Are you tired of loneliness? Do you need a dog, particularly a beagle? Beagles are a small scent hound breed that was developed mainly for hare hunting and originated from England. This dog has a fantastic sense of smell not, to mention its prowess in tracking abilities. Many people prefer this active breed for its clever approach to life, size, moderate temper, and tendency not to acquire inherited health issues. Standing at an average height of 33-41 cm, the beagle has either 3 colors or just two, white and other colors. Keeping the beagle as my pet dog can have its perks alongside some disadvantages.
Are beagles easy to take care of? Yes, provided I give them attention and their much-needed exercise. Their coats are relatively easy to maintain but expect to shed double coats just like other breeds. Beagles are very cheerful around people but can be destructive when left alone; therefore, they are suitable for families with someone at home.
In the past, beagles were used for hunting. Beagles were well known not only for rabbit hunting but bird hunting. If I want to keep a beagle as a house pet, here’s the deal, I should be ready to handle excessive barking, let alone complaints from neighbors. For a fact, this type of dog can’t be among guard dogs. If they encounter an invader, they can’t do more than bark and wag their tails helplessly. Keep reading, and you will find out if beagles are suitable for first-time owners and how easy they are to maintain.
How to take care of a beagle puppy?
Taking care of a beagle pup is just as simple as taking care of other beagle-like dogs with a bit of difference. Regular visits to the veterinarian for immunizations and check-ups are essential to the dog’s health. Beagles may be infected with intervertebral disc disease (impacting spinal cord and blood vessels around it), hip dysplasia, and decreased joint health – all of it could make your dog ill and lead to (hair loss, weight loss, or even cause a brain disorder). They may also have inherited conditions; therefore, these visits will keep the dog in good shape.
High-quality dry food suits this dog for a healthy weight. To feed a beagle, I need to divide one and a half a cup into two separate daily food servings, say into a food bowl, to feed them for a day. Making food available at all times will render them obese; thus, controlling their intake will keep them in shape and happy, along with plenty of exercises. Mental stimulation can be boosted by engaging them in brain workouts. A beagle can be pretty curious, particularly with sweet scents, so I keep them under supervision with a leash outside and within a fenced area around the home compound.
Beagles rarely need washing unless they were out exploring or playing with dirt. For cleaning, I wet them down and use shampoo for massaging the coat. A medium-bristle brush can be used to get rid of loose or dead hair right after drying them up with a towel. Beagles’ ears need cleaning with an ear cleaner to keep them safe from infections from the trapped dirt and moisture.
Are Beagles easy to raise?
Beagles are generally easy dogs to live with. Beagles can live peacefully with other pets, provided they are introduced to them at an early age. However, at times, they may be destructive if left alone without supervision. An adult beagle can be left out of the house. At the same time, you work away but keep the trash out of sight and leave just enough food and not excess to maintain the breed standard; beagles eat and eat until the food is done.
Taking care of both a baby and a beagle pup can be an uphill task; therefore, I highly recommend a pass on getting a beagle in such a situation. A young beagle needs a little bit more care than a grown one, particularly with immunization and regular visits to the vet.
Beagles can have a stubborn attitude, mainly when they are hungry, and can be mischievous. I may be leaving my home without him, and he is there with me as soon as I open the gate. A beagle has a moderate temper and is highly tolerant and loyal. If he becomes too unruly, physical punishment and shouting are not the best ways to punish the dog. They can react by either barking or biting you severely.
Are beagles easy to train?
Generally, beagles can be relatively hard to train for an amateur trainer, mostly puppies. As pups discover their strong sense of smell, they are easily distracted by smells, thus not paying attention to training. If the dog once urinated on the house mat, cleaning the urine off to leave no trace can be tricky because these puppies will still smell the area and return there to take a short call. House training a beagle can be challenging. Therefore, crate training will do as they are easily trained, just like other dogs. This training can help control a beagle while you are out for work or shopping.
Because this breed is hard to train, it doesn’t necessarily make it impossible to train. Beagles do well in agility challenges and competitions against other dog breeds. Their tracking and smelling power can help detect illegal substances they are trained to. Once beagles smell prey or discover an exciting smell, they take off even during training sessions. Training for individual beagles can be different as factors to consider, age, gender, and level of temper. Some can be surprisingly easy to train, while others a complete nightmare; consulting a Professional Dog Walker & Trainer can also help in obedience classes. Motivating the dog and persistence in training him without despair is key to proper training.
Are beagles good for first-time owners?
The love, energy level, and attention beagles give owners are unique, except for their behavioral issues. They crave high affection levels from their owners and do amusing things to please them. Being a first-time owner, details on grooming, nutrition, and health should be a priority. If I am a first-time owner of a beagle, knowing the perks and the downsides of raising one will put me on edge to providing a suitable environment for them to thrive. A beagle can suit apartment dwellers for their size and ease of maintenance, from grooming to feeding.
A friendly dog, the beagle, is exceptionally welcoming in case of friends coming over to visit. Adapting an adult beagle is not an alarming issue. They adapt quickly to environments and can be excellent with children and adults, hence no bonding process. This means I can leave him under the care of a friend or relative. These dogs of high activity level don’t mind the environment they are placed in because they can thrive in a large compound house or be apartment dogs. As long as I keep my beagle active with daily exercise, living in an apartment with one is not a hustle. Beagles are perfect watchdogs and can aggressively defend their owners if danger arises.
What problems do Beagles have?
Beagles’ average lifespan of 12 to 15 years, and they also have an excellent health state. Nevertheless, they are prone to common diseases like glaucoma, epilepsy, cherry eye, CPRA(Central Progressive Retinal Atrophy), hypothyroidism, distichiasis, and chondrodysplasia that reduce their life expectancy. Hemophilia A, demodicosis, cataract, and deafness are health concerns they may have. Severe health conditions may include intervertebral disk disease and CUD (Primary Carnitine Deficiency). For common conditions, hip, thyroid, and eye examinations have to be undertaken so that the proper diagnosis can be issued to counter the common condition. Common health is quite important to the happiness of a pet.
Other than health problems, the common occurrence is associated with excessive barking, howling, and baying. I recommend ignoring them, mainly when they bark just to get your attention. A beagle can also keep chewing furniture or other items; therefore, getting toys for him to chew can reduce this. Other times, selective hearing in beagles is because of its stubborn nature and self-centeredness. Offering food rewards to him on orders followed can control this. Beagles are moderate to heavy shedders. They can be a problem during the shedding season because they can shed the whole dense coat( used for cold tolerance) in weeks. A perk, however, beagles are brush-and-go dogs needing little to no grooming.
Can a beagle be left alone during the day?
Leaving a beagle unattended is not advisable as they yearn for attention and love. Leaving them alone will trigger excessive barking or baying, not to mention the distraction of items in the compound like shoes or trash cans. Apartment dwellers will receive complaints from neighbors of too much barking or howling. Typically, adult beagles can be left alone for a maximum of 6 hours and 2 hours for pups. Training him to be left alone can be helpful to curb the excessive noise they make. Specifically, crate training is more effective because little or no destruction can be done if the beagle is left alone in its confined crate.
When I realize I will be out longer than expected, I consider the following points to keep my dog safe and happy.
• Asking a neighbor, friend, or relative to check up on him, engage them in some exercise, or allow them to poop or pee on the lawn.
• Go home myself if I am allowed during lunchtime break.
• Contact a professional dog walker and trainer to occupy him while I am out
• Look for a daycare service for dogs within the area for feeding and proper care by a dog sitter during the day.