beagles... yes/no?

I think they are a bit specialist, someone I know has a couple, and despite all her best efforts one cannot be off the lead as she will head off on a scent no matter what and almost ended up on a dual carriageway as a result!:eek:

So I guess it depends on your circumstances, really.
 
On another forum, I read that they aren't easy dogs, poor recall and very vocal. I came across a few at Christmas and they just stood and sort of screamed at each other!
 
There are loads of characterful dogs that are a bit less challenging - you could always join the spaniel massive, they are full of character but there is some chance of success at the end of the road:p:D

And we are very short of spaniels on this forum, yep, we hardly have any...;):D
 
Spaniels??:confused: don't hear of many of them in these parts.......;):D:D

Beagles are best described as 'special' followed by the words bargepole touch and don't - rearrange to suit!:D:D

As others have said they really are a pack working dog - will bugger off at will, steal, have no recall if on a scent - those are their good points;):) they are nice dogs but you really need to know what you are doing with them - not for the fainthearted.
 
Very strong food drive, obsessed by scents so recall not great, vocal, pack animals, not bred or wired to be 'single' dogs.

I would of course say GSD but what's your set up, routine, exercise capability?
 
Oooh, I love GSD's! But eagles appeal to me also! My OH was in a relationship with a woman who had a beagle. Said he was a character, but a pain when he decided to wander off for 30 mins at a time! Maybe best to aim for the ISH instead!
 
No, Bellisimo, YOU said GSD, don't pretend I put the idea in your head :p

Need a lot of exercise, stimulation, brain training, training classes are recommended, you up for that?

If you're interested in pet only I would say rescue. If you are dead set on buying a pup then I can recommend good breeders who do things properly, but expect to pay more than for the offspring of Bruce x Bess in the back yard with no health tests.
 
:eek: OMG, thank goodness I opened this thread when the beagles were in another room!

Do these look like the faces of evil?

IMG_0743.jpg


IMG_0718.jpg



Poor things. I'm pushing the button on this thread :(.

:D :D :D
 
Lol Galupy, how is the invalid, Regan is haling nicely, stitches out tomorrow, walking bearing weight nicely.

Beagles are no for he fant hearted, but like everyone suggests depends on te set up, I have met some pig ignorant (typical of the breed ones) but saying that their owners where full on fannies and somevery lovely ones, we currenly have a young beagle bitch in our rescue.
Speak to Galupy she will fill ya in :rolleyes::D
 
I "rescued" a beagle when she was five, without any knowledge of the breed. I was her third home in five years, and I promised if she didn't settle into our lives I would have her put down, as I thought she'd had enough unsettling moves. It took two years for her to learn to wag her tail, and for my husband to acknowledge her existence. I was given all her breeding papers.........the first sentence was "Beagles can be destructive". I had gone from a JRT to a hound - culture shock, or what! To the day she died (at nearly 14) a carpet was designed to be puddled on, fences were an irritation, disposed of by incredibly strong hound teeth, moving lorries were to be howled at, likewise reflective jackets, and an eventing lorry park was a source of endless exploration/picnics/and friends. She was the kindest, most even tempered, non-territorial, frustrating, and challenging companion, and the best Eventing Dog ever. Last season the lorry felt very empty. Without doubt, I did it the hard way, but also without doubt, I'd have another one.....better informed this time! There are a huge amount of beagles for rehoming at about 18months to 2yrs. I think this is generally when owners' patience runs out. It is so sad. I think if I had known in advance, I would never have gone there, but I'm so glad I did. Someone once said "You don't go to dog training classes, you go to Beagle training classes!" They are certainly a little "special" and not for the faithearted!
 
I have a hound x and I can vouch for the fact that they are EXTREMELY difficult dogs with strong prey drives and poor recall (nose goes down, ears go deaf).

You can have success with them and they are fantastic dogs in the house but walking them will always be stressful as you have to be on your guard constantly! Recall is possible but you have to spot the prey before they do, drop you guard and the dog can be gone for 4 hours +!!!

If you want a dog to enjoy, don't get a beagle. If you want a dog that is a challenge then they are perfect!
 
A friend of mine had 2 beagles, I spent alot of time there from age 13 to about 19 and I will NEVER get a Beagle. EVER.

They were walked for a minimum of 5 hours a day in an attempt to tire them out.

They howled at anything and everything and destroyed anything left within reach. Shoes had to be put on top on the microwave!

Nooo thank you.
 
If you Oh is saying no then no. Basically a dog is something the whole family should agree on and having been in rescue as long as I have if one side isn't 100% then its going to create problems in the future.

That aside I have a beagle, he's amazing and absolutely no problem at all. His recall is perfect, he's trained up KC Gold all done within 1 year and he's a delight. As with all breeds it totally depends on the dog. Mine is exercised alot as I have a large pack, he has alot of canine company and enjoys an active outdoors life so that could be why he's so well behaved. He's a rescue but wasn't that naughty when first adopted either.

Maybe worth contacting Beagle rescues and seeing what they have on offer, once your OH meets an older calmer dog he might change his mind.
 
cobgirlie said:
His recall is perfect, he's trained up KC Gold all done within 1 year and he's a delight. As with all breeds it totally depends on the dog. Mine is exercised alot as I have a large pack, he has alot of canine company and enjoys an active outdoors life so that could be why he's so well behaved.
Click to expand...

Similar to mine except my boy does agility too. He is perfect in situations like that but recall - hit and miss. I think you were very lucky. I'd consider myself experienced yet I struggled with the furry issues (I rehab and rehome difficult and working dogs for a charity)

They definitely need enough exercise to burn off all the energy but that tends to involve off lead walks or extremely long ones. Unfortunately many cannot commit to the long hours needed.

In the end I trained my boy with an EC (not on a high setting - tested on my own neck first) and it worked a treat. I would like to add here that they should never be used for punishment, only to grab a dog's attention so you can praise and reward. They work for recall but I fail to see how they could work for any other form of training. Now vibrating collars are available I have ditched the EC in favour of the vibrating one :)
 
I once read a post from a lady who had been a dog trainer for something like 20 years. She said the only dog that made her cower in the corner, head in hands was... you guessed it... a beagle:D

My friend has one, he's a greedy, obstinate so and so who can't be let off the lead.

There was a lady who used to walk one down the lane past our yard - well at least I think she did, never actually saw the dog but could hear her for miles screaming his name, she assured me it was a beagle;):D. She was determined she could train him to go off the lead - she failed:rolleyes:
 
I think this thread surely calls for the forum to be re-named to Horse and not-so-Hound - they're not getting the greatest write-up on here, considering where we are :p
 
Don`t know about beaglies,but I`ve had lots of the bigger version ..foxhounds. Great thieves,bugger off for hours..but always came home happy,their noise is called singing,I love it! Gentle loving things with a sense of humour,have one in the house? Not on your Nelly! Oh ,I forgot Gossip,she was a very posh whelp who was reared by one of my bullies as she was one of fourteen whelps by a Peterborough Champion.She was fun,jumped all the barriers that kept bullies contained,stole bathroom sponges and buried them in the muckheap,wonderful creature.
Discipline is essential and not of the sort that works on pet dogs,very very firm boundaries need setting,and they need to see their boss as an aid to their natural instinct then you are God.
 
Last edited:
Not personal but a close friend grew up with them - she said it was a real wake up call in her twenties when finding that it was NOT considered normal to lose your dog for several hours and the dog finding its way home the next day was also odd!
 
bellisimo said:
Oooh, I love GSD's! But eagles appeal to me also! My OH was in a relationship with a woman who had a beagle. Said he was a character, but a pain when he decided to wander off for 30 mins at a time! Maybe best to aim for the ISH instead!
Click to expand...

Only 30 mins that was good! A friend had one who lived in the New Forest after one occasion spending several hours looking for him, a bit of a benefit of the doubt experience and a second chance, that time he come home alone several hours later, he spent the rest of his days on lead when out!!!

They are real characters and there are a couple at my dog training but as said you need to share their sense of humour which is quirky, have no ambitions as a trainer and no need whatsoever for consistency, recall or retrieve!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top