Beagles have been well-established as a popular breed to have as a family pet, but as with all breeds they have their advantages and their challenges. For this reason, it’s best to know as much about the breed in advance so that you can have everything prepared. One of the main things to consider when choosing to introduce a beagle into your home is not its size, which can often be misleading about how much work they are, but rather their energy levels. Knowing how much exercise and interaction your dog will need will help you make the right decision.
Are beagles high energy? Yes, beagles are very high-energy dogs. This is due to their history as hunting dogs when they needed to run for very long periods of time without ever getting tired. If you are thinking about getting a beagle as a pet you should make sure that you have enough time to walk them and enough room around the home to entertain them.
Despite their small stature, beagles can be a lot of work. Their high energy levels and the amount of attention that they require can mean that if they are not stimulated enough then they will easily become very bored and this can end up being a nightmare. A bored beagle who does not get enough exercise can begin to act out, disobey commands and cause a lot of havoc in your home. To learn more about the energy level of beagles keep reading.
Are beagles high-energy dogs?
Yes, beagles are incredibly high-energy dogs, especially in their younger years. Although their high energy does tend to taper off as they get older, it does not completely go away. So, this is something to consider if you are looking at getting a beagle or you are wondering if your beagle puppy will ever calm down.
Beagles were traditionally bred to be hunting dogs. This means that they would need to have both a great sense of smell and a lot of energy. They needed to be able to smell out the scent of an animal, keep on its trail and keep moving until the animal was found. As this was in nature, there was no way to tell just how long it would take until the animal was found. So, beagles were bred to be able to run for a very long period of time without tiring in order to help with the hunt.
The high energy of the breed means that you should not consider adding one to your home lightly, even though they can be very charming with their size and looks. They have a lot of love to give but they will need to be properly looked after. You will need to exercise them regularly in order to keep their energy levels in check. After all, a non-exercised beagle can be a nightmare.
At what age do beagles calm down?
Beagles will be the most high-energy during their younger years. Although a beagle never truly calms down they are known to begin to calm down a little around the age of three or four years old. However, this is still subject to their living conditions. A four-year-old beagle that does not get taken for a walk may look like they have just as much energy as a beagle puppy that gets exercise.
You will always need to spend time taking your beagle for long walks. This is why dog parks can be a godsend for beagle owners as their beagles can run free as fast, and as much, as they like. You can tire them out before going home, helping to keep them in order once home.
The best thing that you can do to make sure that your beagle calms down is to train them. Proper training, such as obedience training, will teach your beagle to listen to you over their natural instincts. This means that you will have a much better chance of having a beagle who listens to commands and does not cause havoc in your home.
Another great way to calm a beagle down over time is to establish a routine. Making a schedule and sticking to it day after day will teach your beagle to wait to exercise if they start to get excited and antsy. So, a well-behaved beagle does not necessarily have less energy than a badly-behaved beagle, but they will know how to control themselves.
Are beagles a hyper breed?
Not only are beagles a high-energy breed but they are also a hyper breed, and this is especially clear when they are puppies. Beagles are naturally curious about just about anything and they can very easily get over-excited. So, if you are bringing a beagle puppy into your home, expect them to be very hyper. This is because not only are they packed-fully of energy but they are also fascinated by their new environment, the smells, and the people.
Over time as they begin to become accustomed to their environment, this excitement will begin to wear off, but if you take them to new places, to meet new people or even out for a walk, where there is an abundance of exciting smells, they can easily become very hyper. As I’ve said, the best way to counter this hyperactivity is to train them well. This will teach them that they can be excited but they must also be well-behaved.
Over the years you will begin to see your beagle become less hyper, although the breed never really fully calms down. If you have a newborn beagle puppy (up to 4 months old) then they will be only moderately hyper as they are still new to the world. However, once they hit 4 months, they will be like a little rocket full of energy. Here you will need to teach them how to properly deal with their energy levels.
Between the ages of one and two years old, your beagle puppy will look like an adult, but they will still behave like a puppy. This is just a case of their mind trailing a little bit behind their physical growth. Although they may still act incredibly hyper at this point, don’t despair. With the proper training, your beagle will mellow out. As your beagle gets older and more accustomed to their routine you will find that their energy levels reach a manageable level.
How to calm down a beagle puppy
Beagle puppies are unbelievably hyper and have incredible energy levels. However, if you do not teach them how to calm down and how to properly channel this energy they can end up destroying your home in a bid to entertain themselves.
The best way to calm down a beagle puppy is to enroll them in obedience classes. This will teach them to listen to your commands and to obey you, no matter how hyper they are. So, if they are in the middle of running around but you command them to sit they will override their natural instinct to run and sit.
You should start with short 10-minute sessions from 8 weeks old and increase the time as the puppy gets older and their attention span increases. Like the saying goes “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks” and this is certainly true for training a beagle!
Creating and sticking to a daily routine is also a great way to calm down a beagle puppy as they will get used to having more energy at certain times of the day when they know that they can go for a walk or play in the park. This will reduce the chances of them acting out during the day as they know that there is a time coming when they can run around and have fun. Establishing this routine from a very early age is a great idea and will help you to keep their energy level under control throughout their life.
However, if you are looking to calm your beagle puppy down in the moment is to play with them. Beagles will often run and act out because they have too much energy and they don’t know what to do with it. So, if you can give them a little bit extra love and attention to help stimulate them mentally this will help to calm them down and give them an outlet for this energy.