Beagle Feeding Guide (Everything You Should Know)

Hello, pet parents! Welcome to my ultimate guide to feeding a beagle.

In this guide, I will cover how much to feed a beagle, how often to feed your beagle, when to feed your beagle, what foods to feed your beagle, what foods to avoid feeding your beagle, and other questions you may have about your beagle’s nutrition.

You can read the article to the end or go through the table of contents below and jump to the section that answers the questions you have on your mind.

Beagles are hardy and agile dogs, known for their strong sense of smell and independent nature. Beagles are hounds, and as such, they are stubborn and require creative training techniques. I will go into detail on every feeding question you may have based on my personal experience working for a veterinarian.

Beagles have a reputation for being big eaters, and if this is not regulated, it can lead to obesity and other health problems. Beagles are very active dogs with muscular features and big hazel eyes; they make excellent companions for both kids and adults.

I have created this ultimate guide to feeding your Beagles for curious and new pet parents who want to solve their dog’s nutrition problem.

Let’s jump into the article.

Beagle Nutritional Requirements

Beagles are medium-sized dogs that require the proper nutrients in their specific amounts to grow healthy. Like other dog breeds, if some of these nutrients are present in excess amounts or less, it would end up endangering the overall health of your dog.

When your beagle is growing, their diet should include 25% protein for puppies, 27% protein for adults, 5-10% fat for puppies, and 5.5% fat for adults, as well as fiber, carbohydrates, multivitamins, and minerals.

Your beagle’s protein source must be animal protein like chicken, turkey, lamb, and beef. Their fat source can be fish oil or vegetable oil, and their source of fiber is from wholesome, healthy vegetables like cabbage, carrots, sprouts, and broccoli. Your beagle’s diet should include vitamins and minerals to support a healthy immune system and bones.

Nutritional Requirement for a Beagle Puppy

The diet of a puppy beagle should consist of 25% protein, 5–10% fat, and 6% fiber. Beagle puppies are incredibly energetic, and their metabolism rate is high. They require protein for building healthy muscles and minerals for strong bones; carbohydrates for energy; and fats for maintaining healthy fur.

Nutritional Requirement for Adult Beagle

The meal plan for adults and older Beagles should consist of 25% protein, 25% carbohydrates, 5.5% fat, and 3% fiber. At this stage, beagles are most active and will need protein and carbohydrates to keep their weight and energy level optimal. However, you should avoid overfeeding your pet at this stage, as beagles are prone to obesity and will develop health complications.

Nutritional Requirement For Senior Beagle

At this stage of your dog’s life, it is less active than at other stages. At this age, your pet’s food should ideally contain 18% protein, 5% fat, and fiber. Senior beagles will need minerals and vitamins added to their food to keep their immune system and bones healthy.

Factors Affecting The Feeding Of Your Beagle

Some factors will affect the diet of your beagles, such as the size of the breed, its age, its activity level, and its underlying health conditions.

Let’s take a quick look at those factors before we jump into the quantity of food to feed your dog.

Size consideration

The average length of a beagle male is 41–36 cm, and for females, it is 33–38 cm from the sole of its feet to its shoulder. The weight of a male beagle is 11–10 kg and a female’s is 9–10 kg.

Males are larger than females, therefore they will consume more calories than females as a result of their sheer size differences.

Age consideration

Beagle puppies are fed more because they are growing and their metabolism is high, which means they are constantly hungry. Adults have a slower metabolism and do not need to be fed as much as puppies. As seniors, your pup is less active and will require fewer calories than at the adult stage, or else they might become overweight and develop serious health problems. 

Activity Level

Beagles are very active and agile dogs with sturdy and muscular frames. They must be fed a strict, quality diet to maintain this physical status. Your adult Beagles should not be fed adult food as puppies because their nutritional needs are different as adults; they are more active and so will require more energy-giving food. Seniors are less active and so will require minimal calories.

Health Consideration

Beagles are prone to certain health conditions, which should be taken into consideration in their diets if you wish to manage or prevent those issues.

Some health issues that affect your Beagle include hip and elbow dysplasia, heart problems, eye problems like cataracts, and patellar luxation. 

Some of these health issues can be prevented or controlled by feeding your dog the right food and following strict guidelines when feeding them.

Your beagle should not be fed low-quality food that does not contain near or adequate amounts of these nutrients. This type of feed can trigger the early onset of some of these health problems, and you will need to visit the vet, which would lead to you spending more money than you originally intended.

Beagle Feeding Amount

Your beagle, just like any other dog breed, will require different amounts of food according to their stage of development. According to nutritional requirements, the amount of food required by a puppy differs from that required by an adult.

On average, feed your puppy Beagles 0.3 to 1.75 cups of food that has 220 to 1650 kcal per day; feed your adult Beagles 0.75 to 2.75 cups per day that have 1125 to 1575 kcal per day, according to their activity level; and feed your senior Beagles 0.5-2 cups per day that have 1050 to 1470 kcal per day.

I will provide you with charts below to help you plan your dog’s meals from its puppy years to its senior years. However, this meal plan is not one-size-fits-all. It’s just a general guideline that should be followed based on your dog’s needs and recommendations from your vet or dog nutritionist.

How Much To Feed Your Puppy Beagle

For your puppy and adolescent to grow into healthy adults, the meal should be high in protein and low in fat, which can be obtained from animal meat.

A beagle puppy should be given 0.3 to 1.75 cups of food per day that contains 220 to 1650 kcal of nutrients based on its age, weight, size, gender, and physical activity.

The feeding requirement of your puppy is given in detail in the charts below:

Following the above guidelines will aid in bone development and muscle growth, as well as strengthen their immune system to combat common bacteria and viruses that can cause health complications.

How Much To Feed An Adult Beagles

The nutritional requirements of an adult Beagle differ from those of a puppy. To prevent obesity, mature beagles’ food should contain a lower percentage of proteins and fats. This is done by reducing the feeding frequency to two times per day.

An adult Beagle should be given 0.75 to 2.75 cups of food per day that contains 1125 to 1575 kcal of nutrients based on its age, weight, size, gender, and physical activity.

The chart below will give you an understanding of the daily consumption needs of adult Beagles to help you with their meal plan.

How Much To Feed Your Senior Beagle

Senior beagles are generally less active than their younger counterparts due to fragile bones and joints. This means their meals will contain fewer calories, protein, and fat.

Geriatric beagles are often plagued with health issues. Some of these issues can be alleviated by supplementing your senior dog’s diet with vitamins and minerals to help revive his or her weakened immune system and fragile bones.

Senior and geriatric beagle puppies should be given 0.5-2 cups of food per day that contains 1050 to 1470 kcal of nutrients based on age, weight, size, gender, and health issues.

The table below gives you some details about the meal plan for older Beagles.

However, you must still ensure they get the essential nutrients.  Beagles

You can continue giving your senior dog the same food you gave them as an adult, only in a lesser quantity, as they don’t need as many calories as adult dogs. However, you should still consult your vet or pet nutritionist to be on the safe side.

Beagle Feeding Frequency

Your beagle’s meal frequency will vary the same as the feeding amounts, which are majorly dependent on its age. Below is a list of how often to feed your

How Often Should You Feed Your Beagle Puppy?

•         During the weaning process or at 8 weeks old and below: feed them four times a day at equally spaced intervals.

•         8 weeks to 3 months old: feed them four times a day at equally spaced intervals.

•         4 months to 12 months old: gradually transition to feeding them three times a day with equally spaced time intervals.

How Often Should You Feed Your Adult Beagle?

Adult beagles should be fed twice a day, with a 12-hour gap between meals. One in the morning and one in the evening is ideal.

How Often Should You Feed Your Senior Beagle?

You should feed your senior Beagles two times a day except given a specific schedule by a vet.

Beagle Feeding Schedule

• Beagle puppies should be free-fed or fed in the morning, afternoon, evening, and night due to a faster metabolism in comparison to their adult colleagues

•         Adolescent Beagles should be fed in the morning, afternoon, and evening to help them transition properly into an adult.

•         Adult and Senior Beagles should also be fed in the morning and the evening unless stated differently by your vet or pet nutritionist.

As a general rule, you should feed your beagles a few hours before going to bed in the evening, so they have enough time to digest the food before going to sleep.

In total, we shouldn’t spoil our companions with treats as they may grow too attached to them. Treats should be primarily used as a reward when training your beagle.

The Kind of Food To Feed Your Beagle

The food you feed your Beagles should specifically cater to large breeds and contain the required nutrients necessary for a strong and healthy dog.

The kind of food to feed your Beagles includes dry dog food, wet dog food, a home-cooked diet, and biologically appropriate raw food to ensure your dog eats a balanced diet.

Let me touch on these few points to help you understand what to feed your dog:

                Dry Food: Dry dog or kibble is a portion of commercial pet food made by grinding and mixing up ingredients like meats, grains, and nutritional additives, which are then shaped into little kernels and cooked at high temperatures to remove the water content. Dry dog contains more carbs, less fat, less water, and sometimes less protein, and is often recommended by vets due to its lower cost, dental health benefits, convenience, weight loss support, and playtime perks.

                Wet Food: Wet dog food, or canned food, is made by mixing up and cooking the ingredients before adding or extracting varying amounts of water. Unlike dry dog food, wet dog food contains more water, fewer carbs, more fat, and often more protein. They are recommended by veterinarians due to their high water content, taste, ease of eating, and high nutritional profile.

                Home-Cooked Diet:  Home-cooked diets are a great option for pet parents who are not into commercial dog food and want to go the extra length to prepare a meal for their furry companion. Feeding your dog a home-cooked meal gives you control over its nutrition and can put your mind at ease knowing that you are always providing the best care for your dog.

                BARF Diet: Biologically Appropriate Raw Food is a diet that includes raw meat, raw eggs, crushed animal bones, fruits, vegetables, probiotics, and other natural ingredients. BARF diets are used as a substitute for processed foods with preservatives. However, consult your vet before feeding your pet a raw diet to avoid health complications from harmful substances.

The Kind of Food To Avoid Feeding Your Beagle

We should take caution when giving whatever food we’re eating to our beagles. They have large appetites, which makes it tempting to hand them whatever we find ourselves eating.

There are certain human foods, fruits, and vegetables that you should avoid feeding your beagle because these foods contain toxins that are harmful to your pet and could lead to frequent trips to the vet.

Human food to avoid feeding your Beagles includes chocolates, coffee, gums, peanut butter, candies, cooked bones, etc.

The Fruits and vegetables to avoid feeding your Beagles include grapes, avocado, garlic, onions, etc.

You should always check the ingredients on the food label to see if these ingredients are present in the food. Or you can simply consult a vet or pet nutritionist to check the ingredients with them.

When To Transition Your Beagles From Puppy Food To Adult Food

You should transition your Beagle puppy from puppy food to adult food when he’s around 10–12 months old.

Transitioning your adolescent Beagles from puppy food to adult food is an important stage in your dog’s development. Puppy food contains more calories and nutrients than adult food to meet the nutritional requirements at that stage of life.

Transitioning needs to be gradual by introducing adult feed bit by bit until you get to 100% adult feed.

However, feeding your adult puppy food will fill them with more protein and fat than their body requires and will lead to obesity due to the high fat content the body doesn’t need for optimum growth.

Why Your Beagle Is Not Eating

Your beagle will not eat if it has one or a combination of the factors listed below:

Illness, dental problems, teething, medication, constipation, time of day, spoiled food, dehydration, and stress

Beagles normally have a large appetite, so your beagle not eating is a sign that something is wrong. If your pup is not eating and drinking, you should see the doctor immediately.

Why Your Beagle Is Always Hungry

Beagles, like other dog breeds, are big feeders, but acting hungry all the time could stem from issues that are not internal, like stress, learned behaviors, and a lack of training. Some medical issues can cause this example, such as Cushing’s disease, and another reason may be the lack of adequate nutrition in your dog’s feed.

Rigorous exercise will make your dog’s body burn calories faster, thus making them hungry after such exercises. Worms could be another reason your dog is always hungry.

Frequently Asked Questions on Feeding A Beagle

Final Thoughts on Beagle Feeding Guide

Beagles are hardy, strong dogs that make excellent companions. They are agile and intelligent, and with proper training, they can grow to become obedient and very social dogs. Beagles are playful, fun-loving dogs that possess a lot of energy. When fed a well-balanced diet, they will be healthy and energetic.

Options such as dry, wet, raw, and homemade diets are all great for them. You can free-feed your beagles during their puppy stage, but you have to draw up a strict plan as they grow up. It is also essential to know what foods are healthy and should be avoided, as some are toxic.

However, if you desire more information on how to take care of your beagles, you should contact the nearest vet for information on essential nutrients, and you can also see a pet nutritionist for a regimen schedule for your pet.