Beagles
By JudeRaphael
@JudeRaphael (6)
March 10, 2008 6:20am CST
Hi, I was wondering if anyone here owns (or has previously owned) a Beagle. My dog (a labrador retreiver) had to be put down recently because he had cancer and I was thinking that a Beagle would be a good idea. I know they're quite similar to labradors i.e they are quite bouncy and a bit hyperactive. Does anyone think this is a good idea? If not, what other suggestions would you make?
FYI we are a family of six...the youngest children are 12 and I'm the oldest (18). We want a dog that has labrador qualities, having owned one for 10 years, but slightly smaller (so that it is easier to manage).
2 people like this
6 responses
@houndsgood (774)
• United States
10 Mar 08
I wrote an article about Beagles
http://houndsgood.com/2008/01/23/the-plight-of-beagles/
Keep in mind that they are scent hounds - so you cannot let your dog wander outside on his/her own. You need to have them on a leash at ALL times or have a fenced in yard (a 6' fence is ideal). Also, you might want to consider one of the many beagle mixes at the shelters. There are sooo many Beagles and Beagle mixes at the local pounds that need a home.
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@JudeRaphael (6)
•
14 Apr 08
Thanks for the informative reply! We managed to get a rescue beagle (2 year old dog, with mottled colouring). So far so good, but we did make the mistake of not keeping a close enough eye on our back gate once and ended up chasing him down the street. Other that that, our garden is fine, since we have previously owned a dog. He's got into really bad habits and does not do what he's told...but we're trying to work on that! Also, he is quite nervous when he meets new people, and is just plain scared of men! (Although, he gets used to male family memebers after a while)
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@NewWaveRoland (21)
• United States
14 Apr 08
Recently a stray beagle strolled past my house and I couldn't help but let this little beagle have a home. Soon though I found out how interesting beagles really are. I'm a cat person, and I don't really have any emotional connection to my family's two labs. The beagle has become attatched to me lately and I'm completely attatched to the beagle also. Beagles have really wierd personalities, so expect the random with these dogs.
@lilaclady (28207)
• Australia
10 Mar 08
I thought beagles were very placid dogs, I used to belong to an anti vivisection society and they used to send me newsletters with what is happening to animals and I remember reading that some companies use beagles to test on because they are so placid...
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@asgtswife04 (2475)
• United States
11 Mar 08
as long as you can handle the dog's constant barking and howling, as they are considered hound dogs for the most part, a beagle would be really good. they are very hyper dogs though, but very loyal to their owners. good luck and God bless
@Ldyjarhead (10233)
• United States
10 Mar 08
I've had beagle and beagle mix before and they are awesome little dogs!
Very loyal, fairly easy to train. They do bark/bay some if left outside, so be prepared for that.
Also, as someone mentioned, they are hounds that have been used for hunting for years. Unless that instinct has been bred out of them, they will wander, following their nose wherever it may lead.
My little Toby would put his nose to the ground and literally walk into a tree or a car because he wasn't watching, only sniffing. He was also an escape artist and would get out of the house frequently. Most times I was able to find him, but the last time I was not. Looked for him for quite some time, called all local vets, shelters, etc, to no avail.
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