From time to time we are asked if we sell “Pocket beagles”. I want to state for the record that there is NO such recognized breed or variety of the purebred beagle that is known as the Pocket Beagle, Mini Beagle, Teacup Beagles, or any other name.

Despite whatever name Puppy Mills and unethical Backyard Breeders are using to sell small Beagles, if you do a simple search on the AKC website, you will see Pocket Beagles are not a breed or a type of Beagle. According to the AKC beagle standard there is only one official Beagle dog breed. Within this breed standard, they can come in two size varieties – 13″ & 15″. A 13 inch beagle is any beagle that is smaller than 13 inches – so an11.5 inch and a 12.75inch beagle would both be known as a “13”. In the same way, a “15” inch beagle is anything above 13 inches and up to 15 inches. So a 13.25inch beagle is known as a 15inch, and likewise a 14.75 inch beagle is also known as a 15 inch beagle.

I hear the argument now – Pocket Beagles have existed for a long time!

Yes – this is partly true! Approximately 600 years ago, there was a small hound breed, referred to as a Pocket Beagle. Those dogs were around 8 to 9 inches and were small enough to fit in a ‘pocket’ or saddlebag of hunters. This is how they got their name.   However, this little hound has long been extinct – it’s genetic lines long gone and very different from the beagle we see today. ​

So, why do I know someone that has a Pocket Beagle?

Well, Puppy Mills and Backyard breeders are always looking for a way to market something “special” or “unusual” to unsuspecting owners. By capitalizing on the “specialty” of the name, they can charge a premium price, for a subpar quality puppy.

There are popular Instagram tags of #pocketbeagles or #teacupbeagle which garner attention as the puppies are “so cute”. However, if you as a beagle owner don’t stop to think about how these little dogs may have been bred, or critically look at them compared to the AKC standard, the cycle of poor breeding will continue.

The truth of the matter is that “pocket beagle” breeders either introduce other breeds like mini dachshund or chihuahuas (which is also how non-standard colors like merle is introduced) or they inbreed the runts to produce the smaller size. Typically these dogs are bred with little or no health testing, and so health issues such as hip dysplasia, skin allergies, temperament issues, dwarfism, heart or organ issues and hypoglycemia to name a few are unfortunately a common occurrence.

Please reconsider a “pocket” or “teacup” beagle. By purchasing these “exotic” colors and size, you fund unethical breeding practices. Please open your eyes to see scared, malnourished, sickly, deformed puppies. While our hearts want to save them all, in reality by buying these puppies you fund the next litter. The only way to stop this kind of breeding is to stop buying them.

Examples I found online of teacup/pocket beagles

These are examples of 13 inch dogs from Kazuri – all health tested – genetics, heart, eyes, hips