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. We’ll 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.
Table of Contents
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 and 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 tricolor 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, the black, tan & white Beagle sports the 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 a 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 that 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 as 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 which 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 Beagle’s 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 Beagle’s 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. It’s 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 puppy’s registration up to three times!
It is even possible that your adult Beagle’s 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 haven’t trained your Beagle properly, then this is the perfect time to start. Whatever bad behavior your shepherd has, whether it’s barking at night or other bad behaviors, using the right training program is the key to having an obedient and happy pup.
With Brain Training For Dogs you’ll save yourself a ton of time and effort. Instead of banging your head against the wall trying to figure out why your dog won’t listen, you’ll follow a path that has been tried, tested, and most importantly, that’s given proven results. Not to mention the fact, you’ll 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 they’re going to be well-behaved or not, you’ll only have to worry about how much fun you’ll have with them!
And in most cases it’s 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 they’ll be naughty or not. Instead, you’ll 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 YOU’RE NOT.
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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.
