United Pet Club

Beagle breed standards compared

Each column is one club's published standard. An empty cell means the club says nothing on that point in our records.

Clubs compared: FCI, AKC, UKC, KC, CKC.

Size

Size
MeasureFCIAKCUKCKCCKC
Height at the withers33–40 cmunder 33 cm33–38.1 cmover 38.1 cmDisqualifyingunder 38.1 cmover 38.1 cmDisqualifying33–40 cmunder 33 cm33–38 cmover 38 cmDisqualifying

Conformation

Conformation
FormFCIAKCUKCKCCKC
BiteScissors biteStandard (“perfect, regular and complete scissor bite”)No rulingStandard (“meet in a scissors or level bite”)Standard (“perfect, regular and complete scissor bite”)No ruling
BiteLevel biteNo rulingNo rulingAlternate (“meet in a scissors or level bite”)No rulingNo ruling
BiteOvershotNo rulingNo rulingDisqualifying (“Overshot bite. Undershot bite”)No rulingNo ruling
BiteUndershotNo rulingNo rulingDisqualifying (“Overshot bite. Undershot bite”)No rulingNo ruling
DentitionFull dentitionNo rulingNo rulingStandard (“A full complement of strong, white teeth”)No rulingNo ruling
Ear carriageDrop (pendant)Standard (“hanging gracefully close to cheeks”)No rulingStandard (“setting close to the head ... almost no erectile power”)Standard (“hanging gracefully close to cheeks”)Standard (“almost entire absence of erectile power ... setting close to the head”)
Ear setLowStandard (“Set on low, fine in texture”)No rulingNo rulingStandard (“Set on low, fine in texture”)No ruling
Ear setHighNo rulingNo rulingNo rulingNo rulingFault (“Ears short, set on high”)
Eye setWide-setNo rulingNo rulingStandard (“The large eyes are set well apart”)No rulingStandard (“Eyes large, set well apart”)
Eye setProminentNo rulingNo rulingNo rulingNo rulingFault (“or prominent and protruding”)
StopModerateNo rulingNo rulingStandard (“with the stop moderately defined”)No rulingStandard (“the stop moderately defined”)
Muzzle lengthMediumNo rulingNo rulingStandard (“The muzzle is of medium length”)No rulingStandard (“Muzzle of medium length”)
Muzzle lengthShortNo rulingNo rulingNo rulingNo rulingFault (“or very short”)
Muzzle shapeSnipyNo rulingNo rulingNo rulingNo rulingFault (“muzzle long, snipey or cut away decidedly below the eyes”)
Facial profileRoman (convex)No rulingNo rulingNo rulingNo rulingFault (“Roman-nosed, or upturned, giving a dish-faced expression”)
Neck lengthMediumNo rulingNo rulingStandard (“The medium-length neck rises free and light”)No rulingStandard (“of medium length”)
Neck shapeArchedStandard (“slightly arched and showing little dewlap”)No rulingNo rulingStandard (“slightly arched and showing little dewlap”)No ruling
DewlapSlightStandard (“showing little dewlap”)No rulingNo rulingStandard (“showing little dewlap”)No ruling
DewlapPronouncedNo rulingNo rulingFault (“Throat showing dewlap and folds of skin, termed throatiness”)No rulingFault (“Throat showing dewlap and folds of skin”)
ToplineLevelStandard (“Topline: Straight and level”)No rulingNo rulingStandard (“Topline straight and level”)No ruling
ToplineRoach (arched)No rulingNo rulingFault (“Very long, swayed, or roached back”)No rulingFault (“Very long, swayed or roached back”)
ToplineSwaybackNo rulingNo rulingFault (“Very long, swayed, or roached back”)No rulingFault (“Very long, swayed or roached back”)
ChestDeepStandard (“Chest: Let down to below elbow”)No rulingStandard (“The chest is deep and broad”)Standard (“Chest let down to below elbow”)Standard (“Chest deep and broad”)
ChestBroadNo rulingNo rulingStandard (“The chest is deep and broad”)No rulingStandard (“Chest deep and broad”)
Tail setHighStandard (“Set on high, carried gaily”)No rulingNo rulingStandard (“Set on high, carried gaily”)No ruling
Tail carriageRaised (gay)Standard (“carried gaily but not curled over back”)No rulingStandard (“carried gaily over the back with a slight curve”)Standard (“carried gaily but not curled over back”)Standard (“carried gaily, but not turned forward over the back”)
Tail carriageCurled over the backNot recognised (“not curled over back”)No rulingNo rulingNot recognised (“not curled over back”)No ruling
Tail lengthShortNo rulingNo rulingStandard (“It is short as compared with the size of the hound”)No rulingStandard (“short as compared with size of the hound”)
Tail lengthLongNo rulingNo rulingFault (“Faults: A long tail”)No rulingFault (“A long tail”)
FeetCat footNo rulingNo rulingStandard (“The feet are close, round, and firm”)No rulingStandard (“Feet close, round, and firm”)
FeetHare footNot recognised (“Not hare-footed”)No rulingNo rulingNot recognised (“Not hare-footed”)No ruling
HocksWell let downStandard (“Hock joint: Firm, well let down”)No rulingNo rulingStandard (“Hocks firm, well let down”)No ruling
HocksCow-hockedNo rulingNo rulingNo rulingNo rulingFault (“Cowhocks or straight hocks”)
HocksStraight and parallelNo rulingNo rulingNo rulingNo rulingFault (“Cowhocks or straight hocks”)

Beagle colors and patterns

What each club's breed standard says about every Beagle color and pattern. Point at a ruling to see the club's own wording.

Breed standards describe the Beagle in Black, White, Blue, Badger grey, Brown, Tan, Hare, Red and Lemon. Standard patterns: Solid, Bicolour, Tricolour, Piebald, Roan and Tan point.

Coat: rulings by club
Color or patternFCIAKCUKCKCKUSA
BlackStandard (“Tricolour (black, tan and white)”)Standard (“Black Tan & White”)Standard (“Usually tri-color (black, white and tan)”)Standard (“Tricolour (black, tan and white)”)Standard (“Tricolour (black, tan, and white)”)
WhiteStandard (“all white”)Standard (“Black Tan & White”)Standard (“Usually tri-color (black, white and tan)”)Standard (“all white”)Standard (“all white”)
BlueStandard (“blue, white and tan”)Standard (“Blue Tan & White”)Standard (“all typical hound color combinations are acceptable”)Standard (“blue, white and tan”)Standard (“blue, white and tan”)
Badger greyStandard (“badger pied”)No rulingNo rulingNo rulingNo ruling
BrownNot recognisedStandard (“Brown & White”)No rulingNot recognisedNot recognised
TanStandard (“Tricolour (black, tan and white)”)Standard (“Black Tan & White”)Standard (“Usually tri-color (black, white and tan)”)Standard (“Tricolour (black, tan and white)”)Standard (“Tricolour (black, tan, and white)”)
HareStandard (“hare pied”)No rulingNo rulingNo rulingNo ruling
RedStandard (“red and white”)Standard (“Red & White”)Standard (“all typical hound color combinations are acceptable”)Standard (“red and white”)Standard (“red and white”)
LemonStandard (“lemon pied; lemon and white”)Standard (“Lemon & White”)Standard (“all typical hound color combinations are acceptable”)Standard (“lemon pied; lemon and white”)Standard (“lemon pied; lemon and white”)
FawnNot recognisedAlternate (“Black Fawn & White”)No rulingNot recognisedNot recognised
AlbinoNot recognisedNo rulingDisqualifying (“Albinism”)Not recognisedNot recognised
ChocolateNot recognisedNo rulingNo rulingNot recognisedNot recognised
Patterns
SolidStandard (“all white”)Alternate (“White”)Disqualifying (“Solid color”)Standard (“all white”)Standard (“all white”)
BicolourStandard (“lemon and white; red and white; tan and white; black and white”)Standard (“Lemon & White”)Standard (“all typical hound color combinations are acceptable”)Standard (“lemon and white; red and white; tan and white; black and white”)Standard (“lemon and white; red and white; tan and white; black and white”)
TricolourStandard (“Tricolour (black, tan and white)”)Standard (“Black Tan & White”)Standard (“Usually tri-color (black, white and tan)”)Standard (“Tricolour (black, tan and white)”)Standard (“Tricolour (black, tan, and white)”)
PiebaldStandard (“badger pied; hare pied; lemon pied”)No rulingStandard (“all typical hound color combinations are acceptable”)Standard (“badger pied; hare pied; lemon pied”)Standard (“badger pied; hare pied; lemon pied”)
RoanStandard (“all the above mentioned colours can be found as mottle”)Standard (“Ticked”)Standard (“all typical hound color combinations are acceptable”)Standard (“all the above mentioned colours can be found as mottle”)Standard (“all the above-mentioned colours can be found as mottle”)
Tan pointStandard (“blue, white and tan”)Standard (“Black & Tan”)Standard (“Usually tri-color (black, white and tan)”)Standard (“Blue White & Tan”)Standard (“blue, white and tan”)
SpottedNo rulingAlternate (“Spotted”)No rulingNot recognisedNot recognised
BrindleNo rulingDisqualifying (“Merle and Brindle Color Patterns”)Disqualifying (“Brindle”)Not recognisedNot recognised
MerleNo rulingDisqualifying (“Merle and Brindle Color Patterns”)Disqualifying (“Merle”)Not recognisedNot recognised
Reverse brindleNo rulingDisqualifying (“Merle and Brindle Color Patterns”)Disqualifying (“Brindle”)Not recognisedNot recognised
Double merleNo rulingNo rulingNo rulingNot recognisedNot recognised
Eyes: rulings by club
Color or patternFCIAKCUKCKCKUSA
BrownNo rulingStandard (“of a brown or hazel color”)Standard (“brown or hazel in color”)No rulingNo ruling
Dark brownStandard (“Dark brown or hazel”)No rulingNo rulingStandard (“Dark brown or hazel”)Standard (“Dark brown or hazel”)
HazelStandard (“Dark brown or hazel”)Standard (“of a brown or hazel color”)Standard (“brown or hazel in color”)Standard (“Dark brown or hazel”)Standard (“Dark brown or hazel”)
Nose: rulings by club
Color or patternFCIKCKUSA
BlackStandard (“preferably black”)Standard (“preferably black”)Standard (“preferably black”)

What the rulings mean

Standard
Described by the club's breed standard.
Alternate
Registrable with the club but not described by its breed standard, such as an AKC alternate colour.
Disqualifying
The club's breed standard disqualifies an animal of this colour or pattern.
Not recognised
The club does not accept this colour or pattern for the breed.

Color changes

How a Beagle's colors can change over its life.

  • Blackchanges toRust

    Coat · With body condition · can change back

  • Blackchanges toGrey

    Coat · Progressive

  • Blackchanges toBrown

    Coat · In the sun · can change back

  • Whitechanges toRoan

    Coat · With age · from 2 weeks

  • Tan pointchanges toSaddle

    Coat · With age · from 6 to 156 weeks

  • Blackchanges toSnow nose

    Nose · With the season · can change back

  • Blackchanges toPink

    Nose · With the season · can change back

Published standards