think we may be getting a dog tomorrow :-)

[desperateforaholiday]

We've been wanting a dog for a long time, our youngest is now 15 months old and we think we are ready. We are going to look at a beagle x tomorrow and we're so excited. My dh has had a dog before and my family always had a dog growing up.
has anyone got any tips or questions for us to ask?

[Lonecatwithkitten]

Get rid of your kitchen bin - beagles are notorious for raiding bins.
Seriously look back over the last two weeks and consider how a puppy would fit into your lives, not leaving it too long, training classes, walks etc. Would there have been times when pup could have been able to chew DC's toys? Would you have had to shut pup up for several hours due to friends coming to play.
For me personally I could never have managed a toddler and puppy together. I'm not saying it's the wrong time, but it needs very close examination.

[wizzler]

a crate worked for us... gave the puppy somewhere safe to escape from the DC!

Best of luck... enjoy

[desperateforaholiday]

Thanks, its a decision 3 years in the making, she's 18months old and has had some training, we've started dog proofing

[fanoftheinvisibleman]

I'd definitely go for a crate with a 15 month old, the dog will likely need times to get out of the way. My pup is used to kids and is by turn mesmerised and wary when toddlers turn up.

Is it a rescue? I'd ask them for as much advice as you can as they should be aware of the dogs needs.

I do love Beagles. It was what we originally wanted and we posted here but I decided we couldn't take on anything quite as full on as that and couldn't dog proof our garden to the extent the breed requires but they are lovely characters. We have a terrier now and his personality suits us.

I'd take your decision slowly and considered as any dog will be incredibly difficult to introduce with a small toddler so the fit needs to be perfect.

[Booboostoo]

Is the dog coming from a rescue? At 18mo I would be very careful to get a full history from a very reputable rescue. Ideally the dog should be with a foster family with young children for a full assessment and it should have had a good past (i.e. it should have been socialised and trained from a young age).

If the dog's background is unknown and it has spent time in kennels I would be very cautious. It's not that you can't get over the problems it may have, but do you want to take this on alongside a toddler?

If the dog is still with its breeder I would want to know why and make absolutely sure it has not been returned by another owner due to problems. Again ensure the dog has been properly trained and socialised (a breeder with too many dogs on their hands may not have had the time to do a good job).

[desperateforaholiday]

She's not from a rescue, we saw an ad, free to good home, the owner seemed genuine. But I had a text this morning puting us off basically, so I dont know if she's let her go to another person
I feel really disappointed

[sugarandspite]

Dear god don't get a beagle.

I do love ours but Christ, I wish he was a lab.

[sugarandspite]

And just to put it in context - a pedigree beagle costs around £800 to buy as a puppy.

I know the one you are considering is a cross, so can't be pedigree but it really doesn't bode well that they are giving it away for free.

Please go to a decent rescue instead. You certainly don't want a dog whose behaviour and history you can't be sure of around your kids.

[desperateforaholiday]

Thanks sugar, we would prefer a rescue dog to a puppy, I thought going down this route meant I could get to know the current owner and hopefully find out whether they are being truthful or not, but I suppose some people would lie if They just wanted to get rid of the dog. An old friends mum had a beagle and ive got some lovely memories of her. What dog would you suggest for a family?

[Booboostoo]

Thank your lucky stars, you have had a lucky escape!

I will generalise and I don't care if there are exceptions to this rule: an 18 mo dog from a private owner advertised 'free to good home' is likely to have tonnes of problems. That is exactly the age when the puppy cuteness factor is over and the teenager major problems have set in. A decent owner faced with such difficulties gets advice and increases the training. If all fails they should contact the breeder - a decent breeder will always take dogs back. If that is not an option they should rehome through a rescue who can carry out proper home checks and assess the dog and its needs so it can match it to the right new family.

This had all the ingredients to be a disaster.

Start again from the beginning. Look at different breeds, read up about them, talk to people who own them, visit breeders who can show you the breed (any decent breeder should be willing to show you their dogs and talk about what is involved in owning one). Do this even if you go for a rescue so that you have an idea of what type of breed is suitable for you. Go to a reputable rescue, ideally a small one which fosters their dogs out with families but be prepared for the possibility that some rescues will turn you down because of your young child (are you a first time dog owner?).

[LEMisdisappointed]

Phew!!!! I am sorry you are disappointed but this is a good thing. If you want a rescue dog (and i can whole heartedly recommend them) you need to go via a reputable rescue centre. It may take longer to get the right dog as you have a young child but this is so so important. We have an adorable little JRTx that we got from the dogs trust, we actually broke all the rules and got him on impulse but he is like a baby and i love him so much. He was six month old, not especially handsome, he just looked so worried and tentative when we met him, i fell for him straight away. He has fitted in with our family really well, i have a 7yo DD and a second JRT at home. We have had him just over a year and he is brilliant. (can you tell, im a little bit smitten!)

A friend of mine has recently got a "rescue" dog in similar circs to what you describe. I worry for her, the dog is 18m old and hasn't yet got over the puppy biting stage, he bites hard too and i can see that they are going to have a problem with this dog. I think my friend realises this too now. I hope they don't end up getting rid of the dog, but my prediction is that he will end up in a rescue centre before too long. Ironically this is a beagle cross. I can't help but wonder if the people rehoming that dog maybe have found themselves in a similar situation with a dog that is too much and are getting rid :( I think with a young child, a "teenage" dog that may have not yet learnt bite inhibition would be a disaster. You don't want your child to be scared of the dog.

[sugarandspite]

There are loads of lovely family breeds around - it really depends on your lifestyle I think. Will you be hill walking for 8 hours every weekend / wanting to go to shows / want a dog that will happily veg on the sofa etc.

Beagles are wonderful dogs - very loving and friendly but they are horrifically difficult to train. Our boy cannot be let off lead as when he crosses a scent he will be off. He just goes deaf and cannot recall and has been out following a scent all day and night.

I believed that with enough effort and training, we could over come this but truly for him, it's not possible. The head behaviourist at beagle welfare has 8 (!) beagles and only 2 can be let off lead.

Added to that he is a massive thief, you can't leave ANYTHING on a table or worktop or he will steal it and chew it. But he is a darling and we all love him and he is fabulous with our toddler dd.

[Lonecatwithkitten]

Agree with everyone you have had a lucky escape. Very often these dogs have had multiple homes by the time they are 18months old no consistency in training and really big issues. Not insurmountable, but need very experienced home without children with oodles of time. Regularly the so called caring owners tell a pack of lies to get shot of the dog and often despite advertising as free extract money from the people who take the dog.
Start visiting local rescues talk them about what you would like and hopefully you will find the perfect dog for you.

[desperateforaholiday]

Our lifestyle is fairly laid back, there is always someone in the house apart from 1 20minute school run in the morning. We like going out for leisurely walks, nothing too adventurous. Realistically the dog would have a short walk in the morning and a longer walk in the afternoon/early evening, plus free rein in the garden. I would like a medium size dog, not hugely bothered about breed as long as they are good around children. Im kind of glad now we've been let down, its given me more time to think.
Thanks everyone for all your comments, we want to be responsible dog owners and make sure that we do make the right decision

[Floralnomad]

Have a look at the Many Tears rescue , they've a lovely pup called Laurence ( sorry can't do links) , he sounds lovely

[sugarandspite]

How about going to a rescue (on your own! Don't take the kids) and having a look at the different breeds there and have a chat with one of the volunteers who might be able to suggest different breeds that you haven't come across before.

They could also talk you through some of the commitments you'll have to make and what you'll need to be doing with and for your dog.

Then go away and have a think about it and start making some decisions.

The only thing I would add is that having a puppy was more stressful and hard work (in my experience) than a newborn by a VERY long way. I really don't think I could cope with a toddler plus puppy. So if it were me, I would be looking at an older dog (past the hard work teenage years) with some of the basics like toilet training already covered.