Beagles are a popular breed of dogs. They are calm and friendly dogs that a lot of people love to own. Beagles also make friends very quickly, and they are some of the most loyal furry companions you could have. However, they are also quite curious and may express some behaviors that you may not understand. For instance, you may not expect a beagle to be aggressive or attack anyone. However, this may happen sometimes and leave you wondering what has caused the problem. Beagles do not express aggression often. However, when triggered or threatened, they may display some bad behaviors.
So are beagles territorial? Yes, beagles are territorial, and they may express some territorial behaviors, especially when threatened.
Are Beagles territorial?
Yes, beagles are incredibly territorial. If you are a beagle owner, you have probably heard them growling. One of the primary reasons why beagles growl is because they are territorial. The growling will occur when the beagle is near a specific top, person, or spot. It is their way of saying that something is theirs and asking other people to back off. Below are some ways through which beagles express being territorial.
Leaving urine to mark their territories – Beagles often leave urine marks to claim their turf. For instance, they can mark areas around their home, trees, boulders, and other areas where they frequent. Doing this also lets other dogs know that this is your beagle’s territory. Urine marking is also often related to sexuality. This is why unneutered or unspayed dogs are often likely to mark their territories. However, this is not exclusive behavior because neutered, and spayed dogs can also use urine marking (though less frequently. Note that the urine marks are usually boundary consistent.
Howling and growling – More often than not, when beagles are territorial, they start indulging in bad behavior like howling and growling.
Territorial aggression – Some beagles also get aggressive because they are territorial. Territorial aggression often begins with threats and warning behaviors. Aggressive behavior or unwanted behavior, such as biting, lunging, and escalated posturing, are also part of territorial aggression.
Below are warning signs of aggression in beagles:
• Intense stares or eye contact
• Ears standing straight up or laid back
• Bared teeth and curled lips
• Slightly upturned nose as a result of lifting lips to bare teeth
• Tail stiffness or a straight tail
• Loss of hair as a sign of stress and anxiety
These are all signals for upcoming aggression in dogs. The signs may be followed by destructive behaviors. Note that the type of aggression may differ from one dog to the next.
Why are Beagles so territorial?
Most dogs are instinctively territorial over their belongings. This is the same case with beagles. Below are some of the primary reasons why beagles are so territorial;
The territorial behavior in beagles dates back a long time in history. Dogs are genetically related to wolves as the grey wolf is considered the primary dog’s ancestor. Wolves are known for being highly territorial. According to experts, wolves usually have territories of different sizes depending on the size of their pack. When they mark their territories, everything within it, including the prey, belongs to them. Therefore, any intruding wolves or other animals are usually met with aggression. Plenty of time, the wolf pack leader would mark the territories. This, and the fact that wolves are considered ancestors to dogs, is one of the reasons why beagles are territorial.
They are naturally dominant – Beagles may also express being territorial because as a form of dominant behavior.
They were initially hunting companions – Beagles were originally bred for hunting. This is because of their moderate size, which allowed their owners to follow them during the hunt. In such cases, where they are used for hunting, the dogs were territorial. This is another significant reason why beagles are so territorial.
For reaffirming their property – A primary reason why dogs are so territorial is for reaffirming their property. Often, if your beagle feels threatened, it is likely to be inclined to mark or reaffirm its property. This often happens when the beagles encounter strange dogs or a new tenant or occupant in their home.
Social situations and interactions – Some social situations and interactions can also cause beagles to express being territorial. Note that these situations may vary significantly from one dog to the next. For instance, some male dogs may get territorial when they are next to a female dog. On the other hand, some dogs may also express being territorial when interacting with fellow male dogs. Also, other dogs only mark their territories when they get excited or overstimulated.
Stress and anxiety – Beagles also get territorial when they are stress or anxious. Numerous situations can cause beagles to get stressed or anxious. For instance, they can get anxious when a new dog is introduced in their environment or home. The introduction of a new object or person in your dog’s environment can also cause anxiety. Additionally, beagles may also develop stress when their daily routines are interrupted. Stress and anxiety can cause your beagle to mark their territory and express some territorial aggression. Sickness like ear infections can also trigger aggression.
Are Beagles protective of their owners?
Yes, pure beagles or cross breed beagles are instinctively very protective of their owners. The same is the case with other family members and people around their environment. For this reason, they often make excellent watchdogs for children. However, it is worth noting that they are also quite jaunty and friendly. Therefore, it is not advised for dogs to work as guard dogs.
Their protectiveness over their owners can also be attributed to the dog’s friendly, affectionate, and cheerful character. Beagles are often kind, intelligent, and they also flourish on attention. However, this also depends on how socialized they are. Beagles are not only loyal to their owners. They express their loyalty to people they spend a lot of time with and people who treat them kindly. Therefore, a beagle will be protective over everyone they are loyal to.
It is worth mentioning that beagles can also get along nicely, even with strangers. However, this is only if they are correctly socialized. Beagles express their protectiveness over their owners by;
Are Beagles aggressive towards other dogs?
Under normal circumstances, beagles are not an aggressive dog breed. They are mostly friendly and highly affectionate, with mild temperaments. Therefore, a beagle puppy makes a great playmate or cuddly companion. Despite their adorable behavior, they may display some aggression towards other dogs and some people in some cases.
Their aggression is often exhibited when they feel triggered or threatened. The onset of aggression in beagles is never instantaneous. This means that aggression in beagles always has a reason. Below are some reasons why beagles may get aggressive towards other dogs:
The dog may be using aggression as a means of communication with the other dog. For instance, if your puppy wants to communicate to another dog that something belongs to them, they are likely to express some aggression.
Your beagle may also express aggression towards other dogs when they want to get their attention.
Aggression towards other dogs may also be a result of feeling threatened or wanting to protect themselves.
Beagles may also express aggression towards other dogs when they are trying to guard or are protective over their toys, foods, and other belongings. In this case, your dog may bark, growl, and mark firm boundaries to protect themselves and their belongings.
How to deter aggressiveness in Beagles
As a beagle owner, you can deter aggressive behavior in numerous ways. Below are some effective methods of preventing aggressive or unwanted behavior in dogs;
Positive reinforcement – This is an excellent technique for encouraging acceptable behaviors and deterring bad behavior in beagles. It involves rewarding positive behavior to encourage it to be repeated in the future. In beagles, positive reinforcement may include giving your dog tasty treats or soft treats when they display good behavior. Note that the soft treats must be given at the perfect time for this technique to work.
Avoid physical punishment – Physical punishment is the worst thing you could do as a pet owner when dealing with an aggressive beagle. Physical aggression usually backfires and causes the aggression to escalate. Therefore, if you respond to the aggression by hitting or yelling, your beagle may feel attacked; hence try to defend themselves by biting or being physically aggressive.
Proper training or obedience class – Training your beagle on how to act around other people and animals will also help prevent aggression. This is because they become socially trained. Obedience training may especially come in handy. It would be wise to get advice from professionals or seek a professional to handle the obedience training.
Do Beagles need another Beagle?
Yes, beagles need other beagles for companionship. They tend to thrive when they are bred in packs and spend a lot of time with fellow beagles. They do not do well if left alone. Loneliness causes beagles to express aggression, get separation anxiety, and not get correctly socialized. It is also worth noting that beagles can easily live with other beagles without feeling jealous or getting aggressive towards each other. This is because they enjoy each other’s company.
However, getting another beagle for your furry companion may come with its struggles. First, if your pup is used to getting all the attention and not sharing its belongings, it may have difficulty adapting to having company. Getting separate belongings like a different food bowl for the new beagle may help. The transition from being the only beagle to being a pack may be difficult at first. However, the added company may prove to be a good thing once your beagle has gotten used to the situation as these dogs are pack animals.