Beagles and Their Nature ~ Information About This Social Dog

We recently added a new member to our family, our sweet yet spunky beagle one year old named Sonny. My husband and I waited until we felt the time was right to adopt a dog. Which has taken us ten years! My recent opportunity to work from home, which was one of the main reasons, has now made dog ownership a reality for us. We had talked about what kind of dog to get and the breed was not as important to us as was the size and temperament. We wanted a dog that could be primarily an indoor pet. The dog needed to be people and child friendly, as well as tolerable to our cat. In one short month, Sonny has proven to be a funny and loving addition to our family.

If you have been thinking about getting a dog and are looking for information about beagles inparticular, below are some of the characteristics and temperament the beagle dog is noted for.

Where did the Beagle come from?
With ancestry dating back to 200 AD., the beagle was originated to hunt/trail small game (the hare and rabbit) by scent. The early development of the breed took place primarily in Great Britain. Imported from England to the U.S. early in the history of this country.

How big will my Beagle get?
Beagles are a small to medium sized dog, typically ranging from 10" to 16" in height at the shoulder when mature. The typically weigh around 20 to 30 pounds.

Do Beagles require a lot of grooming?
Beagles have a smooth lying, hard, medium length coat with a finer undercoat. A good brushing once or twice a week is usually sufficient to keep your beagle's coat clean and healthy. A bath in warm water will hasten the shedding process, and keep your dog clean too. Otherwise, bathing is rarely necessary. The beagle's pendulous ears are especially prone to developing infection or ear mites, and will require weekly checks and careful cleaning. Toenails also require regular attention, with frequency of trimming dependent on how well your beagle wears them down during his normal, daily activities.

Do Beagles have a hound odor?
Contrary to the myth, the typical house beagle does not have any noticeable body odor. The one exception might be an unspayed female during her estrus cycle, due to the vaginal discharge. In general, unless your beagle finds something odoriferous to roll in, the family companion hound is a clean and pleasant smelling dog. Dogs will often develop an offensive odor quite often if anal glands need expressing or if they are on a food too low in fat content.

Are Beagles good with children?
In most cases, yes! Beagles tend to love social interaction with people, and children especially. Well bred and socialized beagles are very gentle with youngsters, and they can be wonderful companions for older children as they typically enjoy attention, rough housing, and interactive activities such as playing ball. The beagle is a "big dog in a little package"; small and nonthreatening, yet sturdy built and ready for action. The one area of caution, however, concerns food. Beagles take their food very seriously, and so children must be taught to understand that the hound should be treated with respect and never to tease or approach a beagle while eating.

Are Beagles Social Animals?
Beagles are social hounds! As a pack animal, the beagle makes a wonderful family companion; he loves the entire family. They are easily adaptable to new situations and new people. Beagles are typically people dogs, they need companionship and are rarely happy without their human pack members around them.

Are Beagles nervous or shy?
Not typically. Beagles are friendly, social animals that enjoy companionship and have a zest for life. A shy, nervous Beagle is not typical of the breed, and may have been poorly socialized. Individual personalities can of course vary. While most beagles will be true social extroverts, an occasional hound may prefer the quiet and security of their own home setting.

Are Beagles difficult to house train?
No more so than other breeds. The secret to housebreaking is timing and consistency. The most successful method in the majority of cases is to crate train; the theory behind this being that dogs instinctively dislike soiling their "den", and will do their best to wait until released to the appropriate outdoor location to relieve themselves.

Do Beagles eat a lot?
Beagles, when fed a recommended, premium quality food actually need only one or two cups a day, a surprisingly small amount for such an active, medium sized dog. It is very easy to overfeed, as most beagles are "good eaters" so you must monitor their weight carefully.

Do Beagles require a lot of exercise?
The adolescent beagle is an exuberant creature who will need adequate opportunities to exercise his growing body and mind. The preferred forms of exercise include leisurely walks with their family or a good run while out hunting. The adult beagle is actually often a fairly lazy animal.

Do I need to fence my yard?
A beagle left outside can quickly become bored and destructive or noisy, even with another dog in the yard. A fenced yard is preferred. It is highly recommended that your Beagle always be kept in a safe, secure environment. The securely fenced yard provides an area where your beagle can exercise without fear of his wandering off in pursuit of an intriguing scent trail. Because of their scent hound heritage, beagles should not be permitted outdoors off lead unless confined to a safely fenced area. Beagles enjoy being outdoors, but hate to be tied-out, and can become escape artists. A kennel run is not always the best solution, however, as a bored beagle may tend to pace back and forth and bark. If you are not home during the day, a 6'x8' kennel enclosure placed on a concrete paved run with an insulated doghouse is a fine place for your Beagle to hang out in.

What if I live in an apartment?
A securely fenced yard is a plus, although it is not a necessity if you are willing to commit to walking your beagle several times per day . Because of their smaller size and gentle temperaments, beagles can be wonderful apartment pets.

How long will a Beagle live?
It is not unusual for beagles to have a life span of 10 to 15 years.

In Conclusion...
Beagles make wonderful family companions, for the right family. Their typically gentle nature and fun loving personality are suitable for families with children. Social animals, they usually get along well with other family pets. Generally speaking, they can be independent and have a tendency to roam, due to hundreds of years of selective breeding for hunting instincts. For this reason, it is always highly recommended that Beagles have a securely fenced yard to exercise in. Like people, dogs have unique personalities. Some Beagles are very energetic while others are rather mellow. You should try to locate a hound that fits both your expectations and lifestyle.

Above are typical traits of beagles in general. My husband and I have found most of the traits to be quite accurate. Our Sonny is very social. He loves attention. You couldn't give him enough pets or tummy rubs. He is very gentle with our five year old grand daughter, which was a must for us. He loves playing with his toys and we found a chew bone to be essential. Young Beagles love to chew, and before we introduced the bones, he enjoyed a couple of tennis shoes! We have taught him to sit, come and lay so far, and he learned quickly. He shows interest in our cat Misty, but backs away quickly when she gives her adamant meow. He has learned that our bed is off limits and uses his own pet bed. The one thing we found to be quite true is that, he does not like a kennel run. If you put him out for more than ten minutes he starts his hound dog howl. He loves being outside if one of us are nearby but when we walk away the barking begins. We take him on walks and he loves it. He loves going for drives in the car and for walks by the lake. He is a sweet and gentle dog and has already brought so much joy to our family in such a short time. We look forward to many years with our new found furry friend!