Need help soon! BEAGLES...

[minisaremighty]

One of our local humane societies just took in 40 beagles and 60 shar peis yesterday. :new_shocked: While I already KNOW a shar pei isn't for US (other family members have had them and I'm very familiar with them), I'm still uncertain about a beagle.

I would like everyone who has had personal experience with beagles to tell me all you can. I do not want to make a hasty decision and regret it. It would not be in the best interest of the dog. My first concern is for the dog and that if it comes to OUR home that OUR home is right for it.

Are they friendly? Do they crave human attention or are they more aloof and independent (this may or may not be important, but I would prefer to know the tendancy ahead of time so we could adjust our expectations accordingly)?? Are they heavy barkers? Any other info??

I would appreciate any help you can give!!!!

Thanks a bunch!!!

 

[billiethekid40]

Every beagle I've ever known has been very friendly, even my uncles hunting dogs who were used pretty much JUSt for hunting and breeding were friendly and very people oriented.

BUT every beagle I've ever known has also been: a heavy barker/late night howler. A runner who is very hard to distract when they have their nose on a scent. Unless you have a trained hunting dog in a hundred acre wood, I wouldn't expect it to be aloud off leash. They are also VERY good at finding escape routes through fences that other dogs would be perfectly contained in. Diggers! They'll also tear through a fence in my experince. My uncles kennel was chain link with a chain link floor under the dirt AND a chain link roof... they can climb too! In short, beagles are determined litte dogs who, once they have their mind set on something, will stop short of nothing to get it done. My step-grandmothers dog used to be tied in our yard, by a wire cable, with a snug harness, inside our fence and still get loose and be gone for hours. He also broke his way out of a kennel designed for a german shepherd dog in less than half an hour (bent the wires) and proceded to EAT our giprock walls... this was the last time we offered to dog-sit for Barney!

I do sooooo love beagles though. I've never met a cuter puppy, or a dog with softer ears. I wish I could commit myself tot he training it would take to own a beagle, but I prefer something that is a little less high maintenence in the training department. I'm sure there are exceptions, but I've known a LOT of beagles in my day... my uncles dogs were very happy dogs because they were used for hunting, which is what they are bred for and do best- following their nose and being *encouraged* to do it :lol: LOL

 

[justaboutgeese]

Beagles adapt very well to house life. While some bark there are just as many who are content and happy living in a house. They are smart, train easily, get along well with people, small children and other animals. If allowed to run they will cover huge amounts of ground. My beagle will stay with me around the buildings if I am outside. If left to run will visit all parts of the farm. But to top it all off when it comes time to chase rabbits she is still an excellent hunter. My humble opinion.

 

[sharon]

Just like Billie said. The dig, they climb, they run!!!! :xreiter:

We had one named Barney. We ended up calling him Barney Houdini because he could escape from any type of enclosure. We watched his climb an 8 foot high fence.

One time we went on vacation and left Barney at a kennel. He dug under the fence and escaped. We were asked not to bring him back there.

They will run for miles!! And I am not exagerating. You will spend a lot of time driving the countryside looking for him.

They howl more than bark.

On the good side.....they are very loving and very comical. They love their people. I'd LOVE to have one again, but just don't think I am up to the chasing stuff anymore.

 

[billiethekid40]

LOL Sharon, we were once called by the boarding kennel (after we refused to take Barney to our house anymore) while my step-dads mom was away to come and get him because he wrecked one of their indoor-big steel bar-built for a big dog-industrial strength kennels. We picked him up- it wasn't a good visit for us with Barney that time... my step-dads mother didn't go away again until Barney passed away of cancer over a year later because nobody else could handle him! he was also a shelter dog who had no known history.

 

[chandab]

I don't have personal experience with Beagles, but did have a neighbor when I lived in CO that had a beagle. They basically ignored the dog, so it spent alot of time out in the yard alone (it was sad, but he was too cute). He rarely barked, I never saw dig marks in their yard and for the most part he seemed quite content, although lonely in his yard (our lab would keep him company through the fence).

 

[Marty]

Beagles are the cutest little dogs and so loving and are very popular here.

I hear them bark day and night and day and night coming from the neighbor's place down the road. They never stop. But they also do not get much attention and care whatsoever so I'd be barking too.

 

[countryrose]

My daughter has 3 and has gma here I babysit when she has to be out of town.

SHe started with one, then got the second for company for each other during the day when she worked. That seemed to be just right.

Daisy and Duncan played and had much fun. Then along came Demi, just had to have another. That one is a brat and makes it hard for my daughter to leave home very long. She had a boyfriend who was home with that one and is impossible to leave her very long by herself without her howling forever.

Duncan is also a howler and escape artist. At her first house Daisy would sit at the hole and howl to tattle on Duncan. They tracked him thru the neighborhood as he howled.

Plan on a lot of attention and two are better than one alone. They really are loving dogs and great for kids.

 

[minisaremighty]

Thanks everyone. You have just grounded me. You reinforced what I already "knew" but was letting slip to the back of my mind just because I knew there were so many dogs in need. While never having been around one, I do know quite a bit about the breed from all my doggy research.

In fact, just last night, we were talking dogs again (my oldest daughter, my husband and I) and she mentioned there were beagle puppies in the paper and I told her no way, no how, they are just not the right dog for our family. Then this morning I hear on the news about the humane society receving all these dogs and that kind of thing always gets to me. I've been watching the shelter for awhile now, even though we'd agreed not to get another dog for a bit. I figure there just may be the "right" dog out there for us that will fit in at just the right time. I in no way NEED a puppy. Sure they are cute, but I just don't need all the house training, etc. that goes with a puppy.

:

I'm sorry to say, but I don't think I can help any of THOSE dogs, but one will come along that I can. I know a lot of beagles end up at shelters for the very reasons you all mentioned above. I sure hope they can find the proper homes for them so they don't end up right back there.

:

Thanks again. Sometimes I let my emotions get way ahead of myself and then I make mistakes. :no: I prefer to chose a dog that will be here for a lifetime and if I get the WRONG dog, we all may be miserable, including the dog.

 

[journey]

Thanks everyone. You have just grounded me. You reinforced what I already "knew" but was letting slip to the back of my mind just because I knew there were so many dogs in need. While never having been around one, I do know quite a bit about the breed from all my doggy research.

In fact, just last night, we were talking dogs again (my oldest daughter, my husband and I) and she mentioned there were beagle puppies in the paper and I told her no way, no how, they are just not the right dog for our family. Then this morning I hear on the news about the humane society receving all these dogs and that kind of thing always gets to me. I've been watching the shelter for awhile now, even though we'd agreed not to get another dog for a bit. I figure there just may be the "right" dog out there for us that will fit in at just the right time. I in no way NEED a puppy. Sure they are cute, but I just don't need all the house training, etc. that goes with a puppy.

:

I'm sorry to say, but I don't think I can help any of THOSE dogs, but one will come along that I can. I know a lot of beagles end up at shelters for the very reasons you all mentioned above. I sure hope they can find the proper homes for them so they don't end up right back there.

:

Thanks again. Sometimes I let my emotions get way ahead of myself and then I make mistakes. :no: I prefer to chose a dog that will be here for a lifetime and if I get the WRONG dog, we all may be miserable, including the dog.

We have a part beagle dog, she is very sweet, she only barks when strangers come. My inlaws have a 15" beagle, he is a doll, sure he digs and likes to run, only barks when a stranger comes and loves to tree squirrels. Both dogs work well for us.

I remember back a couple years ago, the county next to ours took 300 maltuese (sp?) from a puppy mill..One of those dogs doesn't work for our family, so we donated dog food and money to the animal shelter there. We just called and asked. Most of the dogs were pregnant and the lady that had them, most of their vocal boxes had been cut, so they couldn't bark. She is still serving time in jail because of what she did. Just call your animal shelter and ask them what you can donate, from food to newspapers, they will appreciate anything you can donate and that is helping them.

 

[minisaremighty]

I remember back a couple years ago, the county next to ours took 300 maltuese (sp?) from a puppy mill..One of those dogs doesn't work for our family, so we donated dog food and money to the animal shelter there. We just called and asked. Most of the dogs were pregnant and the lady that had them, most of their vocal boxes had been cut, so they couldn't bark. She is still serving time in jail because of what she did. Just call your animal shelter and ask them what you can donate, from food to newspapers, they will appreciate anything you can donate and that is helping them.

Thanks Journey. I've actually been trying to get through to them all day but their phone has been busy every time I tried. Probably just because it hit the news this morning. I would certainly love to help in some way, either food or money.

Here is a link:Humane Society

 

[Sarah]

I have two beagles, both spayed females, I think they're both about 7 years old now. Jo we raised from a puppy, Molly was about 4 when we got her, she was a "give away" in the newspaper. Molly didn't like children and her previous family had a toddler (which Molly bit) and a baby on the way. We used to have an intact male, he was also a "give away" from the paper, he was about 5 when we got him. We were going to neuter him but never got the chance, he was a runner and got ran over & killed.

Jo & Molly love attention and have to be with us all the time. They have to sit with us when we watch TV if I have a blanket, they are under it, they sleep with us (under the covers and if they can with their head on a pillow - the male did this too), if we're in the computer room, they're usually laying on the floor, even though they hate being on the floor - too hard for their precious little beagle butts I guess.

:

Jo & Molly are not runners, they will wander off following smells and if they see/smell a rabbit they will race off baying, but they always come back when called (which means on beagle time which isn't as fast as human time) I think this is due to our training as they know if we call with a certain tone of voice they'd better get their little beagle butts home. The male we had was not like this, when he ran off the only way to get him back was to drive the car up next to him and open the door, then he'd jump right in.

: Mine aren't escape artists, if the door to their kennel outside is open, they'll leave of course, but they don't try to climb out or dig out.

All 3 beagles we've had are extremely intelligent but also extremely stubborn, they love to test your patience and there are certain things they won't do simply because they just don't want to. Example, Jo knows, sit, speak, down and dance - she learned all but dance in one try, dance she learned by watching Molly who already knew it. So she picks up on things very quickly but she absolutley will not shake because she hates her paws touched.

: Molly doesn't like guns but Jo loves to hunt and is a great hunting dog even though we've never trained her because we know nothing about training hunting dogs.

They are crated when we're not at home because the temptation to be naughty is just too much. Jo was crate trained as a puppy, she hated it, would bark/howl/whine but she got over it, now she even sleeps in her crate and if she's been bad she opens the door and puts herself in there. She still doesn't like to go in her crate if we leave, especially if she thinks she should come with us and she'll bark just so we know she's ticked off. Molly wasn't crate trained, her previous family said "she didn't like it", well I don't care if they like it or not. Kinda like kids, do you let them get away with stuff because they don't like the alternative? Anyway, Molly is crate trained now, she still doesn't like it but she goes in her crate when we tell her to.

Both Jo & Molly do not like children and they aren't friendly dogs to strangers but this is our fault not theirs. They are not dogs you walk up to in the park to pet because if you were stupid and ignored the aggressive barking & posturing and tried to touch them, they would bite.

They do bark, not nearly as much as the other dogs in the neighborhood, none of which are beagles. We live in a trailer park w/ about 80 lots and just about everyone has at least 1 dog that is outside all the time, someone is always barking but it's not our dogs. When we lived in SD our house bordered an ally that was always busy w/ cars driving by or people walking through, it took awhile but we finally got them trained that they did not bark unless someone came into the backyard.

I guess these could be considered negatives but it doesn't bother me. I like that they don't love everyone, makes it much less likely that they'd be stolen and I like that they bark. My husband works shift work so when he's working nights I feel much safer knowing that if someone trys to get into the house I'll have plenty of warning. And they are aggressive, they would attack someone they didn't know if they were trying to get into the house and Jo is pretty big for a beagle, she weighs about 40 lbs and she's not fat, even by herself she could do some damage. I'm not so thrilled about the not liking kids but I think it's just because they haven't been around them and I know Molly was mauled by that little brat her previous family had and I suspect she was also abused somewhat because she's quite stubborn and they probably just hit her when she didn't do what they wanted.

Jo barks alot more than Molly but Molly just has a quiet personality. Probably the best word to describe Jo would be obnoxious. She hates to be laughed at and will tell you off. But she's got the best personality of any dog I've ever been around, even my parents say that and they like Molly better.

I've also noticed (with Molly & the male) that if they've been abused or even treated roughly (physically) they get aggressive rather than submissive. The male we had was severly abused and he did not like men if they were loud - he loved women & kids though. If my husband even raised his voice (not necessarily at the dog or in anger) that dog would bare his teeth and growl. But even with being abused he was a very happy, good natured and fun loving dog and he did like my husband as long as he wasn't being loud.

They have a tendency to be little gluttons, mine do anyway, so they aren't allowed to have a free run to food. The male wasn't like this so much but I think that was just because he was thinking with his balls instead of his brain.

Anyway, beagles are very special dogs but they're not for everyone. I would love to raise them but I know I'd probably never sell any because I'd be too picky about what homes they went to. They need patience and a firm hand without being overly so because that can ruin them in no time. They need a family that understands them as an individual and they have to be a part of the family not just a thing that lives outside and gets a couple minutes of attention when it's time to fill the food bowl. They also need people that are at least as smart as they are. I've only had 3 and the male was a trial but I know he would have been a great dog if someone else had raised him.

I would have another beagle in a second. It's a good thing I'm not close to you or I'd adopt as many as they'd let me have. Sorry so long, I tend to run at the mouth when talking about my "hairy kids". Here are a couple pictures.

:

This is Molly. Shows her personality exactly, very laid back and quiet, just laying around taking it easy.

This is a rare picture of Jo with her mouth shut. She usually barks at the camera, she thought it was time to eat she was sitting by the food. She's in the box is so she wouldn't have to place her precious beagle butt on the floor.

:

 

[Equuisize]

I had and bred beagles for about 13 years.....I love them.

I think you need to discern between field beagles and show stock

type beagles.

Our first female started as a pet for my son, who was 8 at the time.

He adored that dog. When she was young she'd put her nose to the

ground and off she'd go, all over the property. She also bayed,

if given the opportunity to bark at other small furry animals.

But she was a house pet and constant companion for my son and she

sooned learned to be a good canine companion.

We loved her personality so much we bred her with a dog with multiple

championships from a show kennel and none of her babies bayed or had

hunting instinct (thank goodness) she had as a youngster, of putting her

nose to the ground.

Kept the best female of that litter and eventually bred her, too, Her pups

were always fabulous. Wonderful companion dogs.

I feel beagles will/can fit into any family setting easily, provided you do your

research on that line of dogs.

Puppy mill dogs aren't probably going to fit that bill, sadly. They won't have

had enough socializing,

 

[Lauralee]

These beagles are most likely the result of a puppy mill.....therefore I'd assume that the dogs will have all of the worst traits of beagles, until proven otherwise.

We raised beagles 20 years ago for hunt stock.

As said before, they dig, they bark (bay), and they can escape any enclosure invented. Once they are on a scent trail, good luck catching them! They'll run miles and miles......

They are beautiful and were popular with our local hunters. Only a few of our puppies were made into companion pets.

A well bred beagle has the most beautiful melting eyes and such gorgeous coloring....they are very pretty dogs and can make great pets if they come from the right background and have the right temperament. If the beagle was intended for a pet, I'd steer away from the strong hunting bloodlines......that urge to track a scent is absolutely overwhelming to the breed.

Even a housepet beagle will smell a smear of tuna from 40 paces and will be relentless in locating the smell. You'll have to train train train to keep them from tearing up the trash and so forth because they are OBSESSIVE about smells.