Lucy

Australian Shepherds are a beautiful breed with merle coats, high energy, and and an obsession with being close to their families. These dogs are wonderful family companions, but be prepared to keep them active and occupied to avoid having a sad, destructive Aussie. Full-grown, they typically weigh 40-65 pounds and stand 18-23 inches tall.

Australian Shepherds are generally excellent with children of all ages. Australian Shepherds are great companion for kids and other pets, especially if they’re socialized as puppies. These dogs can be happy in warm or cool climates, but they need plenty of space to run and play and should have their primary living space indoors. They're moderate barkers — they'll alert you when something's up but aren't excessive.

Aussies need a lot of high-energy activities and mental stimulation to keep them happy. They’re the perfect exercise buddies, especially for families that like being outdoors. Take your Australian Shepherd for a run, hike, or a long play session in a big backyard to keep their hearts soaring and their minds sharp. Overall, their exercise needs are very high.

The Australian Shepherd has a dense undercoat and outer coat with medium to long hair that’s straight or slightly wavy. Aussies’ fur is short and soft on their head and legs, with a thick mane around the neck. These dogs can be black, red, red merle (dark patches on a light background), or blue merle, and some may have white markings or tan points too. Grooming-wise, this breed is low-maintenance.

Australian Shepherds are best suited for a home with a yard, though they can adapt to apartment life with enough exercise. These dogs can be happy in warm or cool climates, but they need plenty of space to run and play and should have their primary living space indoors. They are highly trainable and eager to learn.

Beagles are small dogs with incredibly powerful noses. They love hunting and will follow any interesting scent they come across. Beagles are friendly and playful, but they do like to do things their own way. If you’re okay with a strong-minded dog, a Beagle’s spunky, fun and friendly personality will steal your heart. Full-grown, they typically weigh 20-30 pounds and stand 13-15 inches tall.

Beagles are generally excellent with children of all ages. They are friendly playmates with children and most other dogs. Beagles can learn to get along with cats if raised with them, but remember, they’re hunting dogs, so keep an eye on them when they’re together just to be sure. They're fairly vocal dogs that bark regularly.

Beagles love hunting, but their favorite part about this activity is being allowed to follow their nose to their heart's content. If you’re a hunter, take them with you in the field and you’ll have a faithful ally always. They’ll also enjoy long walks or hikes, especially if you let them stick their nose around to investigate what else has been in the area. Overall, their exercise needs are high.

A Beagle’s short hair is relatively low-maintenance. Brushing their hair or going through it with a hound mitt once or twice a week will get rid of anything they’ve brought back into the house with them and help remove dead hair. Beagles do shed, but these weekly brushings will help cut back on the amount of hair you find in your house. Grooming-wise, this breed is low-maintenance.

Beagles are best suited for a home with a yard, though they can adapt to apartment life with enough exercise. The happiest Beagles have access to a large, safe, outdoors play area but can come back inside to live with their families. They are moderately trainable with consistent effort.