Pros and Cons of Owning Beagle Greyhound Mix

The Beagle is such a lovable house pet. He is so lovable that President Lyndon Johnson had to have three of them in the White House. His dogs contributed to his life in a number of positive ways.

The Italian Greyhound is no different. If you want an agile, charming, playful, and affectionate medium dog, the Greyhound fits the profile.

Both dog breeds can be blended to get a Beagle Greyhound mix aka the Italian Graeagle.

Pet owners that desire the traits and qualities of the parents in one dog will love this mix.

Like all dog breeds, the Italian Graeagle comes with its own pros and cons.

Here’s a rundown of both the good and the bad of owning this beauty.

What Does The Mix Look Like?

The Italian Graeagle is essentially a small to medium sized hybrid dog.

The average size ranges from 20-40 lbs and a height of 13-15 inches at the shoulder.

This good-looking designer dog features a blockish face with a lean physique resembling the Greyhound and sagging ears similar to a Beagle.

The coat can be even and polished or short and slightly rough.

His tail is long and his feet are refined like those of a cat.

The eyes are dark and always alert to know what happens around him at all times.

Pros

1.  Good Family Pet

Let’s begin on a positive note. What are some of the advantages of owning this cute mix?

Italian Graeagle is a good family dog. He is kind, gentle, and truly lovable. He loves hanging out with his owners and being right in the middle of the action.

Loyalty and sweetness are her second and third names respectively.

Whether you have young kids, teenagers, senior citizens, or other animals, he will get along with them all.

He enjoys playing all sorts of games with kids and will keep your young ones entertained.

This is unlike a number of other small dogs that don’t like being in the company of kids for too long.

With proper socialization, he will enjoy being in the company of other dogs and cats.

Sometimes, he retreats and stays by himself for a while. Don’t worry; he can be rather independent when he wants to be but that doesn’t mean he’s sad or lonely.

He will come back to the family in no time. Generally, this is a gentle, affectionate, little canine friend.

His main mission is to please his owners and will everything in his power to do so.

2.  Low-Maintenance

This dog sheds very little, thanks to his short coat. If he especially takes after the Greyhound’s smooth and shiny coat, you are in luck. A little brushing once or twice a week will get the job done.

Even if he takes after the Beagle, shedding is low to moderate. You will do most of the brushing and vacuuming during the shedding season only.

Bathe him when he gets dirty or smelly. Don’t go overboard to dry out his skin.

Nail clipping happens on a per-need-basis as well.

His teeth require brushing thrice a week and his ears once a week.

3.  Intelligence

The Italian Graeagle is a smart dog. You will absolutely love training him. No need to repeat commands over and over again.

He will learn new commands in record time. Ten years later, don’t expect him to forget anything.

At home, intelligence will play out in many ways that will amaze you. Feel free to train him to help around the house.

He loves to learn new things and will be more than happy to help you wherever.

4.  Adaptability

An adaptable dog is one that will be happy with any kind of living situation.

Some dogs unfortunately don’t fall in this category. The Greyhound Beagle mix is certainly not one of them.

It doesn’t matter if you live in a tiny apartment with no yard, a bungalow with massive space, or in a trailer by the roadside, this pup will be happy.

Granted, if given a choice he will choose a house with a big yard to run around in but he will be comfortable even in an apartment.

Of course, you will need to be deliberate about walking him outside twice a day if you don’t have space for him to run around.

Whether you are single or have a small/huge family, the Italian Graeagle will be content.

Cons

And now to the not-so-great part of owning an Italian Graeage…

1.  High Exercise Needs

If you know a thing or two about the Italian Greyhound, you’ll confirm that this is a high-energy breed.

He is essentially built for speed. His lean athletic tells it all. You should see him running at top speed to know the truth of this statement.

The Beagle isn’t a lazy dog either.

Their offspring is ultimately an active and playful little dog.

Without a daily walk of not less than one hour, he might become destructive as he tries to find ways to expend his energy.

Often, this means tearing your sofas apart, chasing your cat, overeating, and more.

Apart from the daily walk, plan on engaging your pup in intense activities such as hikes, runs, camping, and agility sports.

Whenever you can, play Frisbee or fetch with him at home.

When he gets tired, he will look forward to snuggling next to you till the morning sun.

2.  Trainability

Most intelligent dogs present a challenge with regard to training. The Beagle Greyhound mix fits the profile.

During training, he can be annoyingly stubborn. If you are not authoritative and firm, he might see you as a weak leader and will definitely take advantage of that.

Establish yourself as a tough leader who deserves being submitted under.

Use positive reinforcement rather than scolding during training. Offer tons of praises when he learns a trick. If treats are nearby, let them act as an incentive.

Of course, the earlier you start training and socialization, the most effective it will be.

If training is difficult, check whether your dog gets a sufficient dose of physical activity.

The more activity he gets every day, the better the training sessions.

While you are at it, don’t forget to socialize your pup. Take him to the dog park a couple of times a week to acquaint him with other dogs and people.

If you aren’t too sure of your ability to train your hybrid dog, enlist the help of the pros.

3.  Strong Prey Drive

Both the Italian Greyhound and the Beagle are excellent hunters.

The mix between the two naturally possesses these traits.

Don’t be alarmed if you see him chase after anything in motion. This includes cats, rats, cars, and moving cables.

You could be cleaning the house with the mop and he finds it fun to grab it as it moves over the floor.

He just needs socialization and training to curb the habit once and for all.

4.  Health Issues

To be frank, most Italian Greagles are healthy dogs. Most of them live to their full potential (12-15 years) with minimal health issues.

However, some suffer from complications passed down to them by their parents.

These include the following:

• Eye problems
• Beagle Dwarfism
• Hypothyroidism
• Ear infections
• Hip dysplasia
• Allergies
• Von Willebrand’s
• PSS
• CBS
• Patellar luxation
• Cryptorchidism
• Legg-Calve-Perthes

Your breeder should have a genuine health clearance of the puppy’s parents. Ask them for it before shelling your cash. You don’t want trouble in the future.

Final Thoughts

The Italian Graeagle is a beautiful designer dog for parents looking for a dog with minimal grooming requirements, intelligence, a kind, and charming personality, and adaptability.

The disadvantages of owning one are that he has high exercise requirements, can be hard to train, and can possess a strong prey drive.

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