Beagle Temperament
What's Good About 'Em,
What's Bad About 'Em
By Michele Welton. Copyright © 2000-2010
Beagles are conveniently-sized, handsome and easy-to-groom, friendly with people, peaceful with other pets, and with their appealing soulful expression, it's perfectly natural that many people consider them as potentially wonderful pets.
However, Beagles were developed as hunting dogs and they have many hunting dog behaviors "hardwired" into their genes.
Beagles need much more exercise than most people give them, which is why you see so many fat Beagles with health problems. Though they're often kept in city apartments or condos, they should not be. Beagles require long frequent walks and a fenced yard where they can stretch their legs off-leash -- FENCED because Beagles are explorers and chasers who will follow their nose wherever that fascinating sight or smell takes them, and since Beagles are endowed with selective deafness, they seldom come back when you call them.
In addition, you can't leave them outside unmonitored, for Beagles are prone to wanderlust and can be adept climbers and diggers. Also, Beagles left outside become bored and then they bay and howl and dig holes.
The Beagle's vast stubbornness and distractability call for early, consistent obedience training. Use food rewards to motivate him, but don't indulge too much or you'll end up with that portly Beagle I mentioned earlier. A Beagle is often found with his head buried in the garbage and he will cheerfully filch whatever morsels you leave within reach!
If you want a dog who...
A Beagle may be right for you. |
If you don't want to deal with...
- An extremely careful search to find good-tempered lines
- Providing a goodly amount of exercise, not just a couple of walks around the block
- Destructiveness when bored or not exercised enough
- An independent "what's in it for me?" attitude -- can be obstinate
- Keeping him on-leash or securely fenced
- Controlling baying and howling
- Slowness to housebreak
- Moderate to heavy shedding
- A distinctive doggy odor
- Concerns about a lot of potential health problems in the breed
A Beagle may not be right for you.
If I were considering buying or adopting a Beagle
My major concerns would be:
- Unstable temperaments. Obedience instructors and behavioral consultants see plenty of Beagles who are aggressive, fearful, or dysfunctionally neurotic. If you're considering a Beagle puppy, you need to look carefully at the temperament of BOTH parents, and if you're considering a Beagle adult dog, you need to temperament-test him before bringing him home (unless you're deliberately choosing a dog with an unstable temperament because you want to try to rehabilitate him).
- Providing enough exercise. Beagles don't need to run for miles, but they do need more exercise than the typical amble around the block that many owners give them. Beagles who don't get enough exercise not only become bored, destructive, and noisy, but also obese, which puts stress on their joints and causes more health problems. Beagles MUST have regular opportunities to stretch their legs and vent their energy, if you want them to remain healthy and fit.
Beagles are scenthounds, which means they will follow their nose wherever it leads them. You cannot trust these dogs off-leash. They will take off -- oblivious to your frantic shouts -- after anything that emits an odor or runs.
- Fence security. Many Beagles are clever escape artists who will go over or under fences in search of adventure. You may need higher fences than you might imagine for their small size. They can climb chain link. You may also need to sink wire into the ground along the fence line to thwart digging. Gates should have the highest quality locks, as some of these dogs can open flimsy latches.
- Stubbornness. Beagles are independent thinkers who don't particularly care about pleasing you. Most Beagles are stubborn and can be manipulative. You must show them, through absolute consistency, that you mean what you say. (Food is a great motivator with Beagles, but if you give too much and don't provide commensurate exercise, you'll end up with a fat, unhealthy Beagle.)
- Housebreaking. Expect four to six months of consistent crate training.
- Noise. Beagles should never be left outside in your yard, unsupervised. Their mournful baying and howling will have your neighbors calling the cops to report the nuisance, or quietly letting your Beagle out of his yard so he'll wander away and stop disturbing them.
To learn more about training Beagles to be calm and well-behaved, consider my dog training book,
Teach Your Dog 100 English Words.
It's a unique Vocabulary and Respect Training Program that will make your Beagle the smartest, most well-behaved companion you've ever had.
Teaches your dog to listen to you, to pay attention to you, and to do whatever you ask him to do. - Shedding and doggy odor. For such a shorthaired dog, Beagles shed much more than you might think, and have a definite doggy odor.
- Finding a healthy one and keeping him healthy. Beagles can suffer from a long list of eye diseases, as well as skin conditions, ear infections, hypothyroidism, epilepsy, heart disease, and more.
My dog buying guide, How To Buy a Good Dog, will teach you everything you need to know about finding a healthy Beagle. Health problems have become so widespread in dogs today that this book is required reading for ANYONE who is thinking of getting a purebred, crossbred, or mixed breed dog.
If you'd like to consult with me personally about whether a Beagle might be a good dog breed for your family, I offer a Dog Breed Consulting Service.
Once you have your Beagle home, you need to KEEP him healthy -- or if he's having any current health problems, you need to get him back on the road to good health.
My dog health care book, 11 Things You Must Do Right To Keep Your Dog Healthy and Happy is the book you need. Raise your dog the right way and you will be helping him live a longer, healthier life while avoiding health problems and unnecessary veterinary expenses.
Please consider adopting an ADULT Beagle...
When you're acquiring a Beagle PUPPY, you're acquiring potential -- what he one day will be. So "typical breed characteristics" are very important.
But when you acquire an adult dog, you're acquiring what he already IS and you can decide whether he is the right dog for you based on that reality. There are plenty of adult Beagles who have already proven themselves NOT to have negative characteristics that are "typical" for their breed. If you find such an adult dog, don't let "typical breed negatives" worry you. Just be happy that you found an atypical individual -- and enjoy!
Save a life. Adopt a dog.
Adopting a Dog From a Dog Breed Rescue Group
Adopting a Dog From the Animal Shelter
Copyright © 2000-2010 by Michele Welton. All rights reserved.
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