Originally Posted By: Henry's MomAww, that stinks! I was thinking the pups were young, just a few days old. But like Donna said, what a fabulous mix! I bet their temperaments will be amazing, plus I think both labs and beagles are beautiful. I love my beagle mix more than any purebred
Many crossbreeds are lovely dogs, but unfortunately there is never any guarantee on what you'll end up with. You could get the best of both breeds or have the less desirable traits be dominant. Unfortunately there are no guarantees when you breed crossbreeds, they do not have the predictability that purebreds do. Without a doubt every one of the pups in this litter will grow up to be of different type, size, temperament etc. There are just so many variables when you breed crossbreeds that you will never know what you end up with.
You also need to consider the size difference between a lab and a beagle. Not only is that very dangerous for the bitch to whelp pups that have been sired by a dog so much bigger than her, but it can mean that pups may develop serious joint and structural problem as they grow.
Labs are very prone to hip displaysia, and I bet because this was an accidental mating, that the lab that sired this litter was never x-rayed to have his hips scored like reputable do before they breed their labs.
Another thing to consider is that labs and beagles are very different breeds bred for very different purposes - labs are gundogs and beagles are scent hounds.
Hopefully, this mating was a once off, and the OP will never make the same mistake again - I'm sure he will be extra vigilant if he ever mates his bitch again
I also hope he finds homes that thoroughly understand and are prepared for the fact that there is no way to tell what their pup will grow up to be like and that they would be a suitable home for either a lab or a beagle.
ETA: To the OP, I think it would be a great experience for you to join your local beagle club or find a breeder to mentor you. A good breeder would have been able to tell the instant the pups were born that they weren't purebred, having an experienced breeder act as your breed mentor would be able to help you with these things and give you a way to learn as much as you can about breeding great beagles.