A Beagle looks like the dog on a greeting card: long ears, sad-happy eyes, a size that fits in a car. Under the card is a hound bred to follow a scent for miles and to tell the hunter, loudly, when the scent is worth following. People meet the face. The nose, the bay, and the open gate arrive later.
They are affectionate, sturdy, and funny. They are a poor choice if the plan was a dog who comes back when called and keeps his thoughts to himself.