We have been offered a dog...need advice please!

[harrietlichman]

So we have been thinking about it for a long time and have decided that our family is ready for a dog. I always had one as a child, dh never has and we had two aged cats, the last of which sadly died a few months ago and we haven't had a dog before as the cat wouldn't have coped with it.
So now the time is right...our ds's are aged 6 and 8 and really excited about it, we have a large secure back garden, and time to take him/ her out twice a day - I work part time though, so he/she would be alone for 7 hrs two days a week.
We had decided on a puppy as we thought we could put in the training required and I was a bit nervous about bringing an unknown rescue dog in with the children, and have been researching breeds and looking around for a suitable one.
Anyway, dh was telling someone at work and this guy said he wants to get rid of his dog as he and his wife are trying for a baby and his wife has got a job where she is out of the house all day, every day. Dh has been to see her (the dog) and sent me a pic - she is gorgeous, a 9 month old beagle, she is well socialised and used to children (they have a 5 yr old) and apparently stays in a cage all day while they are out . Dh said she was 'a bit mad' when they went round, jumping up etc, but he put it down to her being let out of the cage.
So, I would like opinions please - I don't want a dog to jump all over people, so is she still trainable at 9 months and do you think she would be ok being left in the house more freely on the two days I am out after being used to a cage, or do you think our original puppy plan is better? I am so torn, she is lovely!

[DameDeepRedBetty]

Yes, she's trainable, but not as easily as a brand new puppy. Brilliant that she's already happy to use a crate, and I would think the bouncing like a loon thing was all to do with excitement.

If you can give a slightly older dog a home it's always, always better than increasing demand for puppies (I am slightly evangelical on this subject though)

[harrietlichman]

I know what you mean about giving an older dog a home, I feel awful about not going to a rescue centre but so many people had nightmare stories and I have to put the ds's first, hence the decision not to. Don't think me weird, but I had a hunch the dog would 'find us' rather than the other way round - and it seems to have happened, my dh was of the view that she was just wild with excitement, and he is in love with her already, I am trying to be the sensible one (for a change)
Would you recommend we took a dog like this to classes or do it ourselves?

[Beccadugs]

I (as a very inexperienced dog owner, she is 1) think you might be OK. She is still trainable, and will calm more as she grows up.

Don't feel to sad about the crate. All day is a lot, but we leave ours in her crate for a couple of hours when we go out, and overnight and she hops in happily and sleeps in there with the door open. If you do take her she might feel more secure in the crate to start with, even if you want to give her more space while you are at work.

[topbannana]

Classes definitely.
I would consider myself an experienced dog trainer (I was a dog handler in a past life) but I still attend classes with my puppies, for a while at least. You and the dog will get so much out of a good class and if the trainer is decent then you have an extra source of advice for any problems.
Not convinced a beagle is the best breed for a first dog but if you are going into it with your eyes open then fair enough, it does sound suspiciously like the dog has "found" you :o
Just ask all the right questions (make a list if necessary) and if any of the answers give you cause to stop and think then walk away. It's such a hard thing to do but ultimately harder to rehome a dog you cannot cope with and does not fit with your family.

[Lilcamper]

Every dog is trainable, all their lives. It is a myth that you can't teach an old dog new tricks.

This is a good link about finding a trainer www.apdt.co.uk/dog-owners/choosing-a-trainer

[harrietlichman]

I am so encouraged by your replies, thank you! Dh has just sent me more photos, I don't want to get carried away in case it doesn't happen! She is being spayed on thursday, it has all been booked and they don't want to let her go for two weeks after that to allow her to recover, which makes perfect sense but I wonder if they will be able to let her go when the time comes....

[PinkFairyArmadillo]

Had you decided on breeds that would be suitable for you? Were beagles one of them?

Call me cynical but I'd be slightly wary that they're wanting rid of her just as she hits adolescence and her behaviour could potentially be taking a nosedive.

[Booboostoo]

Beagles are not the easiest breed for a first time dog owner. They are scent hounds and are likely to take off after interesting smells so you may have more recall challenges than with other breeds. They also tend to bark a lot and are quite excitable dogs as a breed.

9 months is an odd time to get a dog. You are not getting a puppy and creating your own problems but inheriting any problems this other family may have created at a time when adolescence and independence sets in. Of course it is not impossible but you need to be aware that you will need training to overcome problems which can require a lot of time and patience.

Finally a private rehoming like this offers little back up and support. Responsible breeders will commit to taking a puppy back at any time in its life if you are having problems. Rescue centres will also take their dogs back and usually offer you contact with behaviourists who can help with problems.

[Rotterwallah]

Beagles are very very thick. Nice, but thick

[harrietlichman]

Hmmm, that has given me something to think about - I hadn't considered that she may be on the verge of getting worse...so maybe back to the drawing board?
I really don't want to make a mistake with this, as, as you say there will be no going back if she proves to be a nightmare. I knew I was right to put this to mumsnet!
Am going to have a big chat with dh and go and see her for myself before agreeing to anything.
Thanks so much for your views everyone, really appreciate it, you will know which way we go as I will be joining you (and no doubt asking for more advice over the coming weeks and months whether we go for charley or another one finds us!)

[LadyTurmoil]

Read the other thread about beagles - I think it might put you off for good!

[ender]

Take your time and get to know the dog before agreeing to have it. If owners want to get rid they may be economical with the truth ie say dog is jumping about because excited - it could be like that all the time.
Take it for a walk, find out if it pulls on the lead. If it does will your arm and shoulder muscles be able to cope with the pulling for 2+ hours a day? Training works eventually but easier with a younger dog that hasn't got into bad habits.
Go somewhere safe and let it off lead to check recall. Once a beagle gets a scent of something it won't come back unless recall is absolutely solid. I see a lot of beagles on walks and they're always on leads. You'll have to do hours of walking to give it the exercise it needs if you can't let it run around off lead.
Hoping you'll find dog is perfectly trained, if not best steer clear and get a rescue dog

[sisterofmercy]

I've heard that Beagles are very energetic and a bit bonkers but they are so very handsome. A family down the road has had a beagle since their DD was a baby in the crib and the dog was never less than a happy snuffling obedient little hound. Training is the key, I guess.

Good luck!

[kitsmummy]

As they're friends of DH, perhaps you could have it for a few weeks trial? Do you have any idea what its recall is like? Beagles often have no recall (when they catch a scent) so you may have to accept that it's permanently walked on the lead.

I do however know of a beagle who has great recall so it is possible.

That poor dog being crated all day, I hope it works out for you

[kitsmummy]

Do remember too that at 9 months its behaviour is probably the worst it will ever be, so I'd suggest that things can only get better!

[harrietlichman]

That might be the way to go, a trial, even for a weekend would be a great way of finding out if she would fit with us! I will suggest it, and keep your fingers crossed, I am slightly put off by the other beagle thread though, I must admit...!

[basildonbond]

Have they explained why they haven't been in touch with the breeder? Our contract stipulates that if at any time we can't look after our puppy even when he's grown up then we need to contact the breeder who would take him back

[harrietlichman]

They haven't said, though today was our first contact with them regarding her and I have lots of questions to ask when we all go over - will add that to the list.

[cantremembermyname]

I'm reading your thread now, and it's giving me hope! We should merge them for an overall view

[littlewhitebag]

I met a couple with 2 beagles on the beach last week. I was admiring them and saying how lovely they were and they lady was a bit . She said they were a bit of a handful and i said that my lab was a bit of a handful too. She replied by saying "at least you can train a lab..." Says it all really.

[PinkFairyArmadillo]

It's a good idea to ask them why they're rehoming rather than taking the dog back to the breeder. I'd expect any decent breeder to take a dog they've bred back, or at least want to be heavily involved in it's rehoming.

I think beagles are quite popular puppy farm fodder, probably because they are so incredibly cute when they're tiny. It's worth bearing in mind that the dog could potentially be from a dubious source with not a lot of thought or care put into their breeding.

[mistlethrush]

The people I know who have had beagles tended to find that, everynow and then they got wanderlust and just went... turned up 4 or 5 hours later miles away. But then we met one in the park on Sun that clearly got let off the lead regularly - but was on the lead and being dragged some of the way as she didn't want to go home as she'd only been out playing with other dogs for 2.5 hrs that morning - and would be coming back for 2.5 hrs walking later on too....

[harrietlichman]

She's being rehomed because her owner has started working full time and she is in a crate all day, or at least that's as far as we know. She has kc papers etc, and think the only reason we have been offered her is that my dh was talking at work about our quest for a dog and one of the guys he was chatting to said they were having to get rid of theirs and perhaps he (dh) would be interested in having a look at her. Really don't know any more than that, I haven't met them or her yet, have taken on board what a lot of you on this thread have said, am getting the feeling it might not be a good idea....shame though, as she is utterly gorgeous

[Chibbs]

I took on both of my boys at 8-11 months old. I had no problems with them, in fact i found it a lot easier then puppie because they were house trained!

I would give it a go over the weekend, so how you all get on! not all dogs are the same :)