All About The Beagle
In a recent interview with Layne Kizler of AZ Dog Sports & AZ Dog Smart Academy the topic of training a Beagle came up. I personally do not have a Beagle, nor have I ever been a parent to one. In my discussion with Layne, I learned a few interesting things.
When I think of a Beagle, I picture Copper from Disney’s Fox & The Hound. I conjure up images of gullible, simple and a bit on the goofy side. It surprised me to find out that Snoopy is the most famous Beagle of all! It made me think differently of Beagles. But (as I am sure will not come as a surprise to any Beagle guardian out there) Snoopy is not your typical Beagle!
Beagle Facts
Beagles are loving, cuddly and generally a happy breed, but they are also smart, capable and not as arrogant as Snoopy wants you to think. They are members of the Hound group of dogs; the scent hound category, not the sight hound classification. This breed of dog is very energetic and loves the outdoors.
Beagles are very smart and even though may not be #1 in the sniffer category, they are certainly near the top of the list. This breed will follow a scent, get fixated on it and won’t stop until they find it. If not leashed, this behavior could lead them miles away from where you are in no time. They were originally bred in Great Britain about 150 years ago to hunt. Trained to work independently of humans as opposed to working breeds that are bred to work in conjunction with people; beagles are sometimes seen as stubborn.
Beagles are small to medium size dogs weighing around 20-30 pounds and make good family pets. A house with a yard is a more suitable living arrangement, instead of an apartment or condo as they need room to run and get daily exercise. Howling is a favorite pastime of the Beagle, so living away from close neighbors might also be a good idea.
Beagle Temperament
Does this make Beagles hard to train? Maybe, but not impossible.
When training a Beagle, one thing you need to strongly emphasize is a solid recall. As soon as a door or gate is open, a Beagle sees an opportunity to hunt! So having a strong recall is imperative for the safety of a Beagle who is a pet and lives in and around traffic areas. A preemptive training measure for the door-bolting Beagle is to train them to wait at an open gate or door. Training them to go on command once you have deemed it safe for them to exit, is a better alternative.
Some suggestions for classes to take with your Beagle are any good Activity Class, Scentwork Classes, Tracking Classes, Barnhunting Classes or Nosework Classes.
Call us to discuss options for you and your Pup!
602-237-6775
See Class Calendar here
Leave a Reply