Beagles.

Beagles. Tell me all about 'em. Their temperament, their training abilities, are they good house dogs, and even post some pictures if you'd like. Are they bad for first time owners? Any advice?

I love love love beagles. They are soooooo cute with their floppy little ears. But I heard they can be hard headed and stubborn. Is this true? If so, how can I prevent it? I know that these are a lot of questions but I am curious.

I think beagles are basically the perfect first time dog. I've never met one who wasn't extremely sweet and easy going. Yes, they are sniffy, and no, they are not going to be as biddable as border collies, but I have seen them doing agility and obedience and loving it. They are very food motivated.

Off leash reliability will always be tough (and maybe no possible) with a beagle, but otherwise I think they are just great dogs for people looking for an affectionate laid back buddy who can hike on the weekends and sleep on the couch in the evening.

I think a Beagle would make a great first dog. When they're described as "stubborn" it just means that they can be hard to motivate, but they are very trainable. Hounds sometimes think that going off and sniffing something is more rewarding that listening to you, but they are fun and sweet dogs. If you are looking for a dog to have reliable recall off leash I would not recommend them.

Interesting, so they are good for first time owners and they are not very stubborn just food motivated huh? They sound like a good fit for me. Elrowhen and Jadex, how are they with other animals and dogs? They are hunters so, I wanted to know if they would have a reaction. And I am okay with the not being able to be off leash thing. Any of you know some breeders in Ohio and states around it? Thanks for the replies and hope to see more!

Beagles are loud. They have a super loud, super obnoxious bark and a lot of them bark at everything real and imagined. I wouldn't recommend one for apartment living, and I've heard beagle enthusiasts say to avoid the breed if you have neighbors.

Wow.. I have VERY close neighbors... Eek! Do they howl 24/7? If so can you suggest breeds close to a beagle? I can NOT have a dog barking and howling whenever it wants to.

Are you in an apartment or house? I have 2 hounds and close neighbors on all sides. They ARE loud when they are outside playing, but I don't leave them outside for long periods of time to just bark their heads off. Most dogs of any breed with bark if left outside alone. The beagles that I've met do fine with other dogs and cats if raised with from a puppy.

Thats a pretty broad generalization, and its definitely not always true. I grew up with a Beagle in an apartment and any dog who howls incessantly probably has a training issue. Mine can be loud, usually outside if I am instigating some sort of excitement, but she's a wonderful indoor dog. She loves everything and everyone. Recalls have always been a struggle, but I knew it would be before we even got her.

Hmm.. so they only bark while playing or excited? I like in a twin house so does that count as a very small apartment? Kinda off topic but can someone pm some beagle breeders in MICHIGAN not Ohio? Howling is not really a concern if, and only if, it doesn't happen a lot.

I LOVE my beagle mix. He's all the things the others have mentioned, and also not what I would consider loud. He's protective of the house and will bay if someone's in the yard. However, he's quiet in the crate or when shut in a room. He loves people and instantly stops barking as soon as we open the door.

He's not terribly biddable, but he is super smart and food motivated. He knows many tricks and commands, and is pretty darn reliable. He's been an off leash dog for years, as long as I take care and certain precautions. He's not super hyper, but he has great endurance and loves to run, hike, and go places.

And he's so sweet. I don't think I've ever met a bad tempered beagle. Sure, some are more dynamic and outgoing than others, but definitely not a breed that has many aggression issues.

And he is great with other dogs. Many of the hounds I've met over the years have been. I would love to have a purebred beagle; I think they're a great size too.

The only downer for me is that besides food, he has very little drive. He likes to play fight with us, but cares nothing for tugging, fetching, or swimming. He makes up for that though by being the sweetest, most easy going dog. Anyone can handle him, he loves children, and is very well behaved.

Bump! opcorn:

We have lots of beagles at work. What I've learned there is that the majority are very, very sweet and love getting attention. Most enjoy playing with the other dogs but even those that don't (usually due to being nervous) are rarely aggressive (only one I can think of is a toy guarder).


As for noise, some are loud when they play, others are quiet. I can only think of one that is super noisy in her kennel. But of course I have no idea how they are at home. Many start baying when they are excited, like when we start loading dogs into camp (doggy daycare). We have one beagle mix that sometimes bays all day during camp due to anxiety. The goldens and golden doodles are much worse though, the sound is just different.


One thing many have in common is that they are babies for their nails. Not a lot of aggression, but lots of panicked baying in your ear while you try and do them.


The young ones we have are VERY energetic, they play all camp long with little breaks here and there. I had two puppies in camp the other day and they were running circles around the other pups we had there. They also had super bad manners with the other dogs, like retrievers only they didn't listen when the other dogs corrected them so I always had to step in. Even I had a hard time stopping them (they were ganging up on other puppies). But the adults are pretty relaxed. They play for a little while and then hang out. We do have a few that are really anxious in camp though so never settle down.

For the most part they all just really, really want some attention and lovin. Very sweet dogs.

My first dog was a beagle, aside from the pitties and chows that my parents bred.





She rocked. She was great with other dogs, reliable off leash, didn't bark too much. I was able as a 12 year old to teach her come, sit, down, stay, and shake, and thought that was pretty awesome. haha. Great beginner dogs, I'd say.

I don't think beagles necessarily bark more than other dogs on average (the dachshunds, pomeranians, etc. I've known have been WAY noisier), but a beagle bark is LOUD. They honestly sound more like sea lions than dogs.

I dogsat one beagle in my apartment and was warned he was super loud and to take him to daycare if it was a problem. It wasn't. He only barked when on walks we saw another dog, and when he got excited when his owner came to pick him up. I think some might bark in excitement if they see their leash or something. They generally aren't senseless barkers, IME. Just louder than a normal dog when they do bark.

They are not recommended as apartment dogs for this reason. I think it depends what your schedule is like, if the dog will be older and you'll know if it has separation anxiety issues, etc. I'd be kind of hesitant to take a beagle puppy into an apartment or duplex if I worked all day. I wouldn't worry about a dog I knew could stay home reasonably quiet during the day, neighbors can deal with a dog barking excitedly at dinner time or when you get home for a few minutes.

Also, if your housemate/neighbor-type-folks work a similar schedule as you, I'd be less concerned. If you're gone during the day and the dog barks some, it won't matter if they're not there.

I'd generally recommend beagles as a beginner breed.

Hmm, so beagles are loud when something is happening? Interesting, and it is good that they are good for beginners!

I chose a beagle for my "first" dog back when I was 12, admittedly it was because I knew I didn't have enough experience and time for a Border Collie... but I digress.

Oz was an excellent starter dog for me. He wasn't exactly easy, but he was very compliant once I expanded my training skills.
He has done classes in obedience, agility, and flyball. He may not have been the quickest to complete tasks, but he was always game to learn. And still out of the 4 I currently own, he will last the longest in a training session and his enthusiasm never waivers.
I have learned a lot from him.

In terms of how loud he is....When someone comes to the door he's still the voice I hear above the other 4. Beagles have a very distinctive howl, or "bay" that they are usually more than happy to utilize. I wouldn't say he's necessarily more vocal than the other dogs, but where the other dogs would whine or let out short barks, he will bay.
Someone at the door? Howl
Doesn't like being alone? Howl
Hungry? Howl
Excited? Howl
Want's something? Howl
Upset? Howl.....you get the picture.

Here's a video I took recently of Oz running through the woods. He lost most of his voice prior to the recording of this, he is usually much louder.
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10155297914260085&pnref=story

Some pictures of a few beagle meet ups we've gone to...just 'cause

2009







2014

Aww, you still have your first dog! I think beagles are definitely for me. And those dog pics are adorable!

And now I want another beagle

Meet Splash...a temporary charge I had for a time when I lived in Idaho. Some of you may have already seen him. But there are lots of new members who haven't.

He was very bright and quick to learn new things. lol. He learned in one sitting to wait at the door before going out upon a release word, to wait for his food and other nice manners. Outside, he learned to walk nicely on a leash as long as he didn't come upon a fascinating scent. Then all bets were off. Once he got his nose to the ground and something got his interest, it was difficult to reach him. He was in another world. lol. But he was sweet, biddable, got along great with my other dogs, my son's dog (in the snow picture) and was really a happy go lucky dog.

Actually, my very first dog when I was 5 years old was a Beagle mix apparently. But didn't look strongly like a Beagle.

Enjoy.