I have sometimes thought about getting a Beagle- mostly because they really look like dogs to me, and are about the right size. Having one win the big thing in NYC this week put it back in my head. Talked with a kennel owner (he raises German short hairs- or someone's short hairs) this week about some corporate problems he is having. Nice guy and we were able to help him out. Anyway, I asked him if he knew of a breed that was like a small to medium small Black Labrador. He said Beagles. (I had not mentioned my interest.) He knows a guy in Washington State that raises nice ones. Mrs Idahorn2 is leary of Beagles because they are pack-type animals and we are likely to get one who wants to be the Alpha male or female and dominate everything. Not sure about this??
Research the breed exhaustively just like you should with any other dog. Both of my sisters have Beagles and they are cool enough dogs. But both of them state that they really should have gotten a second Beagle to go along with theirs. I have read in a few places where this is a good idea. If not another Beagle, another dog to keep it company. They are hyper dogs and you better be willing to properly tire it out and give it enough attention on a daily basis. It is a tough breed with great rewards. Also, you better like their bark or bey. It annoys many people and when they get excited they do it a lot. They are cute as a button, no doubt. That is a sad thing for them as it makes people want one for how they look, not how they are. Many are unprepared for the task ahead. Again, the reward is great and for the right person they are FANTASTIC dogs. But not all breeds are for all people. Research. I was bummed when the gorgeous Uno won the Westminster and got all the pub he did. Now, like Dalmations (a super tough dog to work with) after 101 Dalmations came out, there will be a rush on Beagle purchases. This leads to more backyard breeders, inbreeding and more dogs left to resuce organizations and shelters. A shame anytime it happens. But if you find that a Beagle is what you are looking for in a dog then get ready for one cute dog!!! (exercise it, I cannot say this enough) And post pic's. Damn they are adorable.
I have owned 3 Beagles and Bogey is 12 now. They are great dogs and once they get out of the "puppy" stage they are pure hound and love to lounge all day. Bogey probably sleeps 18 hours everyday. Any type of meaness or anger has been bread out of the dog. They are very loving dogs and love to hang out with the family. They do like to run and play but do not need a big back yard. If you have never raised a dog before, make sure and read up on raising dogs. All dogs (no matter what breed) want to simply know their place and fit in the pack (your family). From the start make sure he knows that you are the "lead dog" and you dictate what the pack is going to do and your family will love the dog and he will love the pack as well.
Pics? Beagle pics are always a good thing. My sisters' Beagles are named Absolut (Tito for nickname) and Titan (she wanted to name him Garbonzo like the bean but her husband did not want to call it Bonzo for short). What the above poster said is so true. Mean is surely not a trait of a Beagle. Very happy go lucky, playful and, would you agree, mischievous?
haha, yes they are mischevious? And they love leather shoes, purses so watch out. But all in all they are one of the best dogs you can have. They are perfect size for a normal back yard and they are a hound which is a huge $ savings in haircuts and bathing a short haired dog is so easy and quick.
My Beagle, Digger, is 7 years old. I can't recommend the breed enough. Very loving, sweet and playful. And they're great with kids. However, as stated above, they can be a handful during the puppy stage. You should be warned that they're very hyper and mischevious, and can also be very needy. In fact, mine didn't really start to mellow out until he turned 5 or so. Now, he's mostly about sleeping and eating. And that's why you need to make sure they get plenty of exercise. Beagles have a tendency to put on the pounds. The barking and beying is a problem with a lot of Beagles, but really hasn't been an issue with mine.
Never had one, but my brother got one about 4 years ago. From what I observed, they can be pretty stubborn. It took a lot of butting heads before the training sunk in. Once he hit about two years and the puppy energy ebbed away he turned into a pretty fantastic dog.
I don't think Beagles are anything like Labs in personality. Wait eight to twelve months and the shelters will be full of them ready for you to adopt.
The only beagle my family ever had was probably one of the cutest and sweetest little dogs I have ever seen. That being said, she never stopped howling. I was a kid and completely slept through it, but the neighbors were not so lucky. They were friendly but eventually demanded that we do something about it, so she had to go Maybe we could have done something differently when she was a puppy but who knows. All I'm saying is be prepared to deal with a howler, should you end up with one!
That is sad, eh TexasEd? Everybody will want an "Uno" and won't know what they are getting into. There should be tests and accountability for people to get a dog. But yeah, there will be tons of Beagles coming up very soon for adoption.
