Living with a Beagle

Living With a Beagle

Is A Beagle Right For You?

Beagles are WONDERFUL, but they are not for everyone. They might be described as 'high energy couch-potatoes'! Ours race madly around the yard in a pack on a regular basis - and then we'll find them in a sleepy pile (sometimes in the midst of all the destruction they've caused). They are entertaining if you can stand a little disorder. On the other hand, if you are too laid back about your housekeeping, your beagle will almost certainly get into trouble - they eat anything and so many things you wouldn't think they'd even try. Best to have nothing mouth-sized lying around, period! They have no qualms about finding something of yours if you don't get them a collection of their own articles to gnaw on. Good, sturdy toys - and plenty of them - are essential for this fun loving breed. They retain their playfulness late into life. Many love to be a clown and throw their own toys or play hide and seek, some love to hide their treasures (maybe under the sofa cushions). In other words, they are very busy! You obviously can't go out for the day leaving a Beagle loose in the house. Crate training is essential - once they are used to the idea they embrace the opportunity for a nice nap, and you can come home secure in the knowledge that your house - and your beagle - are safe and sound.

Beagles love company. Of course, they are 'pack' hounds and traditionally spent all their time together in large groups, just hanging out together. Left alone in an apartment a Beagle will be VERY unhappy, and will make you and your neighbours very unhappy too. As I said, they love company, but they are adaptable. In the absence of a pack of beagles to hang out with, they'll happily substitute you and your undivided attention. Another dog or even a cat can make all the difference when you can't play.

I hope you don't have your heart set on having a 'loyal' dog who will follow you everywhere. If that's your idea of a dog, look elsewhere - a beagle is not for you! He is affectionate, but independent. When that famous nose turns 'ON', every other sense turns 'OFF'. Your Beagle will not hear you calling, or think to look before running across the road. Remember Beagles were bred originally to follow the scent of their quarry (usually bunnies) all day if necessary, needing little or no direction from their huntsman. Can we realistically expect them to suddenly decide they are obedient? Of course not. So be resigned to the fact that your Beagle will never, NEVER be off leash anywhere except a very securely fenced yard. Think you can train your beagle to go off lead? The fact is, you can't. Beagles are scent hounds, bred to hunt with their noses, following a scent until they're nearly exhausted. Although with a great deal of perseverance, you can train a beagle to reliably come to you when called much of the time, they will never be 100% reliable, especially if they are following a scent. For this reason, beagles cannot be trusted in a non-fenced yard or off a leash.

Your garden will never be the same - hope you're not an avid gardener. Anything you plant, the Beagle will happily dig up and present to you on the doorstep (unless he eats it first). Even full-grown trees are not immune to the Beagle's amazing gardening abilities.

Oh - and that 'AROOOOO', this was the way Beagles told their pack they were 'on the trail' so don't be surprised to hear this music, especially if squirrels or other critters sometimes pass through your yard. Many Beagle lovers adore this sound but - I'm not sure all their neighbors agree! While Beagles are not yappy, they bark at strangers or potential threats (like the neighbor's cat). A solid wooden fence is best - if he can't see all those interesting things that pass by he won't bark at them. Boredom is the biggest reason a dog will be a nuisance with his barking so make sure your Beagle is part of the family, not left to amuse himself all day long.

Food...oh yes! Beagles actually eat VERY little as they have a tendency to become chubby and so you must feed them sparingly - NO tidbits from the table! You'll also have to lock up the doggie food (and people food too) in sturdy containers and out of the Beagle's reach - your kitchen may soon look like Fort Knox! Of course, your Beagle will think he's starving and so will eat everything and anything... pantyhose, Lego, speaker wire and tennis balls. Make sure you have puppy proofed REALLY well or you'll be spending a lot of time at the vet's.

Most Beagles after a set of Obedience classes will spend most of their day exactly the same as before the Obedience classes - but they WILL know all those cool tricks to show off to your friends (assuming they co-operate at the appropriate time). Beagles are best trained using only positive methods and do particularly well using food as a motivator. They are active and ready for a game anytime, and are well suited to homes where somebody will spend time with them. Their personality sparkles when they are the center of your attention. Beagles make excellent therapy dogs, their reputation for gentleness is well earned. Mature Beagles have an intuition when Humans are sad or hurt and they of course want to "make it better" or just lend a shoulder or ear. Beagles have helped many a troubled Teen through those tough years...making excellent sounding boards who never criticize. They aren't great at playing video games either so the teen always wins.

All this being said your Beagle will be the most insightful and fulfilling friend. There is nothing in the world like them...when mature they know when to be cuddly, when you'd like to play games or when you need a friend... when they are young they have this all screwed up and delight at dropping toys on your face just when you've given in to the exhaustion of having a puppy in the house and decided to take a little nap.