Beagle Temperament
What's Good About 'Em,
What's Bad About 'Em
By Michele Welton. Copyright © 2000-2010
The Beagle of good breeding is happy, good-natured, and playful.
Though adaptable to a city lifestyle of daily walks, he is not an apartment dog. Beagles require a fenced yard where they can stretch their legs off-leash -- FENCED because Beagles are obsessive explorers and chasers who will follow their nose right across the freeway if that's where that fascinating smell went. Most Beagles do not come back when you call them.
In addition, your fences need to be SECURE, for Beagles are prone to wanderlust and can be adept climbers and diggers.
Friendly with people and other pets, the Beagle actually does better in a home with another dog, for he is a sociable pack animal.
His vast stubbornness and tendency to gaze around at all the interesting sights and sounds call for early, consistent obedience training. Use food rewards to motivate him, but don't indulge too much or you'll end up with a portly Beagle. He is often found with his head buried in the garbage and he will cheerfully steal 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 and avoid all the neurotic 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 very stubborn
- Keeping your dog on-leash or securely fenced -- Beagles will run away, oblivious to your calls, when an interesting scent catches their attention
- Slowness to housebreak
- Controlling baying and howling
- 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. Many Beagles are offered for sale by people who don't have the slightest idea how to breed family companions. Obedience instructors and behavioral consultants see plenty of Beagles who are neurotic, aggressive, or dysfunctionally fearful.
- 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 not Golden Retrievers. They are independent thinkers who don't particularly care about pleasing you. Most Beagles are very 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. Beagles tend to resist being told what to do, and housebreaking is no exception. 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. Their hairs come off on your hands when you pet them, and stick tenaciously to your clothing, upholstery, and carpeting. Be prepared for vacuuming. And the hound breeds do have a definite doggy odor.
- Finding a healthy one. 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 puppy. 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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