Do I want a BEAGLE?

[TheCoachZed]

Longtime deer and duck hunter here. Have been considering getting a dog for:

A) Keeping an eye on the place
B) Playing with my kids (6 and 9)
C) Hunting.

I have several opportunities to buy beagles of hunting stock. I figure they aren't much for guard dogs but they howl enough that they'll at least raise the alarm if people are snooping around. And they are small enough that they won't overwhelm my kids. And most importantly, they would open up possibilities in rabbit hunting that I just don't otherwise have.

But are they super annoying to live with?

This would be a dog that was kept in the garage/shop/pantry areas of the house but not let in the main house. Most of the ppl I knew who had beagles growing up kept them outdoors in a cage, but I would like to have them as more of a pet than that - just not shedding in the kitchen.

 

[IvoB]

dad's friend had one stunk like hell in the Aerostar van going hunting -

 

[Daver_II]

Beagles are great dogs.

I hunt rabbits with two.

 

[Innavedaw]

We currently have a beagle and a lab…The beagle is a natural hunter and took all of about 2 weeks as a puppy to train him to flush rabbits. He’s a bit stubborn and probably to most needy dog we’ve ever owned. He always wants to be close and howls like a banshee when he gets left alone and not around us. He’s our first beagle - we’ve had bigger hounds before - so I don’t know if the co-dependence is a breed thing or just a one off with our guy. However, if your beagle is anything like ours, he won’t do well being mostly kept away from the family.

 

[FatCatsDad]

Everyone should have a dog in their life.

 

[45C]

I have one, it’s stubborn as hell.. lol
And you’ll be forever and a day picking up those little white hairs, worst shedder I’ve ever seen.
Make sure you get lots of lint rollers.
They are so frigging friendly though,

A) is definitely out
B and C are GTG

 

[Butcherbill]

Beagle’s are the best, yes you should get one.

 

[JACKSMYDOG]

We had a few Beagles growing up, they were great family dogs. My dad always talked about hunting, but never trained them for it. They were great guard dogs, because they would howl at anyone near the house or at strangers approaching us kids when walking them. Best guard dogs make big noise. Three things they needs specific training for is, to stop howling when told, recall on command, and not to track scents when they get on one. All are very easy with a little patience dedication and consistency. Do it!!!

 

[archer2u]

My favourite dog. They do tend to smell if you feed them people food. Best rabbit dogs going, having said that they also tend to howl at bunnies in your back yard.
To answer your question, yes get a beagle, they are awesome.
Adam

 

[maple_leaf_eh]

I have to disagree with the others. Beagles howl. They are not sociable dogs that way. They don't like to be left alone. If they want attention they howl. If there are noises in your area, like traffic or trains, they'll howl. Unless you are willing to live with a constant sound track of howling dog(s), for your nerves think about another breed.

 

[HuskyDude]

Everyone should have a dog in their life.

Totally agree! two is even better!

Just not a Beagles...

They're LOUD!!!!

If you're in the country and don't have neighbors... okay.

But if you do.... have a heart and think of them too!

10+ years of...

 

[JACKSMYDOG]

You guys know you can train dogs right, including Beagles? Teach them to only bark when appropriate, and stop on command?

 

[BlackRam]

Have thought I would want a beagle for years...just never got one, and not many breeders around this neck of the woods. Cute dogs and friendly.
Like that they are hunters...while I haven't hunted snowshoe hares a lot since I was a kid on the farm, I wondered how they would be for retrieving ruffies as I spend way more time doing this (a Brittany may be better suited to this). Grew up with a Norwegian Elkhound; great dog, great bear protector, friendly...just would not fetch and shed like crazy!
Didn't like what I heard about about beagles:
- howling
- hard headed
- shedding
These kept me from looking for one...

A neighbour had one at their place for awhile (daughter's dog that stayed with them often). What was nice was that Molly was friendly and respectful when she came to visit only when we were outside, and was respectful with our horses, and would go home when told to do so, or called. She also rarely barked, and when she did it was mostly at strangers in her yard or stray dogs that also entered her yard. Never heard her howl. So I believe that this is a training thing, and that is encouraging...but as with any dog, they are individuals just like people, and each has its own character. So could have just been Molly.

 

[nowarningshot]

Beagles are an advanced breed. A beagle I had, pushed a chair to the kitchen counter, got up on the counter for a unopened can of cat food. Another time it got and ate an entire lb of frozen bacon. Hard to train, self willed, high prey drive, destructive, escape artists.

Miss that dog.

 

[southwest maddog]

I consider myself to be a pretty good dog handler and trainer. I have had dogs all my life. I got a Beagle and it was not happy. It dug up my yard and ran away every chance it got and was super hard to catch. It didn't like any of us and would sit facing the wall. I will never own a hound again.

 

[JACKSMYDOG]

I consider myself to be a pretty good dog handler and trainer. I have had dogs all my life. I got a Beagle and it was not happy. It dug up my yard and ran away every chance it got and was super hard to catch. It didn't like any of us and would sit facing the wall. I will never own a hound again.

That's hilarious, lol.

 

[medvedqc]

You guys know you can train dogs right, including Beagles? Teach them to only bark when appropriate, and stop on command?

what the dog is not coming trained and no need for exercices and a remote to control it ....

 

[medvedqc]

Beagles are an advanced breed. A beagle I had, pushed a chair to the kitchen counter, got up on the counter for a unopened can of cat food. Another time it got and ate an entire lb of frozen bacon. Hard to train, self willed, high prey drive, destructive, escape artists.

Miss that dog.

very clever dog ...

 

[medvedqc]

Have thought I would want a beagle for years...just never got one, and not many breeders around this neck of the woods. Cute dogs and friendly.
Like that they are hunters...while I haven't hunted snowshoe hares a lot since I was a kid on the farm, I wondered how they would be for retrieving ruffies as I spend way more time doing this (a Brittany may be better suited to this). Grew up with a Norwegian Elkhound; great dog, great bear protector, friendly...just would not fetch and shed like crazy!
Didn't like what I heard about about beagles:
- howling
- hard headed
- shedding
These kept me from looking for one...

A neighbour had one at their place for awhile (daughter's dog that stayed with them often). What was nice was that Molly was friendly and respectful when she came to visit only when we were outside, and was respectful with our horses, and would go home when told to do so, or called. She also rarely barked, and when she did it was mostly at strangers in her yard or stray dogs that also entered her yard. Never heard her howl. So I believe that this is a training thing, and that is encouraging...but as with any dog, they are individuals just like people, and each has its own character. So could have just been Molly.

most of the clever dogs do not fetch ... why would they lol .. norwegian alghound is the oldest breed you can find and are more like a cat than a dog (primitive dog) and they re great for hunting moose and bear or blood tracking but you do not train them you have a journey with them: like cats.

 

[PSE]

Better check with your neighbours first. The cute little howls when they are puppies are extremely annoying when they get big. We lived next to one and it was awful. They never shut up.