Beagle: pros and cons of the breed

Description and characteristics

Beagle is a hunting dog.
Shows activity and energy. Keeping in a cramped environment is not for this individual. The structure of the tall is compact. Length at the withers is from 30 to 40 cm, weight is from 8 to 11 kg. The body is elongated, the limbs are proportional to it. The neck is strong, the chest is developed. The dog doesn't look fragile. The tail is medium in size with a white tip. The muzzle is not narrow, not wide, the jaw is powerful. The eyes are dark and located far apart. The ears are drooping and reach to the end of the muzzle. The color is black and white with a hint of brown.

pros

The Beagle can be a family pet and a brave hunter. It has advantages in psychological state and physical development.

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Psychological qualities:

• Not aggressive;
• Friendly;
• Devoted;
• Smart;
• Adapts quickly.

Physiological benefits:

• Endurance;
• No unpleasant odor;
• The coat sheds little;
• Not picky about food;
• Beautiful appearance;

Beagles are not aggressive. They will not bark at everyone and start conflicts with other dogs. Aggression is possible towards cats or towards hunted objects, for example hares.

The breed is friendly. The dog is friendly to guests and loves children. An older child can be left alone with the dog. It is better not to leave kids alone with a beagle, because the dog is energetic and can accidentally knock the child over. Does not conflict with pet neighbors. If a small puppy grew up in the same house with a cat, he will be friends with her too.

For a beagle, the owner's reputation matters. The dog is loyal and always tries to be nearby. The general hobby of hunting will make the animal an indispensable companion.

Individuals of the breed are smart by nature. A trained dog will follow all commands of the owner.

They quickly get used to the situation. They can adapt to living in a city apartment, but then they will have to walk the dog at least 3 times a day.

Representatives of the breed differ in endurance and energy. They can go on a long hike and can run as much as they want.

Individuals are distinguished by their cleanliness. The pet maintains its cleanliness on its own. There is no unpleasant “dog” smell.

Grooming will not be difficult. The wool is smooth, does not absorb dirt, sheds little, and does not require frequent washing.

The animal is not picky about food, eats everything that is given and asks for more. The dog is prone to obesity, so the owner should not overfeed the pet.

A breed with an attractive appearance. Beauty is determined by the compact structure of the body and contrasting coloring. The male has a more interesting color than the female.

The "light side" of the beagle

Let's take a separate look at positive personal qualities and why a beagle is good in external manifestations.

Psychological aspect

British breeding has created the ultimate team player: the Beagle is a pack hound. Living and working hard in a large team requires friendliness, patience, and a complete absence of aggression and malice. Beagles are peaceful towards everyone: strangers, oncoming dogs. Outside the huge “white list” are only cats and small rodents (British greyhounds consider the poor fellows as prey, prey).

More than four hundred years of thoughtful British selection have firmly oriented the breed towards humans. The calm and intelligent beagle gets along well with children: the fold-eared playful creatures are ready to run around the clock and have fun with the kids.

The relationship with the owner, the leader of the “family pack” is a separate page in the book of virtues and positive articles of the breed. Sincere love, trust and refined tact: the dog is always there, but not intrusive, not tiring.

An important psychological aspect: short-legged hunters easily and quickly adapt to any situation. Unpretentious and unpretentious dogs are equally comfortable both in a small-sized city apartment and in a country mansion with a large garden area.

Physical articles

Sports fidgets, energetic optimists and supporters of a healthy dynamic life will find such a pet “at home.” A tireless travel companion on long journeys, an active partner in sports (jogging, Swedish walking, cycling, swimming), a faithful and reliable companion in any activity - an energetic and cheerful dog will always keep you company and will not let you get bored. Who the Beagle breed is definitely not suitable for is phlegmatic, sensible homebodies.

Beagles are compact and clean. Minimum problems in life support and care. Providing a reasonably balanced diet for a pet is a daunting task, but beagles are not gourmets. You won’t have to select delicacies and persuade your dog to eat.

The coat of the Beagle is not hypoallergenic : although a little, the dog sheds. With regular brushing of the thick undercoat, this problem can be easily resolved. Allergies to the Beagle have not been confirmed by specialists.

The advantage of the breed is its attractive appearance; the dogs are truly beautiful. But beagles are not decorative exotics. The breed is famous for its strength, endurance, good health and excellent immunity. It is on this that the famous cheerfulness, balanced psyche, interest and love for life of the British hound are based.

Minuses

Dogs of this breed have shortcomings in behavior and physiology.

Behavioral cons:

• Cannot stand loneliness;
• Stubbornness;
• Excessive activity;
• Gullibility;
• Loud barking.

Physiological disadvantages:

• Tendency to corpulence;
• Problematic ears;
• Vulnerable claws.

Beagles do not like to be alone. They need attention and education. If your pet is left alone, he will behave mischievously—gnaw, break objects, and mark his territory.

The dog is stubborn, so training it will be difficult. Before walking, the puppy must be taught to defecate in the litter box. Try to get used to commands right away. It will be impossible to retrain an adult pet.

The energy of a dog is not everyone's cup of tea. The breed is not suitable for older, busy people. Hunting instincts manifest themselves even in urban conditions; a dog can chase a cat and get lost. The walk should take place in open spaces, the animal needs to run without a leash.

Trust in strangers leads to dogs being often stolen. Because of its hunting instincts, the dog can get lost and trust a stranger.

According to reviews from owners, the main drawback is that the beagle barks loudly and often. Neighbors usually express dissatisfaction. It is better to keep your pet in a private home.

Poor nutrition can cause obesity in your pet. You need to stick to the feeding schedule and avoid snacking.

Fold-eared individuals tend to have problems with their ears. The ingress of dirt, water, and insects can cause inflammation. Ears should be inspected and cleaned regularly.

Mobility is bad for the condition of the claws. They delaminate and crack, causing pain when walking. Nails need to be trimmed promptly and correctly.

A breed with a difficult character. Not suitable for inexperienced dog owners as a first dog.

Advantages and disadvantages

Like any other breed, the beagle has its disadvantages and its positive characteristics. The advantages include:

1. Friendliness
2. Activity
3. Loyalty to masters
4. Gets along well with other dogs
5. Neatness (they hardly shed, do not slobber all around and monitor their cleanliness)

What are the disadvantages? This:

1. Not willing to train
2. Bark frequently (bad for those who live in a multi-story building)
3. Prone to obesity
4. Capable of giving in to their hunting instincts and running away
5. Requires long walks

As you can see, there are a number of pros and cons. To make your choice easier, you can refer to owner reviews. This is not the first day they have been getting along with their pet.

I accidentally became the owner of a Beagle dog. He was given to us because of an allergy, so the dog came to us as an adult. The dog was stressed for some time, as this breed is very attached to its owners. But over time we managed to put it in order. We walked with her twice a day for an hour and a half.

The main feature of the beagle is its activity. She will definitely be able to bring joy to her owners. It's really hard to train her. For a long time she gnawed at all the things in our house and tried to dig a hole near the front door to get to the departed owners. Neither barricades nor shouts helped. Beagle must be trained, otherwise all your things will be ruined, and neighbors will start complaining about constant barking.

Oleg

This dog has a lot of advantages. Beagles are very beautiful, cheerful, active dogs. True, there is a lot of hassle with them, but this will not be an obstacle if you have free time. Ideal for a large family, then you definitely won’t have to worry about your things getting damaged or the dog getting bored. I recommend this breed to active people who cannot live a day without moving!

Tatiana

What you need to know

Before starting to work on the character of his pet, the owner needs to find out what qualities a puppy must have in order to be called well-mannered and obedient. The processes of training and education have a close relationship. Training includes learning to unquestioningly carry out simple commands. You can start it immediately as soon as the puppy appears in the house (regardless of its age) and the equipment and necessary things have been purchased for it. Education involves the formation of a clear hierarchy in the family, an understanding of what the owner’s behavior should be towards the dog.

We cannot ignore everything that a well-mannered puppy and its owners should know:

1. If owners want to solve difficulties associated with their pet’s behavior, they must learn the main rules of upbringing. Failure to comply with these principles becomes the main reason for their appearance.
2. One of the most important skills for a pet is toilet training outside or in a certain place in the house. The puppy will not be able to deal with these issues on his own. He can acquire this skill only through training. You need to start developing good toilet habits as early as possible. And the more correct the chosen training tactics, the faster you will be able to achieve stable results.
3. You need to train your pet from the moment it starts living in your home. At a minimum, he should learn and follow basic commands.
4. Puppy owners can face many difficult situations. For example, if a baby fawns over strangers, they begin to fear that he will not be able to become a reliable protector. Or, perhaps, the puppy bites when trying to feed and during play. Other pets may pick up crap from the floor or flatly refuse to listen to you. If you pay attention to different aspects of education, you can solve such problems.

The basis of the educational process

How correctly the puppy will be raised depends on the owner’s persistence, the amount of time spent and love for the pupil. There must also be strict control. Just because you love your pet does not mean that he cannot be punished for pampering or trying to eat something harmful from the floor or the ground. The best owner for any dog ​​is a strong, demanding, but kind dad.

There are several important and effective secrets of proper upbringing:

1. If the puppy deserves physical punishment, there is no need to make concessions. The type of punishment will have to be applied at the beginning of education. In the future, the dog will wean itself from doing bad things and will know that at the first request it needs to execute the “fu” command. You should not lose sight of the fact that until the age of 3 months, a pet cannot be raised using physical punishment. At a tender age, parenting methods should be extremely careful.
2. The baby should receive as many positive emotions as possible from the owner. The pet takes negative emotions and punishment for granted if they are appropriate, and the owner does not forget to praise his pupil. It is worth encouraging the puppy, for example, when he correctly followed the command, went to the toilet in a special place. Many owners pet their dogs even without achievements. If you use this gesture of attention more often, the contact between the owner and the puppy becomes closer.
3. If you took a puppy to become a friend, a protector, then you need to take into account that loyalty is the quality of those dogs that consider their owner a member of their pack. Then the dog is really ready to give his life so that you can be saved.

Overly cruel and demanding owners will not be able to raise a reliable protector. This does not mean that you can allow people to sit on your neck. The principle of the golden mean is to initially praise the kids as often as possible, and over time, praise and encouragement with treats for following commands will be needed much less often.

How to raise a beagle puppy

If you train your pet correctly, then over time you will get an obedient dog that will follow all commands and delight you every day. Experts believe that several factors may influence the beagle's receptivity to following various commands:

• pet's temperament - the speed of the pet's reaction to stimuli, both positive and negative;
• character - how exactly the dog resists various unpleasant influences;
• obedience - the dog’s ability to accept human leadership;
• vigilance - the speed with which the dog notices potential danger, both in relation to itself and in relation to the owner;
• aggressiveness - the pet’s ability to react hostilely to potential danger;
• curiosity - interest that is developed when a dog feels, hears and sees something;
• sociability - the ability to interact with people;
• possessiveness is the interest shown by animals in certain objects, for example toys.

How quickly your dog will learn commands depends on which traits predominate in the character of a beagle puppy. By paying attention to the character traits of your animal, you can find an approach to it and adjust its behavior in certain situations.

• Eagerness will get you nowhere . You should not try to teach your beagle puppy all the commands at the same time; you need to learn the commands one at a time. You need to have patience and act methodically. You should not scold your pet at the moment when he makes mistakes, and when he succeeds in something, then the pet should be encouraged.
• Don't hit . It is prohibited to use physical punishment against a pet until it is three months old. You should limit yourself to variable intonation, but avoid shouting. After the Beagle puppy is three months old, it is allowed to use a light spank as punishment while saying the phrase “Ew.” It is necessary to punish immediately when the animal commits an offense, and not after it, since the animal simply will not understand what exactly it was punished for.
• Subsequence . The main goal is to ensure that the pet follows the command the first time. Commands should be pronounced clearly and in an even voice so that the dog understands and obeys you. All family members should be involved in raising the dog, but they must act together. It is forbidden to allow situations in which you scold the puppy, and another family member praises him or simply does not pay attention.
• Pamper . Remember to reward your Beagle puppy with a variety of treats and praise when he has done what is asked of him.

Will moderate severity offend a puppy?

It’s rare that someone manages to raise a dog (even if this happens, not with every pet), using only rewards. For example, these will be treats, praise. For the most part, dog owners are convinced that it is impossible to do without punishment.

If you pay attention to your puppy, play with him, spend a lot of time together, and don’t forget about appropriate praise, then he won’t even remember about strict educational measures. Dogs understand everything well, but it takes time to establish close contact.

Determining your role in the pack

Regardless of its age, the dog perceives the family of its owners as a pack that must have a leader. In her understanding, it is impossible for a pack to survive without a leader. Therefore, to ensure all members survive and achieve a better life, the pet strives to take the place of leader.

Natural instincts make a dog challenge you to see if you are strong enough to deserve to be the leader. The puppy first tries to find out his chances of leadership at approximately 4-6 months of age. For example, he may growl when wiping his paws after a walk or when his owners approach a bowl of food. Sometimes the dog may even “signalize” the bite. There is no need to be afraid of this behavior - this is done to find out who is in charge in the pack. Only a strong leader can ensure survival and protection.

Although the determination of leadership is a natural phenomenon for dogs, this does not mean that coexistence will turn into a struggle for dominance in the family. You just need to always get what you want from your pet. It is important to maintain self-confidence. Dogs do not like weak-willed individuals who do not have their own opinions.

Beagle: disadvantages of the breed

Despite its many advantages, the beagle also has disadvantages, and all of them depend on its hunting specialization. Do not neglect training and caring for the animal; it is very important to give it enough time and attention.

Maintenance and care

Beagles need regular exercise to improve the dog's quality of life. Increased activity of the pet is accompanied by pollution and the need to frequently brush the coat, bathe it, and be sure to wash its paws after walks.

Character

The key character traits of the Beagle are love, curiosity and friendliness. However, lack of physical activity and attention can cause challenging behavior. They are explorers, so it can be risky to let them off leash. Once they start tracking a scent, it's quite difficult to get them to pay attention to something else.

One of the main disadvantages is excessive separation anxiety, which often has unpleasant consequences in the form of destruction of surrounding objects. They also bark and howl for long periods of time when their owners are away, which can be quite annoying for neighbors.

The Beagle likes to do what he wants, not what is required of him. He is a true master when it comes to selective hearing. If the dog is not interested in the team, he will simply ignore the owner or leave. Success can be achieved by turning everything into a game that can attract the animal's attention. You should not try to force your Beagle to do anything and expect it to be obedient unless you offer it a treat as an incentive.

Disobedience and stubbornness often accompany attempts to get what you want, usually food. Character traits that will have to be taken into account throughout the pet’s life - he loves a good smell, howls, has selective hearing, and most importantly, he loves to eat.

Simple conclusions for the owner

To raise a well-mannered and obedient puppy, you need:

1. Engage with him in studying and executing commands.
2. Set clear and understandable rules.
3. Solve problems that arise during the education process.
4. Insist on.
5. Don't be afraid to use physical punishment.
6. Remember that you can never have too many positive emotions and games.
7. Show your dog confidence in his abilities.
8. Believe that if you work and put in a lot of effort, success will come.

And the most important thing to always remember is not to worry about small failures or difficulties. After just a short period of time, you will be surprised by the positive changes in the character of your pupil. You just need to work while maintaining optimism and a good mood.

Flaws

A description of the breed would not be complete enough without mentioning the breed's shortcomings:

• stubbornness, self-will;
• tendency to overeat;
• difficulty learning commands;
• excessive gullibility;
• intolerance of loneliness.

The Beagle's character has a strong commitment to collectivism. The animal absolutely cannot stand being alone for long periods of time. Left to its own devices, a dog tries to attract attention by barking loudly. Out of boredom, the pet turns any objects into toys and chews them (wires, shoes, furniture, etc.).

You need to devote a lot of time to raising a dog. Hyperactivity makes it difficult for him to concentrate, so remembering and following commands is difficult.

At the same time, the Beagle has an innate talent as an actor, which he uses to get what he wants from people. First of all, this concerns tidbits and additional portions of food. If the diet is uncontrolled, the dog quickly gains excess weight. Obesity can cause many diseases.

Would you like to get yourself a beagle?

What should a novice trainer remember?

To prevent training from turning into torture, you need to consider a few more points:

1. Any workout can be made easier. To do this, you need to take your pet for a good walk in advance. A tired, running dog will be less distracted. This means the effect will be greater. According to experienced owners, active walking makes working with the animal several times easier.
2. Each command is spoken only once. They cannot be duplicated. The dog quickly grasps, if he understands that the owner can repeat the same thing several times, then he will stop performing the technique the first time.
3. There must be pauses between teams. When practicing, for example, “near”, “lie down”, “fetch”, you need to give the dog time to take a breath. 5-10 seconds will be enough. If you do not pause, the dog may simply become confused.
4. It's important to change the sequence. During training, it is better to practice all techniques separately. If the dog gets used to doing everything in order, nothing good will come of it in the end. Unless he develops a reflex. That, for example, after “to me” you need to “sit.” The dog must master commands in any sequence.
5. You cannot overload your student. Too intense training can harm your four-legged friend. We must always keep in mind that a dog is a living creature. She may have some pain. Or not being in the mood to study.

An already trained dog is able to perfectly carry out commands under any conditions. But we must keep in mind that your pet may get tired.

1. Sometimes students, like ordinary schoolchildren, “run away from class.” They may be distracted by a nearby cat or other dog. This can be avoided if you are more careful about exposure. Train her on a long leash. This will allow you to catch up with the “mischievous person”, even if he runs fast. A leash with a carabiner for 3-5 meters is suitable. Often such a leash is just needed for endurance and training to pick up “goodies” from the floor.
2. “Mass” training is not allowed. Only the dog's owner should act as a trainer. The dog must obey all family members. And pets must master the basic principles of raising an animal. But at the training itself there are only two people: the owner and his pupil. Otherwise, the dog will be constantly distracted.
3. Sometimes during training it is worth pausing. It happens that the dog looks scared. He follows commands, but seems to doubt the correctness of his actions. The reason is usually that the owner was too strict and overdid the load. In such cases, you need to get the dog to fulfill the simplest command for him, and then generously praise him. More than usually. The dog, seeing that the owner approves of him, will begin to perform the exercises better. You can even play with the dog or take it for a walk.
4. To develop the ideal execution of techniques, they need to be studied systematically, gradually. It is necessary to teach your pet to follow commands in any conditions. Start with perfect obedience in a calm place, gradually adding “stimulants”. They can be created artificially. For example, scattering treats. Or invite a friend to walk past your training place at a certain time. You can come up with “irritants” yourself or read reviews from experienced owners.