Beagles? xp

[Pacing_Mare]

Posted this over in the pets but they said I might have a lot of luck over here so thought I’d give it a shot.

I had a friend contact me on FB she had a litter that’s ready to go and asked if I’d like one since she knew I was on the puppy hunt.

I had one when I was a kid but that was forever ago. I was also curious about how to introduce my girl to one if we got one.

But I would like to know the good/ the bad and the ugly on the breed. Since I did have one when I was a kid & he was a great dog. And my first dog so of course he was wonderful.

[rivenoak]

I can’t speak on AKC beagles, but I currently have two beagles who were bred for the pack with whom I hunt.

They’re about 14 months old, so they are a handful. Smart, but hard-headed in a hunting-hound way.

We’ve had the male for almost a year. We just got the female a few weeks ago. He’s now a decent house pet; she’ll get there.

They are mostly quiet, barking once in a while at something while outside. They don’t howl or bay.

They are food-motivated!

He’s a confirmed chicken killer. I would be very careful with small animals around either one of them. Their hunting drive is strong, despite never having been formally hunted with the pack.

They are snuggle-bugs and sleep in the bed with us.

She is very needy, attention-wise. Him, not so much. He likes people, but he doesn’t have be be physically on you all the time.

They like to follow me everywhere I go and want to know everything that is going on.

They have an Every Night Beagle Fight around 9p on the bed.

It’s more fun to have two.

You can see some of their pictures on my other posts in this forum.

Is your girl a kid or another animal?

[TexasRose]

As a child our family had a Beagle (a male “Sam”). He had the best temperament, loved to go on walks and to run run run. As an adult I had 2 (a female “Belle” and a male “Sam”) but not at the same time. They were very much home-bodies and LOVED to eat, play and snuggle. Could never leave food unattended… did I say they LOVED to eat. I have always liked Beagles…

[HPFarmette]

They’re all individuals but…

Beagles I have known have lots of bark and wanderlust.

[Hounds]

We’ve got three now and have had two others, both ex-hunting pack members and ones we’ve adopted from shelters. All but one have had the most terrific, friendly temperaments, and we haven’t had any problems with wanderlust. The one with the unfriendly temperament was one of two shelter adoptees we’ve had. Both clearly had been abused before winding up at shelters; the other one had the best personality and temperament of any dog we’ve ever had.

All have been remarkably easy to housetrain.

Now that we have a mini-pack of four dogs, they will get barking sometimes, but I was always amazed with the two single beagles I’ve had that they weren’t howlers.

I don’t have any experience with AKC beagles, but, as regards health problems, two of our five beagles have been prone to seizures, but in both cases these are/were easily controlled with phenobarbital, which thankfully is very inexpensive.

Only one of our beagles has been a digger at all.

In general, they are smart and can be stubborn, and they do need a lot of exercise. We successfully have kept all of ours in a suburban yard, so it can be done! In general, they are extremely cheerful, playful dogs who are governed by their noses and their desire for food!

Hounds

[SendenHorse]

@rivenoak;5866737

I can’t speak on AKC beagles, but I currently have two beagles who were bred for the pack with whom I hunt.

They’re about 14 months old, so they are a handful. Smart, but hard-headed in a hunting-hound way.

We’ve had the male for almost a year. We just got the female a few weeks ago. He’s now a decent house pet; she’ll get there.

They are mostly quiet, barking once in a while at something while outside. They don’t howl or bay.

They are food-motivated!

He’s a confirmed chicken killer. I would be very careful with small animals around either one of them. Their hunting drive is strong, despite never having been formally hunted with the pack.

They are snuggle-bugs and sleep in the bed with us.

She is very needy, attention-wise. Him, not so much. He likes people, but he doesn’t have be be physically on you all the time.

They like to follow me everywhere I go and want to know everything that is going on.

agree with this post…my dog is very smart, wants to be with me all the time, very very food obsessed, and can’t be trusted off leash. Needy, a total lap dog. I really enjoy this breed after having other dogs. My dog isn’t overly hyper, doesn’t need lots of exercize but definitely needs lots of “activity” each day—playing “games” with us, playing with the cat, etc. My dog is two now.

[smokygirl]

My brother had 2.

they didn’t bark or bay… if they were inside at night. They could be out in the day fine, but if they were out at night… you got a nice melody to listen to.

they were ok with kids. Not mean… but a beagle has a lot in common with a very exuberant 4yo. (from my experience). They loved playing with my nephew (3yo at the time) however, they do have energy and sometimes will jump or chase or etc, that can scare a kid.

They are alot stronger than they look. his pulled me across the street because they got a wild hair up there tail (or scent in there nose). I am 150 lbs, and never had a dog do that.

They did great at obedience class though… they just occasionally forgot when natural insticts took over (this is worse when you have 2 btw… i think they egg each other on).

They are total love-bugs. They will lay in your lap for 10 mins… sprint around the house, harass the cat, then crawl back in your lap. (repeat)

Forgot this one…

They dig. I had a Dachshund that would dig a little… But these two, no matter what, were like gophers. We liked to be able to leave our dogs out in the fenced yard (with water and shade) during the day mostly, but these two, unless you were physically out with them, would dig HUGE holes. Like tunnels almost. They can also climb fairly well.

[jawa]

I had several different ones growing up. They all had wanderlust, mainly because they were slaves to their nose!

They were extremely sweet. Great personalities.

Mine were not AKC, they were cast offs from the local deer or rabbit hunters.

[Outfxed]

I have 2 bitches, ages 2 and 11 mths. My boyfriend has a private pack of 25, mixed sexes which we both hunt on a regular basis. After knowing this breed well, I much prefer the bitches to the dogs. I feel they are more sensitive, easier to train and much more loyal.

My girls are AVID rabbit hunters and about turn themselves inside out when they see their tracking collars. They are energetic and do require their daily fix of exercise to keep their activity level in the house at a normal level. They live outside during the day in a quarter acre securely fenced pen where they dig like mini rotortillers. When they come in the house, they are delightfully well mannered, complete lap pups and nice to snuggle with when its time for bed.

My two girls’ personalities are completely different. The older one, Mariah, is a DIVA from the git go. She’s prissy and bossy and is not fond of strangers and little, fast moving kids. She’s also mouthy and bays at the grass growing at times. She’s the protector.

The 11 mth old, Madonna, is my tom boy. Rough and tumble, easy going, loves everyone but was a bit hard headed as a younger pup. She was a challenge compared to Mariah, who is Miss Perfect.

Love, love, love the bitches compared to the boys. I personally feel they hunt harder, are more sensitive to being trained and settle into the household better than the males. Not to knock the males, as my boyfriend’s male dogs have wonderful dispositions, but I feel the girls make better house pets.

I’m crazy over Beagles and think overall, they are a very happy breed that make great pets AS LONG AS THEY HAVE AN OUTLET FOR THEIR BOUNDLESS ENERGY. I’m sure they could be mini terrors in the house if they weren’t able to blow off steam. Also keep in mind that that nose was bred for hunting and that’s what they love to do. Don’t think you’re going to open the back door, let the doggie out and expect it to happily come back in when there are SO many things to smell out there. :winkgrin:

[Tackpud]

I grew up with 40+ beagles at any given time. (Not in the house - they were a hunting pack!) The retired hounds would live in the house with us while they enjoyed their final years. They are definitely scent and food driven dogs! They need plenty of exercise but will snuggle all night long. They all have distinct personalities, so what you get with one might be completely opposite of what you get with another one. Nothing can beat those cute faces!

[katyb]

Where do they fall on the doggie-smell continuum?

Is the digging a nearly universal thing?

Do you think a wireless dog fence would work with one? We have about an acre covered with two units, then 37 acres for running with supervision. My aussies were trained to it in about five minutes. My son wants a smaller, less hairy, more snuggly, more active (he has the only couch potato shepherd ever made) puppy.

I do have chickens. Is that a serious problem w/ Beagles? The other dogs leave them alone, but the chickens mostly stay outside the perimeter of the wireless fence.

Are they stealers and chewers of shows, tools, etc?

[Kryswyn]

IMHO an invisible fence is NOT recommended for ANY hunting breed because they will often ‘take the shot’ to follow a scent or the quarry itself if they see it. Then once they’re out, the motivation is just not there to ‘take the shot’ to get back into the yard.

I can’t speak to the chewing, but if they are, maybe that will help your son learn to pick up and put away his stuff? Especially if you warn him you will not automatically replace shoes, baseball mitts etc.

[Donkaloosa]

An invisible fence is useless for any dog that follows its nose. That said, I think Beagles are as cute as they come and lots of fun. Tireless dogs. Don’t let them off leash or they’ll be in the next county. Great with kids.

[bluemooncowgirl]

LOVE my beagle! He’s an outcast hunting dog that we adopted a few years ago. Cute, sweet, personable, and cuddly little guy! I’d have a pack of them if I had a place to keep them all.

[katyb]

[QUOTE=Kryswyn;5868311]
IMHO an invisible fence is NOT recommended for ANY hunting breed because they will often ‘take the shot’ to follow a scent or the quarry itself if they see it. Then once they’re out, the motivation is just not there to ‘take the shot’ to get back into the yard.

I can’t speak to the chewing, but if they are, maybe that will help your son learn to pick up and put away his stuff? Especially if you warn him you will not automatically replace shoes, baseball mitts etc.[/QUOTE]

Mine is wireless, which means it sends out a barrier that is about 40’ wide. I don’t know if that would be enough to deter a hunting type dog, but it isn’t an instant shock that they can blast through. They are not corrected re-entering the covered area either. It is different than a wired, underground type fence.

Well, the stuff is also mine, lol. The shepherds won’t bother anything - boots in the garage, horse brushes, whatever, they just don’t steal and chew. With the wireless fence, they have constant access to everywhere (which is my favorite part, they can be wherever we are around the house), but that means they can go in the garage, the barn, whatever. I know puppies chew, but some breeds (labs) are way more destructive than others (aussies!).

[JSwan]

@katyb;5867933

I do have chickens. Is that a serious problem w/ Beagles? The other dogs leave them alone, but the chickens mostly stay outside the perimeter of the wireless fence.

Are they stealers and chewers of shows, tools, etc?

My beagle never. ever. ever. bothers livestock. (including poultry) She learned, “Leave It” as a puppy. Beagles are smart. Never had any problems with chewing, and she never had an accident in the house.

As a puppy she did have this habit of stealing things and hiding them in the yard - and I’d run them over with the lawnmower. She grew out of it.

She is an egg thief.

And if she smells a rabbit… bye bye Peanut.

[SLW]

We had a beagle years ago when we lived in a subdivision and the girls were quite young. Super nice dog with people, super determined dog to get out and run. She was fine with our cats too. She never got out of the fenced back yard but bolted through the rails on the screened in porch and “poof” she was gone. She would be down by the water way which led to the ocean or headed down the busy road outside the neighborhood. After 10 months a neighbor’s buddy that hunted with beagles took her. He reported back that she was a hunting machine and thrilled with her.

She is the only dog we have given away and there was a pang of feeling guilty about giving up on her by me. Since then I’ve learned many hounds don’t hunt and make great family dogs and other want to hunt and are miserable without that “fix” as was the case with our beagle. Would I own another beagle? In a heartbeat! Who can resist that cheery face and wonderful size dog!!

[LexInVA]

Beagles are rather loveable. I have fond memories of them from my animal rescue work.