Beagle vs Jack Russell Terrier

Photo: Jonatan De Geest

Photo: Արարատ Թրվանց

Side by side

Beagle

Jack Russell Terrier

Adult weight

Males 17.3–22.4 kg (38–49 lb); females 14.5–19 kg (32–42 lb) (measured in UK vet records, n = 19,906, middle 50%)1

5–6 kg (11–13 lb)2

Lifespan

Median 12.5 years3

Median 13.3 years3

Fully grown

10 months, both sexes4

Group

Scent hounds5

Terriers2

Coat

Short coat5

Short coat or wire or harsh coat2

Shedding

Sheds through the year

No sourced figure

Grooming

A brush once a week

No sourced figure

Exercise

A moderate amount

Health

Dry eye (much more likely); Blood-vessel cancer (more likely)6,7

Cushing's syndrome (slightly more likely); Torn cruciate ligament in one knee (slightly more likely)8,9

Class

Family

Sport

Which suits you

Size

The Beagle is far larger: about 18 kg (40 lb) as an adult, against 5.5 kg (12 lb) for the Jack Russell Terrier.

Temperament

They differ most on loyalty (Beagle: friendly with everyone; Jack Russell Terrier: bonded to its family) and on intelligence (Beagle: learns readily, likes games; Jack Russell Terrier: needs daily brain work).

Alike

Both are rated the same on independence: decides for itself.

Neither is the better dog in general. Which suits you depends on your home, your days and the care you can give.

Take the breed matcher

What they're like

Beagle

Scent hounds · Medium

Bred to work in packs, the Beagle is sociable with people and other dogs, cheerful and inquisitive.

Jack Russell Terrier

Terriers · Small

In temperament it is lively, alert and bold, quick to learn and persistent once interested in something. It has a strong urge to chase and dig, and can be forthright with other dogs.

The Beagle page →The Jack Russell Terrier page →

Breed traits

Day to day

Beagle

Jack Russell Terrier

Activity

Differs

A good daily walk and play

Needs lots of exercise

Intelligence

Differs

Learns readily, likes games

Needs daily brain work

Handler demand

Differs

Needs steady training

Needs an experienced owner

With people

Beagle

Jack Russell Terrier

Affection

Affectionate on its own terms

Loyalty

Differs

Friendly with everyone

Bonded to its family

Independence

Decides for itself

Around the home

Beagle

Jack Russell Terrier

Sensitivity

Average

Voice

Very vocal

Prey drive

Likely to chase small pets

Breed explains only about 9% of how individual dogs differ in behaviour10. Meet the dog. A good breeder breeds for temperament as well as health, and matches each puppy's personality to the right home11,12.

Puppy growth

Reference curves · both sexes

Summary

Detail

The Beagle grows to the heavier adult, about 18 kg against the Jack Russell Terrier's 5.5 kg.

Beagle

Jack Russell Terrier

More comparisons

Compare the Beagle with

Jack Russell Terrier vs Parson Russell Terrier Jack Russell Terrier vs Rat Terrier Basset Hound vs Beagle Dachshund vs Jack Russell Terrier Chihuahua vs Jack Russell Terrier American Foxhound vs Beagle All breed comparisons →

Sources

1
VetCompass UK. Primary-care veterinary records. ↑
2
FCI. Breed standard no. 345. Fédération Cynologique Internationale. © FCI. ↑
www.fci.be/Nomenclature/Standards/345g03-en.pdf
3
McMillan et al., 2024. Longevity of companion dog breeds: those at risk from early death. Scientific Reports 14, 531 (VetCompass). CC BY 4.0. ↑
doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-50458-w
4
Hawthorne et al., 2004. Body-weight changes during growth in puppies of different breeds. Journal of Nutrition 134(8 Suppl): 2027S–2030S (WALTHAM). ↑
doi.org/10.1093/jn/134.8.2027S
5
FCI. Breed standard no. 161. Fédération Cynologique Internationale. © FCI. ↑
www.fci.be/Nomenclature/Standards/161g06-en.pdf
6
O'Neill et al., 2021. Keratoconjunctivitis sicca in dogs under primary veterinary care in the UK: an epidemiological study. CC BY 4.0. ↑
doi.org/10.1111/jsap.13382
7
Barry et al., 2025. Epidemiology of haemangiosarcoma diagnosed in dogs under primary veterinary care in the United Kingdom: Frequency and risk factors. CC BY 4.0. ↑
doi.org/10.1186/s44356-025-00041-4
8
Schofield et al., 2022. Frequency and risk factors for naturally occurring Cushing's syndrome in dogs attending UK primary‐care practices. CC BY 4.0. ↑
doi.org/10.1111/jsap.13450
9
Pegram et al., 2023. Risk factors for unilateral cranial cruciate ligament rupture diagnosis and for clinical management in dogs under primary veterinary care in the UK. CC BY 4.0. ↑
doi.org/10.1016/j.tvjl.2023.105952
10
Morrill et al., 2022. Ancestry-inclusive dog genomics challenges popular breed stereotypes. Science 376: eabk0639 (Darwin's Ark). ↑
doi.org/10.1126/science.abk0639
11
Dogs Trust. Finding a good, responsible breeder. ↑
www.dogstrust.org.uk/dog-advice/getting-dog/choosing-dog/finding-a-breeder
12
American Kennel Club. Screening puppy buyers: how top breeders find the best homes. ↑
www.akc.org/expert-advice/dog-breeding/screening-puppy-buyers-how-top-breeders-find-the-best-homes/
13
Salt et al., 2017. Growth standard charts for monitoring bodyweight in dogs of different sizes. PLoS ONE 12(9): e0182064 (WALTHAM). CC BY 4.0. ↑
doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0182064

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