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How can you resist the pleading and endearing face of the happy-go-lucky dog that is the Beagle? Besides being a loyal and playful companion, this excellent tracking dog comes in an array of colors, including tricolor (black, tan, and white), black, tan, red, white, brown, blue, red, and even lemon! Read on to learn about 25 common and unique colors of the Beagle!
Beagle Colors Overview
According to the American Kennel Club (AKC), beagles can be found in 25 color combinations, all from the following seven basic colors:
- Black
- Blue
- Brown
- Lemon
- Red
- Tan
- White
Additionally, there are six different markings found in purebred Beagles:
- Ticked
- Spotted
- White markings
- Tan markings
- Brown markings
- Black markings
Let’s first take a look at the AKC’s official breed standard colors and then move on to the unique and rare Beagle colors.
AKC Standard Beagle Color Combinations
1. Black and Tan
Black-and-tan Beagles are gorgeous. The black color covers their back, tail, sides, and ears, while tan is mainly found on the chest, legs, and neck. White is the only color missing to complete the typical tricolor variation.
2. Black, Red, and White
A black, red, and white Beagle has a large black area on their back. The reddish-brown color is mainly found on the ears, around the eyes, and on the top of the head. The white covers the rest of the body, mainly on the legs, chest, around the muzzle, and on the tip of the tail.
3. Black, Tan, and Bluetick
Black, tan, and bluetick Beagles may be a standard color combination according to the AKC, but this combination is quite unique. Their blue ticked bodies somewhat resemble those of Australian Shepherds, while their heads have similar patterns to other Beagles: a combination of black, tan, and white. However, tick marks cover all the white sections of fur.
4. Black, Tan, and White
This tricolor combination is arguably the most common and recognizable of all Beagles. Indeed, it is easy to identify this color variation by the large black spot on the back, the large white areas on the legs, chest, tip of the tail, and around the muzzle, and the tan-colored spots on the top of the head and ears.
5. Black, White, and Tan
The main difference between black, white, and tan Beagles and the previous combination is that the black patch on the back covers a larger area of the dog’s body. Also, white is more predominant than tan on the chest and legs.
6. Brown and White
A brown-and-white Beagles is sometimes referred to as “hare pied.” This dog has a bicolor brown-and-white coat without any presence of black. The white is dominant over the whole body and marked with brown spots of various sizes.
7. Brown, White, and Tan
This tricolor Beagle has an all-brown back, from the neck to the hind legs. Like with the other tricolor combinations, the legs, tip of the tail, and chest are white and sometimes dotted with tan-colored markings.
8. Lemon and White
A splendid and unique Beagle color is lemon and white. This dog sports a creamy white coat with small yellowish spots on their body, ears, faces, and tails.
9. Red and White
Beagles with the red-and-white color combination are quite similar to lemon-and-white Beagles. However, reddish-brown spots replace the yellow spots found in those bicolor dogs.
10. Tan and White
A tan-and-white Beagle has light brown spots all over their back. The legs, chest, and tail are often entirely white, while the ears are tan in color.
11. Blue, Tan, and White
Blue, tan, and white Beagles are the last standard color combination recognized by the AKC. They are sometimes referred to as silver tricolor Beagles by some breeders. These dogs have a coat similar to the classic tricolor (black, tan, and white), but the black is diluted, creating a unique bluish color on the back.
Non-standard Beagle Colors
Non-standard Beagle ColorsThe following colors and combinations of Beagles are recognized by the AKC, although they do not correspond to the breed standard. Additionally, solid-colored Beagles are typically rare and may exhibit certain health issues.
12. Black
All-black Beagles are hard to find, despite being an AKC-recognized color. Generally, there are dogs that have a few dark-colored areas on their chest or neck, giving the impression of being a solid black color.
13. Black and White
A black-and-white Beagle puppy has a large black patch on their back. Their ears can be entirely black, and they also have a black mask. Their legs, chest, neck, and tail tip are also dark, although they may show dark gray markings as they grow.
14. Black, Fawn, and White
Black, fawn, and white Beagles are fairly common, although they are not a standard combination according to the AKC. The tawny patches that dot their entire body are actually a diluted red.
15. Blue
Not to be confused with black, tan, and bluetick Beagles, solid blue-colored Beagles are as rare as black ones. In fact, they are black dogs with a gene variant that produces a diluted gray-blue coloring.
16. Blue and White
Blue-and-white Beagles are similar to black-and-white ones, but the main difference is that the blue shade is actually a diluted black.
17. Brown
Solid brown Beagles are rare, as most typically have a few white spots here and there on their chest or legs.
18. Lemon
A Lemon Beagle has a yellowish golden-colored coat with no trace of white, which is unique and extremely rare.
19. Red
Red Beagles exhibit a reddish tint all over their bodies, which can range from rusty red to orange.
20. Red and Black
Red-and-black Beagles have the predominant red color all over their bodies, while their backs and heads are dark.
21. Red, Black, and White
These Beagles are similar to the classic tricolor combination, but since their base coat color is red instead of black, they are much harder to find.
22. Tan
A tan Beagle sports a copper-colored coat, with no black mask or patches of any other color on their body.
23. White
A pure white Beagle is incredibly rare. In fact, certain genetic abnormalities are what can cause this type of coat “color,” which can lead to health issues. Some puppies might appear white when they are small, but darker markings may appear as they get older.
24. White, Black, and Tan
This tricolor Beagle has a white coat with black markings on their back, chest, and neck. Their ears can be entirely tan in color.
25. Black, Tan, and Redtick
The final color combination for Beagles recognized by the AKC is black, tan, and redtick. These pups bear many similarities to black, tan, and bluetick Beagles. However, the big difference is that the redtick pattern appears darker against a paler background.
Conclusion
Several standard color combinations of Beagles are similar, with the only differences being the base color and markings. However, some colors are unique, such as black, tan, and bluetick or lemon and white. But no matter the color of the coat, the most important thing is that your puppy is healthy, hence the importance of favoring reputable and ethical Beagle breeders.
Featured Image Credit: Somo_Photography, Pixabay
