the unnecessary weight and get back to full health.
Any weight loss program should be adopted with the guidance of your dog’s veterinarian, and must take into account their lifestyle and any existing health issues.
If you need to put your Beagle on a diet, here are a few techniques you can adopt:
Switch out high fat snacks for low-calorie treats that don’t contain any artificial flavors or additives. You may need to reduce the amount of treats they receive outside of mealtimes.
Feed your Beagle at regular times, with high quality, low-calorie food that is designed for the activity requirements of your dog. Breed-specific weight-loss food is ideal.
You may need to increase their activity level, although this must be done gradually. Try increasing the distance you walk with your Beagle each day, a little at a time.
Takeaways
In summary, a fully-grown Beagle should weigh anywhere between 16 to 30 pounds. You won't expect them to gain weight easily as long as you take them out on walks and runs regularly and take care of their diet.
If you enjoyed this article, you might also enjoy this one:
🐶 What kind of person owns a Beagle?
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