Anyone who is considering getting a new dog needs to do some thorough research first, and if you are thinking of taking on a beagle, you will need to find out about the habits of this particular breed. One of the absolutely crucial things to look at with any dog is its willingness to bite either people or other animals, and how much of a chewer it is. This could sway your decision in one direction or the other, so don’t skimp on the research here. All dogs are individuals, but some breeds are certainly more ready to bite than other breeds.
Do Beagles Bite? Beagle puppies are quite keen biters, although they often limit their biting to playful nips that should not hurt much. However, beagles need to be taught not to bite before they grow up, as they are a breed that is somewhat prone to biting, and adult bites can be painful and damaging.
We’re going to explore what kinds of things beagles bite and what prompts them to bite. We will cover their tendency to chew on things, too, so you know how to protect your home from a nipping dog that wants to gnaw up or attack your new couch. We are also going to look at some top techniques that will help you stop your beagle from playful biting, which is crucial if you have one that is keen to use its mouth to express its feelings. With these tips, you will soon be ahead of the game on beagle ownership.
Do Beagles Bite?
Yes, beagles do bite. All puppies tend to use their mouths to explore the world and express themselves to their littermates, so nipping when very young is not much of an issue. However, unless beagles are properly socialized, they may continue to bite other creatures as a means of play or even establishing dominance.
Your beagle might bite you to try and get you to play with it, not understanding that this hurts. These dogs like a lot of attention and socialization, and if your beagle is not properly taught how to behave around others, it is quite likely to use biting as a means of expressing its desire to play and interact with you.
Play bites do not hurt much when the beagle is young, but as the dog gets older, it will start to hurt. The dog may not be acting aggressively and may not want to hurt you, but it doesn’t instinctively know how much pressure it can exert without causing damage. If it hasn’t been learned this young, biting can continue into adulthood.
Beagles may also bite when they are stressed about something. Like all dogs, they turn to aggression if they feel unsafe or threatened, and this can result in injuries because these bites are likely to be harder, with more intent to hurt.
Both kinds of biting need to be addressed and minimized as much as possible. You do not want your beagle to bite either in play or with an intent to hurt, so it’s important to teach it from a young age that biting is not acceptable and won’t be tolerated.
Do Beagles Bite Humans?
Yes, beagles do sometimes bite humans. These may be signs of aggression, but they could also be for other reasons.
Your dog sees you as an extension of its pack, part of its family. It does not necessarily differentiate between you and any other dog, and dogs often use bites (both gentle and hard) as a means of communicating with each other.
Your dog will rarely be aiming to hurt you, but it is possible for a beagle to do damage when it bites a human even in play. Human skin is far more fragile than a dog’s skin, and it’s easy for a bite to tear and cause bleeding.
Your beagle may also bite you if it is getting anxious about being separated from you. Beagles are very much pack dogs, and hate to be left on their own. If you are not spending enough time with your beagle, you may find that it attacks your ankles or hands when you walk toward the door of your home.
This might seem counter-intuitive, because why would aggressive biting make you want to stay with the dog for longer? However, it is the beagle’s attempt to let you know they are unhappy about something and to try and pull you back to the house.
Your beagle may not hurt you when it bites, but you should not ignore biting of any sort; it needs to be dealt with promptly so that your beagle learns not to do it. While it may not seem harmful, allowing your beagle to think biting is okay could lead to an accident and possibly the dog being put down, so you must take it seriously.
Do Beagles Bite Furniture?
You might also be wondering whether your furniture is at risk of your dog’s teeth. Some dogs are major chewers and can destroy furniture in very little time. It’s a good idea to check this before you think of taking on a beagle.
Beagles do chew, especially as puppies, partly because they are teething (knowns as the teething phase) and partly because they use their mouths as a means of exploring the world. Types of biting something tell the puppy a lot about it, and they may bite the strangest sorts of things, including wooden furniture, mats, rugs, chairs, plastics, and other items around the home.
Few people want their beagles to chew things, but unlike actual biting, you can’t train a beagle out of chewing, and you shouldn’t try. They need to chew.
However, that doesn’t mean you have to say goodbye to ever having nice furniture. Instead, you can direct your beagle’s attention toward certain things that it is okay for it to chew on. Buy chew toys of varying textures and sizes, and find ones that your dog likes.
When the dog starts chewing on the furniture, redirect its attention to one of its toys and reward it for chewing the right thing instead. This should help keep your furnishings safe from your dog.
Chewing will vary from beagle to beagle. As your puppy matures, you may find that its desire to chew goes down or even disappears. However, some adorable beagles continue to enjoy chewing even as they become adults, so make sure there are always plenty of toys available for them.
How Do I Stop My Beagle From Biting?
If your adult beagle bites, you need to take action. Fortunately, there are a few things you can do to help discourage a biting beagle.
Firstly, determine why it is biting. Most dogs bite as puppies, and they need to be steered away from these not acceptable behaviors as they get older.
You can do this by teaching your puppy that it is biting too hard. This technique works even if it is barely biting you, and should stop it from putting its mouth on you entirely. Make sure you don’t use shouting or violence to teach your dog not to bite, but instead, communicate with it in a way that it understands.
When a puppy bites its littermates too hard, they yelp and move away. They then ignore the biter for a few minutes. If you do the same, your dog will learn that biting hurts, and will slowly stop doing it.
Biting among adult beagles can be more challenging to handle. If your beagle is suffering from separation anxiety, it may need to work with a professional trainer and proper training to overcome this. Spending lots of time with your beagle and ensuring its social and exercise needs are met will help too.
If your dog is biting because it is stressed, you need to take action to reduce the stress. Depending on what it is, you may be able to remove the source of it or reduce your dog’s interactions with the stressful thing. You might also be able to reassure your dog by providing a safe space in your home for it to retreat to when stressed.
Again, professional obedience training can be helpful if you are dealing with stress biting.
Beagles are quite prone to biting, so if you have a beagle puppy, work on good socialization techniques and discourage biting from the start. This should teach your dog to find other ways to communicate its needs, rather than with its mouth.
Do not yell at or hit your dog if it bites, but simply yelp and then ignore it for a while. It should soon get the message!