heroeswit Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 So my sister has become very interested in Beagles. She won't be getting one for at least a year while she is at TAFE. I'm just wanting to know what other people think of the breed and if you have other dogs with your beagle and what breeds the other dogs are as we will have 2-3 White Swiss Shepherds when she will be able to get the Beagle puppy. Also what do you like about them? How easy are they to train? What things should we know about before we bring the puppy home? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inka3095 Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 I took a foster beagle in for a few months. She was about 3 years old, I had never owned beagles before and I just about died when I got her home... She was the naughtiest, cheekiest, most stubborn, most curious, intractable dog I have EVER known. I had no success toilet training her in the months I had her even though I did every single toilet training method known to man and was super vigilant the entire time. I couldn't turn my back on her for 1 second, or she'd be eating, chewing, peeing, or destroying something else. She destroyed my back yard, was impossible to walk nicely (sniff sniff, change direction, pull tug, sniff sniff) and hated being in enclosed spaces so it was hard to know where to put her for any period of time without SOMETHING else being dismantled or destroyed (she chewed a door frame almost in 2 when I put her in the bathroom for an hour once while I was out). That being said... I have never fallen in love with a dog faster. I honestly will never forget her, her gorgeous little face, her mannerisms, her peaceful nature, how she loved everything and everyone (except enclosed spaces)... I loved how pretty she was, how sweet natured and she made me laugh just about every minute of each day. She would do anything for chicken, so she was surprisingly easy to train with all the usual stuff (sit, stay, roll over, shake etc), but toilet training? nooo never! First time owner? Mmmm I wouldn't recommend it... if I hadn't had the help of a VERY experienced beagle owner I honestly don't know what would have happened. I've owned dogs my entire life but have never experienced the tornado that was a beagle and would be careful about doing it again. I would LOVE to do it again, mind you, but I'd need a lot more time on my hands for it to be fair for such a full-on dog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poodlefan Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 (edited) I don't own a Beagle myself so these are just observations Pros They are generally very affable - get on well with dogs and people - many seem very affectionate. Short easy care coat Generally pretty healthy dogs Manageable size for most folk Cons As scent hounds, they can be easily distracted by scents - this makes them unsuitable for offlead walking unless you have done a hell of a lot of training and even then, not near roads. A lot of Beagles lose their lives to cars because owners don't follow that advice - if they get on a scent they will go for km's. They can be challenging to train - not impossible but as easy as some breeds. People get frustrated with them because they're not floppy eared Border Collies - they will plant their noses on the ground and follow scent because that's what they were bred to do. If that would frustrate you, don't get one. Roaming - 4 out of 4 pet Beagle owners I know locally have had their dogs either jump the fence or get away walking and disappear. In two of those cases, the results were fatal for the dog - hit by car. Here's a breed evaluation you might like to breed. However I don't think we have the same issues with temperament that they see in the USA. Edited January 21, 2011 by poodlefan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
claireybell Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 I would never suggest a Beagle for a first time dog owner. I have one and I adore her BUT she needs alot of discipline. I find most Beagles are extremely clever, sometimes to clever for their own good. They need to be kept mentally occupie or they will destroy not only your house and garden but also your life! I find my Beagle very easy to train. She picks up new tricks very easily but trying to get her to not bench surf or snatch food is a constant battle that I think I am losing. Jodie is my first ever Beagle and now that I have her I would always own a Beagle. But then again I love a challenge!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dunnwarren Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 My sister has a beagle, she has almost ruined her backyard. Dug up trees etc so now they have fences around all their trees to try to save them. The dog comes inside but my sister/brother-in-law have to watch her like a hawk or she sneaks things outside and chews them all up. Not a breed for a beginner I don't think. Looks can be deceiving lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosmolo Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 I LOVE beagles and LOVE training them. They are on my list of dogs to own one day. If getting one from a puppy, with correct socialisation and training there is no reason why they can't be obedient and settled. Their sociability is a huge plus- i LOVE their personality and confidence with people and other dogs generally. The downsides are the work required to get a good recall (it can be done) and the stimulation requirements to limit destructive behaviour. I do believe that beagles do better with either a companion dog OR an owner that doesn't work full time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
claireybell Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 . I do believe that beagles do better with either a companion dog OR an owner that doesn't work full time. Totally agree with this. My beagle was aquired because my cocker was lonely while I was at work. Jodie is happiest when with other people or dogs. She is extremely unhappy and destructive when left alone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poodlefan Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 (edited) . I do believe that beagles do better with either a companion dog OR an owner that doesn't work full time. Totally agree with this. My beagle was aquired because my cocker was lonely while I was at work. Jodie is happiest when with other people or dogs. She is extremely unhappy and destructive when left alone. Folk need to remember their original function - pack hunting. This is a dog developed to live harmoniously with other dogs and to perform a job. Not an animal to isolate in a back yard and fail to exercise without consquences. Edited January 21, 2011 by poodlefan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kavik Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 I took a foster beagle in for a few months. She was about 3 years old, I had never owned beagles before and I just about died when I got her home...She was the naughtiest, cheekiest, most stubborn, most curious, intractable dog I have EVER known. I had no success toilet training her in the months I had her even though I did every single toilet training method known to man and was super vigilant the entire time. I couldn't turn my back on her for 1 second, or she'd be eating, chewing, peeing, or destroying something else. She destroyed my back yard, was impossible to walk nicely (sniff sniff, change direction, pull tug, sniff sniff) and hated being in enclosed spaces so it was hard to know where to put her for any period of time without SOMETHING else being dismantled or destroyed (she chewed a door frame almost in 2 when I put her in the bathroom for an hour once while I was out). My parents adopted a rescue Beagle and this is pretty much my experience with them Except the one they had was bitey as well, very naughty, you could hear him howling from the other end of the street, would bark and howl in a crate and you couldn't leave him unattended or he would steal or eat something and one at the vet I worked at could open any kind of cage, they had to tie the cage shut and put him in a harness with the harness upside down (or he could get out of it) and tie him in or he would wander around the clinic and steal stuff I wouldn't own one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 yep- the beagle puppies are so cute it should be illegal then they grow up! From the little I know- they do much better in a 'pack' and do not have that dependence on humans which many dogs do...... their nose rules! I think perhaps something else for a first-timer? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inka3095 Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 That's very true, my beagle was affectionate but only on her terms. Everything was on her terms! She loved food, but smells and scents trumped everything. Once I almost got turned into a human knot at the local park when she discovered something that smelled good. I've never seen a dog move so fast and change directions so rapidly. My arm was almost wrenched out of its socket trying to keep up with her and she was only little lol. I've owned kelpies, BCs, pointers and fostered a staffy/kelpie - all those dogs wanted to please humans first, and acted accordingly, the beagle wanted to please herself, and IF that also made me happy, then it was a bonus, but if it didn't, then that didn't bother her too much lol. It took a lot of getting used to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heroeswit Posted January 21, 2011 Author Share Posted January 21, 2011 Thanks for the replies so far. I forgot to add in the original post that I will be living with her and we will have at least two other dogs. She would have me there to help with training and discipline. She has helped train some of our other dogs and we would be walking ur dogs for a minimum of an hour a day all our dogs would be together so it would be in a pack. Hopefully when we may get the Beagle I should be working from home so they would have someone there most of the time. I forgot to ask how may they go with cats? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazy beagle lady Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 it’s really simple...your either a beagle person or you’re not! There’s nothing in between :D They are AMAZING, There will never be another breed for me (other than the rest of the scent hound group!), they LOVE love, They love their humans, they are independent yet loving, life is generally on their terms but if you have a sense of humour and are able to look outside the square you will spend every day laughing with a beagle in it; they like to be paid to work (don’t we all) their payment can be offered in food, love or attention and if you pay in all 3 you have the right currency! They are NOT stupid, the only thing stupid about 90% of beagles that end up in rescue are their former owners who only purchased them because don burke said they were good with kids or because they looked good in a pet shop window/had to save them from the pet shop. Beagles are exceptionally clever, they love problems/puzzle solving, they can be taught to do just about anything if you put the time and effort in to them. My guys make me work as hard for them as they do for me. They are great to crate train, adaptable to take just about anywhere and open to experiencing most new environments! Exercising a beagle mentally as well as physically is easy as each new environment for them is a mind exercise as they engulf all the scents around them whole! They require mental stimulation as much as they do physical and it’s so much fun as they love working for their dinner and that means a tired beagle is a well behaved beagle! Our beagles love doing nothing more than hitting the yard, doing scent work and retiring to the couch to snore the evening away! Like any breed of puppy that you bring home if you are willing to put the time, effort and training into the beagle pup you will have a great dog. Yes they can be destructive BUT most cases of major destruction are because people leave them as a solo dog in their yards for 12+ hours a day. This breed like so many others is not designed to be solo, they are a pack dog and they thrive with their dog and human pack. They have opinions on the world which they sometimes like to share; they can suffer from selective deafness and have a love affair with food that can make most labs look tame! They can be prone to head down, bum up wandering behaviours but if you work with them they can be taught a reliable recall in the right circumstances (except for my evil beagle Charlie!), they love affection, attention but are also happy to take themselves off and do their own thing. They love to be involved with their humans and are generally fantastic with all other dogs etc Yes they hold the world championship titles for bench surfing, nicker/sock thieving and many will even convince you they haven’t been fed for weeks, they can manoeuvre through fencing at the speed of light and a open front door can be an invitation that most hound owners don’t want taken up BUT some of the best dogs I have ever met are beagles! Many of our families have gone above and beyond in their training and the results we see are amazing, they are as adaptable and eager as you encourage them to be. There are several beagle owners here on DOL who have done amazing work with their beagles too and it’s been great watching their progression. We have beagles who work at AQIS, Termite detection, origin energy, assistance/therapy dogs etc so don’t ever let anyone tell you they can’t be trained (that’s my pet hate). IMO hounds are best to be raised with cats/rabbits etc, keep in mind these are scent hounds and like any dog they do what they are bred to do I have NEVER had a dull, boring or uneventful day since I came home with my first beagles. They make me laugh every day and I for one won’t complain about the amount of times we roar with laughter at their daily antics! Younger beagles can have very high energy levels but if they are given the right amount of stimulation and have a like minded doggie friend of the same energy level they are easy to deal with. If you decide to get a beagle puppy I can only encourage you to train him/her from day 1, crate training, socialisation and general obedience will make a huge difference to surviving beagle puppyhood and teenage years! Older beagles are a gift from the heavens, until you have had the joy of one of the oldies you haven’t really lived! I find the girls are generally more independent than the boys and the boys more clown like and goofy. I have never met a tan and white that I haven’t wanted to steal (yes monkey, one day you will be mine!) and I really can’t tell you how amazing this breed is. My suggestion would be to spend time with some beagle people and their beagles; you will see we generally have a wicked sense of humour! If you are looking for a fun loving, independent, curious, occasionally wilful, clever, cloth eared couch loving comic then a beagle might just be for you! Ps the only thing better than 1 beagle is several beagles! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 What ? Ive lived with them and loved them now for around 35 years and Im not sure that some of you are talking about the same breed! They are easy to train if you train them like hounds and not like labs or GSDs. They dont dig anywhere near as much as any other breed Ive ever lived with and the only management issue I would say is that they are scent hounds and when their noses cut in they are deaf and have no road sense. As long as you are consistent and everyone in the house knows the rules and sticks to them - they are great. When they are good treat them when they are not a loud noise - easy. Dont reward bad behaviour reward the good. They are fine on their own and with people who work as long as that's what they are used to. I often see someone who takes 6 weeeks off work when the puppy arrives and the kids are home on holidays. No one leaves the dog alone and it becomes accustomed to company and attention.Then they go back to work, kids go back to school and the dog is left alone. Give in once - you're a gonna. Cute puppy at the back door crying to get in - "Oh poor little thing isnt it cute - its just a baby let it in" - next thing complaint the dog is at the back door crying and scratching to get in - if we dont let it in it goes for hours. Shouldnt have rewarded it when it cried - should have waited till it was quiet before you let it in. I can have 6 week old puppies lined up with their toes on the crack in the floor between the dining room and kitchen -not stepping in the kitchen waiting for food. There's a crazy lady in there who makes big loud noises if we go in and if we wait here for a minute and be quiet we will be fed. Ive placed a hell of a lot of them in homes with first time owners, no other dogs, people out all day, with kids, with no kids,with landscaped gardens without a problem. You just need to know how to live with them from day one and ensure they know the rules. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JulesP Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 I love beagles. Other people's beagles They are a breed that never fail to make me laugh, usually at the owners expense One used to be in my agility class and he was great and went well until he had a 'beagle moment' and then he would be just gone! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelpiekaye Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 I once had a Beagle. I spent most of my life looking for him. We lived on a rural property in NZ and he was in all my nearest neighbours family photographs. They encouraged him to come over until the day he stole their roast dinner off the table He was very intelligent but not easy to train. I will never forget my dog training instructor telling me he wasnt sitting straight, I told her she was lucky he was sitting at all. He was great with people and other dogs and all the variety of animals we had. He was happiest hunting rabbits and I was lucky we could accomodate him with regular hunting outings. I take my hat off to people with well trained beagles. Not a dog for a first time owner, but very hard puppy to resist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tralee Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 Can't lose a Beagle. They are a nose attached to a dog. After running into the scrub at Trentham after a Wallaby after dusk, and having given him up for lost, my first dog hiked several kilometres over creeks and unused bush tracks to arrive at our cabin where he'd never been before. Brilliant dogs. Still miss him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tralee Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 I once had a Beagle. I spent most of my life looking for him. We lived on a rural property in NZ and he was in all my nearest neighbours family photographs. They encouraged him to come over until the day he stole their roast dinner off the table He was very intelligent but not easy to train. I will never forget my dog training instructor telling me he wasnt sitting straight, I told her she was lucky he was sitting at all. He was great with people and other dogs and all the variety of animals we had. He was happiest hunting rabbits and I was lucky we could accomodate him with regular hunting outings.I take my hat off to people with well trained beagles. Not a dog for a first time owner, but very hard puppy to resist. Sorry kelpiekaye Disagree completely. My dog could cross a four lane road, from the other side of the road, and stop on command at the centre of the road. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelpiekaye Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 I once had a Beagle. I spent most of my life looking for him. We lived on a rural property in NZ and he was in all my nearest neighbours family photographs. They encouraged him to come over until the day he stole their roast dinner off the table He was very intelligent but not easy to train. I will never forget my dog training instructor telling me he wasnt sitting straight, I told her she was lucky he was sitting at all. He was great with people and other dogs and all the variety of animals we had. He was happiest hunting rabbits and I was lucky we could accomodate him with regular hunting outings.I take my hat off to people with well trained beagles. Not a dog for a first time owner, but very hard puppy to resist. Sorry kelpiekaye Disagree completely. My dog could cross a four lane road, from the other side of the road, and stop on command at the centre of the road. As I say if it was a Beagle I take my hat off to you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hilaryo Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 Can't add much to that Tam Beagles are awesome.....mostly Seriously, most beagles can be stubborn, have selective deafness and yes their nose rules their brain. I know of beagles that have driven their owners to distraction but mostly, ours are easy peezy once out of baby puppyhood and not destructive at all. As long as they are not overweight they love to be busy and active but as Tam said they are also the ultimate couch potatoes and make excellent bed companions. I have never had trouble with toilet training but I never trust a beagle with food or a garbage bin within their reach when no one is around. Beagles like most dogs need to be part of your life and generally will always be happier with another friendly dog as a companion. I only had a couple of years involvement with beagle rescue (out now) but you get to see first hand how many beagles are sold to the wrong homes. Sure they don't all become a problem when housed outside but they deserve to live inside with their family as they are the ultimate "love bugs" when given the chance and have been specifically bred as a pack hound. A lone beagle is a sad beagle IMO. All of the above is a generalisation and beagle have different personalities like any dog and are largly conditioned by their environment and training. Not forgeting the first 8 weeks at the breeders home - how much they are handled and socialised plays a part too. As I said just my opinon.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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