The Beagle is among the top ten most popular breeds of dogs. They are excellent hunting dogs with an amazing sense of loyalty. Are you thinking of introducing a beagle dog to your family? Or do you want to learn more about your beagle friend with regards to your family? Well, today, I will provide answers to whether a beagle is a good family dog. This breed is quite different from many popular breeds in many ways. Learning more about them will help you learn how to relate, train, and treat them. Keep reading, and I will help you arrive at a sound decision.
Beagles are social, playful, friendly, and loyal pets, which makes them good family dogs. They are very affectionate and gentle with kids. Also, their docile nature makes them easily adaptable to most lifestyles. Families that are active and always have someone home are the perfect choice for beagles as they thrive on companionship.
Introducing any dog to your family is a huge step that needs to be done with caution for the sake of the dog and the family members. Beagles are generally great family dogs; however, to achieve a well-behaved, happy, and healthy beagle requires time and effort. It would also be best if you educated yourself before deciding whether the dog is fit for your family or not. For instance, what are the advantages and downsides of owning a beagle? Are beagles house dogs? This is the purpose of this article. All I hope for is a happy dog and a happy family, and so is every dog owner.
Are Beagles A Good Family Dog?
Beagles are bred to work and live in packs, which makes them social and perfect for families. Despite being independent creatures, they are good companions and thrive off the company as well. However, for this reason, they suffer from canine separation anxiety when left alone for prolonged periods of time. I understand that sometimes it could be impossible to have someone in the house all through, but leaving them for more than two hours for puppies and six hours for adults is not recommended. It will make them bored and restless, which in turn causes them to resort to destructive behaviors such as chewing, scratching, and barking constantly.
Another characteristic that makes Beagles good family dogs is they are very active; therefore, they can play with children. This might, however, not be a great idea when it comes to very young kids. Supervision is important if you have small children. Otherwise, beagles are perfect with older children. Since they are meant to live in packs, they quickly pick up on their alpha and give them their loyalty and obedience. They then consider children as part of their pack, which they protect like their own.
Beagles are great with humans and other dogs, but not so much with small animals. They are inherently a rabbit hunting animals and might harm smaller pets like birds, chickens, rabbits, etc. The good news is they are accepting and tolerant and will fit perfectly if trained to live with the small animals. It’s highly recommendable to introduce beagles into the family at a very young age so they can socialize and get used to having small animals around. In that case, don’t get a beagle if you don’t have enough time to train and spend with them. You can get one that is already house-trained but they’ll still need time to adjust to the new environment.
Beagles are also mischievous, but with enough training, they learn fast, especially since they love food treats and are very intelligent. Watch out for how much treats you give them to avoid becoming overweight and vulnerable to related health issues. You can seek the assistance of a professional dog trainer in case you are a first-time dog owner.
As you can see from the information I’ve provided, there is no need to worry about introducing a beagle dog into your family. They are perfect family dogs, and you should consider getting one. All the negative traits of this dog breed are manageable. Encouraging good traits is a huge part of dog training. Consider all the above precautions, and you will have a happy dog and a happy family.
Do Beagles Make Good House Dogs?
In their natural habitat, beagles are genetically hounding dogs. With this in mind, do you think they can make good house dogs? Surprisingly, yes, they can. Over the years, people began domesticating them for their friendly and social nature. Although they have strong hunting instincts, they make lovable house pets, especially when company and plenty of exercise is provided. It is a mutual relationship between them and humans. That being said, you can keep beagles inside the house as long as they have company. That is if you do not want your neighbors calling the police on you for noise pollution. If not well-trained, they will bark uncontrollably until you get home.
As with most dog breeds, beagles shed a reasonable amount of fur. But because of their short smooth coat, you may not even notice any fur in your house unless you look keenly. Unlike some breeds that shed on particular seasons, beagles shed lightly throughout the year and mostly during springtime. Their coats require relatively little maintenance, and brushing weekly is good enough to keep their coats looking smooth and conditioned.
Beagles can do well indoors as long as you take them for a walk every day. They are very active animals, and living a sedentary life in your city apartment will make them overweight and unhappy. They need to run in the yard and chase after things to satisfy their strong hunting instinct. Failure to do so will result in a hyperactive and super excited dog jumping and running all over the house. An adult beagle will require about 60 minutes of exercise daily. Since they are hunting animals, they are led by their strong nose. It is important to walk them on a leash or let them run in a fenced-in yard. Otherwise, they become outruns and follow smells. During this time, their partial deafness kicks in, and calling them will be of no avail.
Although beagles are considered stubborn, they learn pretty quickly when trained. This makes it easier to house-train them after basic training. You will, however, require a lot of persistence, consistency, and patience for effective house training.
Some dog breeds find the room temperature inside houses too hot for them. That is not the case with beagles, as that is the most comfortable temperature for them.
Beagles make good house dogs, but they love being outside. They are also happy indoors as long as the above provisions are made available.
Pros of owning a Beagle
Low maintenance – The beagle breed is not associated with many diseases as they tend to be quite healthy. For this reason, expensive visits to the vet are minimal. As I stated before, their dense coat is short, so you will not need to visit a groomer frequently. So, in general, beagles require low maintenance. However, low maintenance does not mean they don’t require any maintenance. Cleaning their ears, trimming their nails, brushing their teeth, brushing their fur, and bathing them regularly is standard for any dog owner.
Small – Beagles are relatively small, thus making them convenient for indoor keeping. They weigh about 20 to 30 pounds and are about 13-15 inches tall. This means they can move around the house easily and children can relate with them without fear.
Sociable and Friendly – Whether in the company of people, fellow dogs, or other family pet friends, beagles are one of the most social breeds of dogs. They don’t isolate themselves as they prefer having company. They are very friendly and enjoy meeting new friends. In fact, they are so friendly that turning them into watchdogs is a huge mistake.
Versatile –As I mentioned, Beagles can thrive in varying living conditions since they are versatile. Whether you live in big cities or rural areas, a beagle pup will be fine regardless. Be considerate enough, though, and provide at least a yard for playing or visits to the dog park.
Cons of Owning A Beagle
Loud – If you prefer a quiet dog, perhaps due to close neighbors, you may want to reconsider getting a beagle. This breed can bark really loud, which can be annoying.
Love to dig – Just like any other hunting hound, beagles love digging up holes on the ground. You might end up with several holes in your backyard, but this is not reason enough to disregard getting a dog. It is an instinct, and the dog probably thinks it is digging up a fox.
Stubborn – Beagles are regarded as independent thinkers, which makes them stubborn. This can make training difficult. When their hound scent instinct kicks in, nothing and no one can stop them. If left unleashed, they will follow their sense of smell and ignore all your calls.
All the cons of having a beagle can be replaced with favorable traits through training. Therefore, beagles are a good family and house dogs in general.