“Designer dogs” can be striking animals, and you don’t need to look any further than a beagle lab mix if you want proof. Dubbed the Labbe (or in some cases, the Beagador), this dog’s angular features and sturdy lean body is a head-turner. But is he right for you?
A Look at this Looker
Like most hybrid dogs, there’s not a specific date as to when the Labbe first hit the scene. However, it is believed that this smooth-coated cross between a beagle and a Labrador Retriever originated in the United States.
It is also arguably one of the most distinctive-looking designer dogs around. It cultivates its unique appearance primarily because it typically retains a lot of the beagle’s distinguishing physical characteristics while being closer to the size of a lab. This is especially evident in the dog’s face, muzzle, and coat.
This unique juxtaposition makes the labbe essentially look like a jumbo beagle. As such, the features of a labbe’s face – in particular, the distinctively soft, soulful eyes – seems to be extrapolated to a much larger scale. This nearly gives the dog a puppy-like appearance, even when the dog is fully grown.
Of course, this doesn’t mean the lab is completely shut out of the genetic equation. The labbe gets its sturdy size and body frame from his lab genes. He’s not going to be as big as a lab, but he’ll still can get up to 24-inches tall. The dog also gets some of his unique coat colors from the lab, such as yellow, black, or chocolate.
What’s a Labbe’s Personality Like?
Even though the labbe hasn’t been around long enough to cultivate the kind of intimate personality profile usually reserved for a purebred, there is enough info out there to give you a ball park estimate of how this dog will operate, impact your life, and brighten your day.
In fact, one of the more distinguishing personality traits to a labbe serves as an example of perfect cross-breeding synergy. The parental breeds that create labbes are strong reputations as hunting dogs, but they aren’t without flaws. For instance, labs lack tracking skills, while beagles are known to struggle with retrieval skills.
A labbe doesn’t present this problem, as it captures the best hunting qualities from either breed to be a completely well-rounded hunting machine. This dog will use his hound nose to pick up and follow interesting scents, and will finish the job by bringing you back whatever you want him to.
One of the reasons he can pull off the latter is because of his intelligence. The dog’s brainpower allows him to pick up on things pretty quickly, provided you train him with a firm, diligent hand. When combined with the power of his schnozz, his intellect tends to make him a pooch prone to curiosity, especially in an outdoor setting.
Unlike beagles, who can come with a notoriously stubborn streak, labbes tend to be easily adaptable like a lab. It’s playful nature and gentle, patient demeanor makes him an outstanding choice if you have kids in your home. Because he has an outgoing personality, he’ll most likely revel in your kids’ attention.
A Labbe at Play
Labbes love the outdoors, and will take advantage of any outdoor situation you choose to afford him. This obviously extends to land, where he can use his nose to find all sorts of fun and interesting mischief to get involved with. But it also leads him to water, as labbes are excellent swimmers that love to chill and play in and around the wet stuff.
What to Expect When You Bring a Labbe Into Your Home
A labbe is a high-energy dog that will be looking for ways to burn off that fuel as much as possible. If you don’t provide an outlet for him to do so, he could end up engaging in some rather destructive behavior. His love for the outdoors practically makes having a backyard or large living space a must – this is not a dog suitable for apartment life.
You and your labbe buddy can enjoy daily leashed walks to keep him happy. When you’re not exercising, you can tap into his retriever roots by engaging in a rousing game of fetch in your back yard. Because the dog is so bright, he makes a pretty natural candidate for various dog sports like flyball and Frisbee.
One word of warning here: As your labbe matures, he may develop a penchant for laziness, which is an infamous trait beagles possess. It’s up to you to become more proactive over time and encourage him to keep moving. If you don’t, you can have an obese, unhealthy dog on your hands in no time.
This is particularly relevant because this is a dog that could eat you out of house and home if you let him. While you should feed him high-quality dog food to maximize his health, you should be diligent in controlling his food intake. As a rule, you should stick to a daily dose of 1 ½ to 2 ½ cups, depending on age and lifestyle.
Labbes and Training
A Labbe’s sheer intelligence and occasional stubborn streak may make this dog somewhat difficult to train. In order to be successful, it’s imperative you remain patient and firm with him, lest he decides you’re not worthy of “alpha dog” status. If you’re not up for this challenge, the labbe may not be the right dog for you.
One thing you may want to pay special consideration to is getting your Labbe to stay put. This is an inquisitive hybrid that likes to go exploring if he picks up on an interesting smell. This could lead him to wander right off your property, or even dig a hole by your fence as a means to escape.
The best way to curb your dog’s wandering tendencies is to make sure he remains active and social. By routinely exposing him to the smells of the neighborhood, his inquisitive nature may decrease, as he’ll already know what’s on the other side of the proverbial gate.
Taking Care of your Labbe’s Grooming Needs
Because the Labbe has a short, dense coat, you won’t have to worry about doing too much coat maintenance on the breed in order for him to look his best. You’ll just need to brush it about once a week, and it will look healthy and shiny.
Arguably, the trickiest part of grooming a Labbe is tending to his nails, as they tend to grow long like a purebred Labrador. The thing that makes this hard to gauge is that you may not need to groom them much at all. It really depends on where he’s active – if he does a lot of running on concrete, the nails will wear down naturally.
Of course, you’ll need to tend to other traditional aspects of grooming in order to keep your Labbe looking his best. This includes checking and cleaning his ears, teeth, and eyes on a frequent, routine basis.
What are the Primary Health Concerns of a Labbe?
Because Labbes are relatively new to the scene, they have a reputation to be healthier than your typical purebred. With that being said, there may be some genetic carryover from the dog’s parental breeds that makes them susceptible conditions associated with beagles or Labradors. Some of these issues may include dysplasia, eye diseases, or epilepsy.
You should prepare yourself for the Labbe in your life to be with you for quite some time. Typically, a Labbe will live 10 to 15 years. This hearty age range puts him in the same age range that your average beagle enjoys, whereas a Labrador’s range is 10 to 12 years.
How Much is a Labbe Going to Cost Me?
The average price of a Labbe is around $900. Even though you may not see people looking for show-quality versions of this hybrid since it’s not universally recognized by various registries, its special genetics and popularity conspire to drive up the cost a bit. If you want a Labbe but want to save money, consider going past the puppy phase.
This initial cost does not take into account the other costs typically associated with providing your Labbe with a long, healthy life. Expect to shell out extra cash for basic needs such as vet visits, registration, toys, trips to the groomer, and food – lots and lots of food.
A Welcome Addition to Your Family
A Labbe’s good looks and gentle nature may make you fall in love at first sight. That’s fine and all, but you still need to ensure that your home and lifestyle are ideally suited for his personality. If it isn’t, both of your lives may end up being fairly miserable.
But if you can provide a Labbe with all of the things that he needs to be a happy, healthy pooch, you’ll be welcoming a wonderful dog into your life; one that is full of intelligence, inquisitiveness, and playfulness. This is a dog that you will adore, and he’ll adore you right back.
Very good a article. Thank You!
As an owner of a Beagle/Lab mix, I can tell you that they can be very high energy which can get them into trouble. My dog trains well, but he can get over stimulated and difficult to control at times.