Which Colour Beagle is rare
8 Beautiful Colors of Beagles A Guide to Popular Beagle Colors & Markings
The Beagle is a dog breed known for itsextraordinary sense of smell and a curious personality. If youre planning to keep a Beagle, youve made a great decision. But did you know that there are 25 different Beagle colors? You have options to choose from!
Beagles are special. But not just because theyre ultra-talented tracking dogs, or that their wonderful companions with their adorable goofy ears. Among all breeds, they have one of the largest selections when it comes to coat color and markings.
Picking out a Beagle is more than finding the right breeder, though a reputable breeder is very important. These 8 Beagle colors give you plenty of options for finding a coat variation that matches you and your personality best. Read on to learn my favorite Beagle colors.
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Beagle Coat Colors
These are the most common and popular colors of Beagles. Though there may be other colors of the Beagle, they are extremely rare and excluded from this list. Based on our forum surveys, we narrowed it to the 8 most popular.
While it may seem special or trendy to own a rare-colored Beagle, its not always a good idea. It could end up costing you money, as they generally have more health issues. Breeders aiming to breed for rare colors often forgo health and temperament traits.
For more information on the official colors of these dogs, check out the official standard colors provided by the American Kennel Club.
The 10 standard colors of the Beagles include:
Beagle Colors | Standard? | AKC Registration Code |
Black & Tan | Yes | 018 |
Black Red & White | Yes | 027 |
Black Tan & Bluetick | Yes | 029 |
Black Tan & White | Yes | 030 |
Black White & Tan | Yes | 034 |
Blue Tan & White | Yes | 291 |
Brown & White | Yes | 063 |
Brown White & Tan | Yes | 066 |
Lemon & White | Yes | 115 |
Red & White | Yes | 146 |
Tan & White | Yes | 197 |
The above colors are standard colors of Beagles. However, the AKC recognizes 14 other colors for the breed, giving us a grand total of 25 Beagle colors. But unless you plan to show your dog or have them participate in competitions, it doesnt matter.
Beagles are typically multi-colored dogs. Its extremely rare to find a solid single color Beagle. At the very least, a Beagle will have two colors. But many times, theyll have three colors, such as the: classic tri-color, faded tri-color, black back or the dark tri-color.
1. Black Tan & White Beagle
The black, tan and white Beagle (tricolor) is by far the most popular color for these dogs. Theyre the classic tri-colored Beagle that weve all grown to know and love.However, these dogs are initially born with just white and black.
However, in just a few short months, some of the black color starts to fade and develops into a brown or tan color.Thus, creating the three-colored coat. Despite the prevalence, the classic tri-colored Beagle is both spectacular and stunning.
They develop the same colors in roughly the same areas for all dogs with this variation.So, you can expect some form of consistency in the coats. For instance, you will always see tan on the face, ears, body and sometimes legs and tails.
In addition, the black color is usually always on the Beagles body and tai, though black may sometimes appear on the head, ears and tails as well. It all depends on your individual dog. Keep in mind, there will be opportunities for slight variations.
As for the white, the color is usually seen on the legs, bottom, chest and muzzle of the Beagle. Its not impossible to see variations of these colors occurring in other regions. However, this is pretty standard for the black tan and white Beagle.
2. Black and Tan Beagle
The black and tan Beagle is another popular color variation, though not as popular as a classic tri color. These beautiful Beagles have both tan and black, but are missing the white to complete the typical tri-color variation.
For the most part, these dogs are mainly black. But even so, you will see the brown or tan color on the bottom, chest, face, legs, ears and tails. However, the black color is certainly dominant and covers the body, back, tail, sides, ears and sometimes face.
Fortunately, the black and tan Beagle is officially recognized by the AKC under the 018 code. Thanks to their inclusion into the standard, finding one wont be hard. That being said, these dogs can make great show dogs, but also family companions.
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4. Chocolate Tri-Color Beagle
The chocolate tri-colored Beagle sports a coat thats another unique combination of colors commonly seen in the Beagle breed. As if Beagle colors werent confusing enough, the chocolate tri color has many shades to it as well.
Some chocolate tri-color Beagles will have a lighter shade that resembles a light brown or red color. As a result, theyre often called the Liver tri color Beagle. Their nose can be also be a brown or reddish color, and have light colored eyes too.
Its rather difficult to tell the difference between a chocolate and liver tri-colored Beagle when theyre in the early days of puppyhood. In fact, it may not be possible to tell until theyre at least a few months old to a year.
5. Blue Tri-Color Beagle
The Blue tri-colored Beagle can also be called the blue, tan and white Beagle. Some breeders may also call them the silver tri color Beagle. But despite the unusual color combo, this color variation is officially recognized by the AKC.
They look very similar to the classic tri-colored Beagle, however, the black is diluted to create a blue-ish or silver color. It is possible for a blue tri color to lose their silver color as they age. In this case, we call them dark silver Beagles.
As for their noses, theyll usually be a dark-blue grayish color. Furthermore, theyll have lighter colored eyes too.Its worth noting that blue Beagles can developcolor dilution alopecia. In this case, they may lose patches of fur and develop skin conditions.
This health issue is not exclusive to blue Beagles, but to all blue dogs, including Frenchies and Doberman Pinschers as well. But the good news is that this condition is extremely rare in blue-colored Beagles.So, theres little to worry about.
6. Tan and White Beagle
In some cases, these tan and white Beagles are called hare pied. These dogs sport a basic bi-color tan and white coat without the black on the back and body of the Beagle.This means theyre just left with a white base containing patches of tan.
However in some cases, they can have black tips on the top of the hair and along their backs. Though this black is subtle and not enough to justify calling them classic tri-colored Beagles, it can be argued that theyre a tri-color.
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7. Lemon and White Beagles
Another popular color combination is the lemon and white Beagle. As you may have guessed, the lemon is not the bright yellow that we see in the actual fruit. Rather, it refers to a yellowish golden color when it comes to Beagles.
The lemon and white dog will have a white-colored base coat, with golden patches that can vary a lot in size and shape. Each dog will have unique patches, though the lemon patches are typically seen on the back and body, tail, face and ears of the Beagle.
The white base can also vary in color. It tends to range anywhere from an off-white, to a more creamish white, and even a clear solid white. Lemon and whites wont have any coloring on the tip of the hair, but will have a solid black nose.
The color of the lemon can change drastically from puppyhood to adulthood. If you suspect you have a lemon and white puppy, there is a decent chance he or she may develop into a tan and white Beagle once fully grown.
8. Black Tan & Bluetick Beagle
Though not as popular as other colors, the black tan and bluetick Beagle is an awesome color combo. Its truly a unique color combination, but still recognized by most of the kennel clubs. The tick refers to freckles on the coat of the dog.
Though different, the pattern looks extremely similar to the blue merle coats of the Australian Shepherds. Its just that merle Aussies have larger patches of colors instead of small freckles on their beautiful yet lavish coats.
These bluetick Beagles have the classic black and tan color seen in the classic tri-color. But instead, theyll have a diluted black (that looks like blue) ticking all over the body, bottom, legs, parts of the face and the tip of the tail.
Its worth noting that the ticking (freckles) usually dont start developing until 3 weeks after birth. In some cases, it may take much longer for the bluetick to appear.Just be cautious if a breeder is trying to sell you extra on a young ticked pup.
The Other Colors of Beagles
This resource is not a comprehensive guide to Beagle colors, but rather, information on the most popular colors. There are simply too many color combinations. Though not all officially recognized, the AKC believes there are 25 color variations with the Beagles.
The other Beagle colors include:
- tan
- white
- brown
- lemon
- red
- blue
- black, black & white
- blue & white
- red & black
- black & tan
- brown & white
- lemon & white
- red & white
- tan & white
- black red & white
- black tan & white
- black white & tan
- black tan & bluetick
- black tan & redtick
- black fawn & white
- brown white & tan
- blue tan & white
- red black & white
- white black & tan
In terms of markings on the coat, these are the 6 types of recognized markings for Beagles:
- Ticked
- Black Markings
- Brown Markings
- Spotted
- Tan Markings
- White Markings
While these markings are recognized by the AKC, the ticked marking is standard with Beagles. Some of these are common, while others are extremely rare. If your heart is set on a specific color & marking combination, it may be difficult to find.
What About Merle Colored Beagles?
First of all, theres no such thing as a merle Beagle. Despite this, Ive seen many breeders try to promote these ultra-rare merle colors with their Beagles. They simply dont exist, though the bluetick Beagle looks very close.
If your breeder claims to have developed a merle Beagle, they are likely not purebred Beagles or theyre deceiving you with a young bluetick. However, Beagles can be crossed with other dog breeds, such as a Dachshund, to create the merle pattern.
Sometimes, breeders will attempt to create pocket Beagles by breeding in smaller dogs. As a result, genes from other dogs get mixed in, thus creating strange and unusual coat variations not typically seen in purebreds.
Though this may be good for gene diversity, know that you may not be getting a purebred dog. Theres a good change youre just getting a blue or redtick Beagle. The freckle pattern can often be confused as a merle pattern to the novice dog owner.
Always do your research when shopping for a Beagle, including the several color variations. Though there are many great and reputable breeders for this breed, its still great practice to look into things yourself.
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Beagle Colors (What Are Common And What Are Rare)
There are ten basic Beagle colors and twenty-five AKC-approved color combinations categorized as tri-color and bi-color. Add in an endless variety of acceptable markings and patterns, and it is easy to understand why people often say that no two Beagles look alike.
A curious, clever, and loveable breed, the Beagle has been a long-time favorite among dog lovers partly because of its ability to surprise and delight the eye with these seemingly endless variations of colors and markings. Well examine both the standard and rare Beagle coat colors as well as look at the wide range of color combinations, markings, and patterns that you may see on them.
What Are Common Beagle Colors?
The most common Beagle colors are bi-color and tri-color. Bicolor Beagles have coats with one predominant and one lesser color. Tricolor Beagles have three colors with one dominant color, or the saddle, a second color located on the legs, chest, belly, etc., and a third color usually found where the two more prominent colors meet.
Black & Tan
Black and tan Beagles are almost entirely black. They generally have black that covers their back, body, sides, most of their ears, and tail covering part of their face. The tan markings are sometimes present on the chest, legs, and rear, tips of the tail and ears, and parts of the face.
Black Red & White
Black, red, and white tri-color Beagles have what is called a saddle of black across their backs that stretch down their sides, tail, and neck. Red can be found where the white and black meet. The white on this coat stretches from the underbelly and legs to the muzzle and chest.
Black Tan & Bluetick
These gorgeous Beagles have black saddles that can reach their faces, ears, and tails. Bluetick surrounds the black areas except for the muzzle and paws, which will be tan.
Black Tan & White
The most iconic of Beagles, are the black, tan & white Beagle sports coat colors that even non-dog lovers will recognize. These Beagles wear a saddle of black over tan patches and white covering their chests, bellies, legs, muzzles, and tail tips.
Brown & White
These predominantly white-coated Beagles have brown, scattered patches across their coats. The brown can be very light to dark, chocolate brown.
Brown White & Tan
These Beagles have large brown patches on their backs with four white legs, chest, and sometimes muzzle. The tan is usually relatively minimal and generally found where the brown and white sections meet.
Lemon & White
Lemon Beagles can be quite prized for the gorgeous golden color of their coats which can appear a rich yellow in the right light. These dogs usually have white paws, tails, and muzzles, and everywhere else a variety of lemon-colored patches.
Red & White
Similar in markings to their lemon-colored cousins, the red & white Beagle is prized for its pale to dark chestnut reds mixed with white.
Tan & White
This Beagle can have light brown patches on its lower tail, ears, and anywhere else on its sides and back.
Black Fawn & White
Fawn is a very faded red. It may even appear to be cream-colored or ivory. These Beagles generally have black saddles, white chests, and legs with fawn color where the black and white meet.
White Black & Tan
These Beagles have white coats with black and tan markings.
What Are The AKC Approved Beagle Colors?
There are officially 25 AKC-approved Beagle colors. The first eleven of these are considered to be breed standards, or common colors. The remaining fourteen are less common but still recognized.
- Black Red & White
- Black & Tan
- Black Tan & White
- Black Tan & Bluetick
- Blue Tan & White
- Black White & Tan
- Brown White & Tan
- Brown & White
- Red & White
- Lemon & White
- Black
- Tan & White
- Black & White
- Black Fawn & White
- Black Tan & Redtick
- Blue
- Blue & White
- Brown
- Lemon
- Red
- Red & Black
- Red Black & White
- Tan
- White
- White Black & Tan
What Are Rare Beagle Colors?
Snoopy, one of the most well-known and beloved Beagles of all time, sported a pretty rare Beagle color; Black and White. Beagle lovers, akin to bird watchers, are ever on the lookout to spot these rare and beautiful Beagle colors.
Black
Solid-colored Beagles are the rarest of all Beagle colors. Black Beagles can be all black or have so little of any other color as to be considered all black.
Black & White
These Beagles usually sport black on their backs, heads, and sides with white muzzles, legs, and bellies. However, you will see some almost completely white coats and black on the ears with some black spotting.
Black Tan & Redtick
These coats have black saddles that can reach their faces, ears, and tails. Redtick surrounds the black areas except for the muzzle and paws, which will be tan.
Brown
An all-brown coat is rare but possible.
Lemon
Lemon Beagles are usually born completely white. As they age, the lemon patches in their coats become darker.
Red & Black
Slightly more common than the solid colors, these Beagles have red as their base coat color, with black marks or patches on top.
Red Black & White
Some Beagles have a base coat color of red, with some black and white patches or markings.
Blue
Born all black, the all-blue Beagles coat fades (dilutes) as it gets older to a slightly grayish or silver coat that is said to have a blue sheen in the right sort of lighting. You may see the term dilute black in reference to blue coats as well.
Blue & White
Predominantly blue with a variety of white markings on legs, muzzle, belly, and chest.
Red
Red-coated Beagles can range from very light to very dark chestnut reds.
Tan
All tan coats can also have some minimal white markings on the chest or paws.
White
All white Beagles are pretty rare, and generally, breeders do not breed for all white coats because the lack of pigmentation around the eyes makes this dog very sensitive to light. All white is not albino, and there is debate over whether a Beagle can be a true albino.
What Markings And Patterns Can Beagles Have?
The markings and patterns recognized by the AKC are as follows:
Ticked: Ticking is a flecked color pattern in what would normally have been a white area on the coat. Ticking is an expression of what the color would have been had the area not been white. The most common ticking on Beagles is Redtick and Bluetick.
Spotted: Typical spotting in Beagles is brown over white areas.
Black, Brown, Tan, and White Markings: These markings can be of an infinite variety, and there are no restrictions regarding where on the body the markings can be.
What Are Different Color Combinations?
The most common color combinations are categorized as bi-colors and tri-colors.
There are ten basic Beagle colors recognized by the AKC that make up these color combinations:
- Tan
- Lemon
- White
- Black
- Brown
- Red
- Blue
- Redtick
- Bluetick
- Fawn
Under the official AKC breed standard document for Beagles, it lists acceptable colors as any true hound color. Essentially allowing for a significant degree of variation of acceptable colors and color combinations.
Tri-colored Beagles
Genetically speaking, the gene for tri-color coats is dominant, meaning that tri-colors are the most common color combination. Tri-colors are made up of three colors. The order of the colors listed indicates the predominance and placement of each color.
Black Red & White
- Black: As the first color listed in this color combination, black will be the saddle. Meaning you can expect to see this color on the back of the Beagles black extending down its side, up to the head and ears, and towards the tail.
- Red: As the second color listed, you can expect to see red as the transitionary color between the first and third colors.
- White: The third color will be the color you can expect to see on the belly, chest, legs, muzzle, and tip of the tail.
If you see Red, Black, & White, you can now automatically know that this dog has a red saddle and black transition color the exact opposite of the color combination above.
Bi-colored Beagles
Bi-colored Beagles have a combination of two different colors on their coats. Their coats are considered to be piebald. A piebald, or pied, Beagle has a pattern of pigmented spots (color) on an unpigmented background (white).
Lemon & White
- Lemon: The lemon in this bicolor combination is the pigmentation. This Beagle will have markings of various sizes and placement on the coat.
- White: The second color listed will be the base color. All bi-colored Beagles will have a white base coat except the Black & Tan.
A pied nose also is quite distinctive, with a darker exterior rim and a more pale center, sometimes referred to as a butterfly nose.
What About Merle Beagles?
Merle is not a color but a specific type of dog coat patterning and is not recognized by the AKC as an acceptable Beagle marking. Merle patterning is characterized by patches of mottled color in solid or piebald coats.
Merle patterns can look a bit similar to ticking, but it is more pronounced. Merles also have the characteristic blue or mottled irises in their eyes. Beagles that contain merle markings are not purebreds.
What Other Colors and Markings Are Not Considered to be Truly Beagle?
Aside from the colors listed under the AKC list of recognized colors, there are no other colors or color patterns that Beagles come in. Each distinct color may express itself in a wide range of shades. Red, for instance, can be very light to very dark but will still be officially considered red.
The following is a list of colors and coat patterns you may see used to describe Beagle coats, but the AKC does not recognize them as part of the breed standard.
Chocolate: Despite the term being used by many Beagle lovers, even breeders, chocolate is not a Beagle color but is instead a variation of brown, tan, or fawn.
Lavender or Lilac: Described as mocha or a bluish fawn, this is also not an AKC-recognized Beagle color.
Silver: Silver describes blue or bluetick Beagles because of the shimmery appearance of the blue coat in sunlight. The AKC does not recognize the color silver as a Beagle breed standard.
Liver: Liver color is caused by a recessive gene that changes black pigmentation into brown. The AKC does not recognize it because it also causes the eyes to be a lighter color not part of the breed standard.
Brindle: Brindle in the Beagle is the result of mixing with another breed, thought to be Drevers. Brindle is not a true hound color, and therefore, Beagles that display this color pattern do not meet the AKC standard for the breed.
Mottle: Mottled Beagles are the one exception in this list, as mottled patterning can be found in Beagle show dogs. Its not as popular, and some consider mottled Beagles to be lacking show quality standards.
Mottling has faint spotting in the white areas of the coat. Mottled puppies have darker pigmentation on their paws that show at a very early age.
Will My Beagle Puppy Change Colors?
It is pretty common for Beagle puppies to change colors as they age. Beagle colors can change very quickly, as a matter of fact, and breeders are permitted to change the color on the puppys registration up to three times!
It is even possible that your adult Beagles coat color will be different than what is listed on her registration.
Is One Color Better Than Another?
No one Beagle coat color is judged to be better than another. Most conformation dog shows allow every color combination of Beagle to enter. Ultimately, it is your own personal preference that should matter.
Want To Train Your Beagle With Peace Of Mind?
If you havent trained your Beagle properly, then this is the perfect time to start. Whatever bad behavior your shepherd has, whether its barking at night or other bad behaviors, using the right training program is the key to having an obedient and happy pup.
The training program I love and highly recommend is Brain Training For Dogs.
With Brain Training For Dogs youll save yourself a ton of time and effort. Instead of banging your head against the wall trying to figure out why your dog wont listen, youll follow a path that has been tried, tested, and most importantly, thats given proven results. Not to mention the fact, that youll be able to fit the course around your schedule, not fit your schedule around a trainer or obedience class.
So instead of worrying about whether theyre going to be well-behaved or not, youll only have to worry about how much fun youll have with them!
And in most cases, its still going to be:
- Cheaper than hiring a professional.
- Cheaper than replacing everything they might break.
- And definitely cheaper than a lawsuit against you, if they decide to bite someone.
Just imagine how great it will feel to finally be able to trust your Beagle completely and never worry whether theyll be naughty or not. Instead, youll have the peace of mind that you have a well-behaved pup, and the boundaries you set for them, will always be there, EVEN IF YOURE NOT.
And the best part is it also has a 60-day money-back guarantee! So theres no reason not to give Brain Training For Dogs a try!
So if youre tired of your dogs bad behavior, or how they react around other people and pooches, then give it a try! Youll be amazed by the results!
(You can also check out a full review here, to learn exactly what the course has to offer!)
Conclusion
With twenty-five AKC-recognized colors, the Beagle coat can present itself in an almost infinite variety of colors and color combinations of any true hound color. From tri-color to bi-color, ticked to spotted, this breed will never disappoint, and It is most certainly one of the distinguishing qualities that inspire passion and excitement amongst Beagle enthusiasts.
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