A Beagle...

[DeliaOliver]

Has anyone got one? Can you be honest with me?

We are hoping to get one in the summer. I have 3 DC, 6yo,3yo and 1yo. I'm a SAHM.

Am I barking? (pun intended!)

[glasscompletelybroken]

We have one - she will be a year old later this month.

She is without doubt the most loving and affectionate dog I have ever known. She absolutely loves children - she actually loves everyone but especially children!

I will say though that she is an out and out thief and can't be trusted with food or anything she can pick up and run off with. She has been hard work but was in season for the first time last month and since then has really settled down.

She is a wonderful pet though and is definately worth all the early hard work!

[glasscompletelybroken]

Also they are much better with company so that should be good for you as you are a SAHM - I understand they don't do so well if left on their own for long periods. I work from home so it is fine. We do leave her but never for more than 4 hours absolute maximum.

[outmonday]

Honestly? Beagles are very stupid, that's why they are used for research.

[swooosh]

I have one.

She's gorgeous, just turned 6 and recently diagnosed with arthritis in her hips, but she's bad antibiotics and back to her old self.

I think we got lucky, ours doesn't howl which a lot do, she's also good off the lead in our local woods but then that's all down to recall training. She IS very greedy, like all Beagles obviously, we can't have a kitchen bin anymore as she used to go through it the minute we went out.

But she's the most lovely, soppiest girl ever. Loves a cuddle, thinks she's a lap dog and is a little shadow.

[Iambaboon]

Stupid and noisy. But oh so lovely

[SaggyOldClothCatPuss]

There used to be a couple at my agility class. They were useless off the lead, they would get a sniff up their snouts and just leg it! Other beagle owners ive spoken to have said similar. Having had a spaniel with a similar problem, I'd imagine that this would be something that would need proper training to counteract! They are however absolutely stunning dogs, and I do LOVE a hound!

[FashionEaster]

My friend's beagle is really headstrong and is a work in progress on the training front. And you can hear him two streets away! But he is very handsome, affectionate and good natured.

[tropicalfish]

My neighbour has a beagle cross and it never stops barking. Not only that it has a loud and aggressive bark. You may want to look into this a bit more, it also tracks me ( the neighbour) whilst I am in my garden. It follows me and barks and growls.

[DeliaOliver]

This is the first I've heard about them being noisy. The breeder I have been speaking to has 15 (yes, 15) and not once have I heard any barking, and I've been talking to her quite alot!

So, are puppy classes enough to help with recall etc?

[swooosh]

She probably has them in outside accommodation.

[SaggyOldClothCatPuss]

Ever heard a pack of hounds in full song? On the scent of something? Beagles are hounds.
Oh, and I've seen beagle puppies climb chain link fence.

[AllergicToNutters]

my friend has a Beagle. They had hin from a puppy and he is now 18mths. She also has three children ages 3, 5 and 9. She says he is completely nuts. They love him but he is a total handful and she does sound a bit stressed when she talks about him . Just saying..........

[DeliaOliver]

Oh gosh, are they really that bad? Can someone give me any redeeming qualities? Ds has his heart set! Surely its down to training more than anything?

[YahYah]

Op you need to read more about them

If you were unaware that they are noisy and untrainable you can't have even read basic breed info. This is something mentioned in every entry when you google 'beagle'

Seriously get on a beagle owners forum, read the stuff on the kennel club and even wikipedia. Read as much as you can about breed characteristics before setting your heart on any kind of dog

[AllergicToNutters]

i wouldn't get a Beagle. Ever. But that's just me.

[DeliaOliver]

Of course I have googled. No mention of excessive noise. Mention of barking when confronted with a strange situation/person, but I expected that. As for untrainable, the first paragraph of Wiki describes them as "intelligent".

I have read about recall issues ("the man with a lead and no sign of a dog owns a beagle") but we live amongst fields after fields so no worries about dangerous roads. The breeder I have spoken to said they'll come back if you shake a tin of biscuits (a benefit to them liking their food a bit too much).

Gosh... this has really got me thinking now....

I will search for a beagle forum

[batsintheroof]

Depends if you want and easy dog or a hard one that is more of a 'lifestyle' dog that will be hard work and you'll have to be fully dedicated to. I have greyhounds as they're the easiest breed available and with kids they are calm dogs that help keep me sane! :)

Beagles can be quite difficult to train as a breed and need much scent-orientated play/stimulation. You'd have to train the puppy not to nick food from your children's hands/plates etc. Puppies have teeth like needles so this is important and can be quite stressful. It is so much easier to take on a rescue dog that has been fully assessed with children and can come house-trained/lead trained and can be left for longer. Puppies require so much hard work (and money!) if you want to end up with a well-socialised, well-balanced adult dog. Also, you never know the future character of an 8 week old puppy. General breed characteristics aside it is basically chance what you end up having to work with.

[DeliaOliver]

We can't get a rescue as the children are too young. Plus, I really want a dog that we can all have a part in 'bringing up'. I have a lot of support from family with the children and I know this will extend to the pup. I have childcare arranged for when I do puppy classes. I will have a lot of time to dedicate to training. Plus, I do quite like a challenge and I think would rather a dog with 'character'

This is honestly the first I've heard about them being noisy though!

[DeliaOliver]

Also the pup is coming from a very reputable breeder, who breeds for show so temperament is very important... this will help, surely?

[batsintheroof]

Your children aren't too young for a rescue- plenty of rescues would find you a suitable doggie.

Good luck and have a read through all the puppy threads on here

[eggyblackett]

We have a rescue Springer x beagle. He is an absolute delight - the softest dog ever.

However, he is:

Phenomenally greedy
Completely scent driven (once ran off for 2 days and worried us all sick)
Very partial to rolling in fox shit, much more than our lab

He isn't noisy though, in fact he never barks. The only noise he does make is to howl sing to Somewhere Over the Rainbow with DH :o.

I really can't fault our Speagle though. His love for ds outweighs any of his bad habits.

[batsintheroof]

Here you go www.mumsnet.com/Talk/the_doghouse/1236338-New-puppy-thread-where-new-puppy-owners-can-come-for-help-and-advice-and-hopefully-clever-people-like-minimu-midori-et-al-will-check-regularly-please-to-help-us/AllOnOnePage

[Inthepotty]

My sister has 2, one she's had since a pup as the other a rescue brood bitch. They are lovely, soft little things, excellent with her DS and cute little bastards to boot.

However, they are bloody hard work. Seriously, my sis is a stable hand so they spend all day mooching around, as well as a good run, ect. They pinch food, fuck off when they feel like it or when someone leaves a gate open , have been known to find a scent and then follow it until they feel like coming home. My sis is an experienced dog owner, loves them to bits and has been attending puppy/dog training religiously once a week for 2 whole years now- recall is still very very sketchy. She always tries to talk people out of getting one. One of them isnt vocal at all, so obvs there is exception to the rule, but the bitch howls and howls, just for the sake of it! She loves her own voice, I suppose.

Theres a doghouse regular, joolyjoo I think, who's a vet and I'm sure has a beagle? Remember her on a thead saying she often meets people when out who say, "oh we had a beagle, had to rehome it!".

Hth.

[glasscompletelybroken]

Ours isn't noisy at all - she never barks at people and is completely useless as a guard dog. She barks when she wants you to play with her but it's not much. She's very quiet really.

I wouldn't have a rescue dog with very small children. Just my opinion but you really don't always know exactly what you are getting.

[bochead]

Whereas one of my reasons for choosing a rescue was that if you get one from a charity that does proper homechecks (eg asks lifestyle questions not just have you got a garden) and fostering you get a dog "that does what it says on the tin". I knew EXACTLY what I was taking on.

There's a massive difference between a pound dog (eg Battersea, council pounds) and reputable rescues that I don't think there's enough awareness about amongst parents.

Beagles are proper pack animals. That means that they are very unsuitable to be left alone for more than a couple of hours on a regular basis. The breed is prone to seperation anxiety which can result in awful behavioral problems. They have a reasonable lifespan so if you think you may eventually want to go back to work even part-time a beagle may not be for you. (Not all SAHM's spend all day, every day at home tied to the house by the time they've been to Mum & tots groups, met up with friends, done a course, gone shopping etc).

They need a decent solid hours run once or twice a day in ALL weathers, & have a tendency to be a bit naughty/greedy with food. I felt that it wasn't really a good breed for city life.

On the other hand, compared to many breeds they are relatively free of health problems, & sweet tempered (which is why Americans and laboratories like them so much).

I'm too bone idle to own a beagle. We chose a whippet cos I don't wanna do 5 mile hikes in the snow, or be permanently tied to the house, (DS's hosp appts can take 1/2 a day).