To not want a beagle?

[tired1245]

We've always wanted a dog, house just feels empty without one as both had one when living at parents house.
He's got his heart set on a beagle, when i would love a cockapoo.
I've just heard always bad things about beagles, how they're hard to train and recall is awful.
I don't really want the hair either!
He won't be able to take a month off to train the dog when we get it, maximum 2 weeks.
With a cockapoo I just think they'll be a lot better to train, don't malt nowhere near as much as a beagle would and we've got a 3 month old, so the last thing I need is a dog running off on a walk when I've got a baby with me. What do we do?

@whoamitojudge - thanks! He's very photogenic

Never mind the beagle/cocker poo decision. I cannot stress strongly enough why this is not the right time to get a puppy. Don't make life more difficult than it needs to be. Babies are difficult enough without adding a puppy into the mix. Wait a few years and then get one then.

It is also not the right time whilst we are in lockdown. You will be unable to socialise your puppy properly, vets are not running normally so you won't be able to accompany your puppy to the vet, you may have different routines that your puppy will get used to only for them to change when life becomes more normal again. Having a newborn baby and being in lockdown must also be very stressful as well and puppy will pick up on and be affected by your stress levels too.

But surely bringing a dog into the house with a newborn is just as bad, you don't know the temperament of the dog or anything. Anyway, so many people I know have rehomed their dogs when they've had children because they can't cope and I don't think bringing a new animal into their family is the right thing to do when they have a young baby. What if they can't cope?

Puppy and 3 month old? Don't do it, seriously it's a mistake.

This. Please wait. You cannot give a new puppy or dog the attention it needs when you have a young child.

When the time is right, please consider a rescue.

It sounds like you are worried about "If we get a beagle it will be a lot of work when I've got a baby already and I don't want a lot of extra hassle." But surely any puppy is going to be a bit of a nightmare when you have got a baby to look after as well? When baby is teething and you have been up all night for a week, you are not going to have much patience to deal with dog hair, puddles on the floor, and chewed-up furniture and cushions. And all puppies produce these problems. As PPs have said, you can't easily predict what kind of coat a cockapoo will have.

Why not wait till your child is older and then have another think?

A cockapoo will be just as badly behaved if you do not train it properly. Beagles do require someone who knows what they're doing and is willing to put the hours in but then, the same applies for any puppy.

I know 4 cockapoos, all absolutely gorgeous dogs, friendly and sweet natured. But 3 of them have quite bad health issues, mainly gastric problems, which may, of course, be entirely coincidental but it would worry me that it's an issue with the type of dog.

And, most importantly, I absolutely would not even consider having a puppy or a new dog in a house with a new baby. Deliberate or not, you will not give the dog the time it needs.

I used to go dog walking with a man who had a beagle. Dog didnt listen to a word he said, ran off and just refused to come back. Man told me he took his dog on a training course and the dog came last - he did exactly the same course and it came second last!

We have a lab, OK but a bit of a comedian. Soft as anything but does tend even in middle age to get over excited and they are big dogs.

What about a Cavalier King Charles. Hopeless guard dogs but the most loveable gentle nature. I agree with others. This really isnt the time to get a dog.

We moved a few years ago and I often see a chap with a Jack Russell. I love all dog breeds but that dog is horrible!! Jumps up and tries to scrap with other dogs and of course suffers from short man syndrome. No one round here likes this dog and one day another dog will turn on it.

I want to be able to say to this chap that he really needs to stop his dog thinking he is ruling the UK!

My friend got a rescue beagle. He was a lovely dog but very hard to walk, very aggressive and stressed by other dogs. He bit family members several times. Not to say this would happen in all cases.
They’re pack dogs, happiest out running free with other dogs. I don’t think they’re the most suited to families, especially those with children.

Don’t get any dog with a 3 month old. Unless you just love stress. When your baby is a toddler you’ll have two toddlers except one will be a teenager at the same time. Nightmare. Wait til your child is older.

No not a beagle, my mother a dog lover was broken by one of those. If you have kids get a black lab, springer, cockapoo, sprocker.

Check out the breeds for compatability with children.

I have a cockerpoo, love her to bits and she can be a cuddle monster when she wants, but she is very independent and has a cheeky wilful side to her. My cocker spaniel was far easier to train. I think islay trained us to be honest, she listens when she wants to.

Why not get a rescue dog? There's so many needing homes, mongrels are healthier, and the rescue will be able to match you to a dog that's right for you.

He won't be able to take a month off to train the dog when we get it, maximum 2 weeks.

No dog is trained in a month. It takes years of patient, reward based repetition.
I do not think that you should be getting ANY dog, especially with a 3 months old baby.

Please don't get a dog.
Surely you have your hands full enough with a newborn?

YABU.

Firstly, wait until your baby is much older before getting a dog, and do some proper research too.

And secondly, if you don’t want a Beagle you don’t get a Beagle. Equally, if your partner doesn’t want a mongrel “cockapoo”, you don’t get one of them either.

You come to a compromise and find a breed you both want. Your wants don’t trump his.

Can’t get over the poster suggesting a daschund! They are nasty little shits and horrible with children.

And they look fucking weird.

Agree a puppy and baby is madness. Our spaniel was 2 when DS was morning and that was hard enough. Don’t make life difficult for yourself!

I agree that Beagle are hard work, I warned off one but we still got one, we had her for 4 years and after many ultimatums with my DH (he did little of the work) I stuck to my word and had her rehomed with another family.

That was over a year ago and I still find her hair in our house! The hair was way worse than I anticipated and I just couldn't deal with the constant shedding. I took her to a dog groomer once a month, brushed her outside and still I had to hoover everyday!!!

They are wonderful, wonderful dogs.

They are also utter bastards. Not because they have selective hearing, grumble and chatter at you all day - but because of their eyes.

You will forgive them everything.

they're easier than cockerpoos or other mongrels-

Oh god, I didn’t even see the bit where you have a 3 month old baby. Don’t do it. I’ve had dogs all my life, but once I’d had children, I didn’t get a puppy until my youngest was 7. I’m a single parent though, so couldn’t have managed 2 young children and a dog on my own. I’d maybe have got one sooner if I had another adult in the house. But not with a baby.

Someone I know had a beagle and it completely destroyed their house, and was very very hard work and hard to train. I’m a dog lover but I found it incredibly stressful being around their dog as it was constantly jumping, humping and trying to chew my clothes. They ended up eventually having to rehome the dog when it went for their toddler.

I would never, ever get one.

Wait a few years. Please. And then go to a reputable rescue and let them help you find a calm, steady slightly older dog. A puppy and a newborn will be a disaster, and both type you've mentioned are hard, hard work. Beagles are famously stubborn and difficult to train, and a lot of poodle crosses are bred for a quick buck and not for health or temperament, so you have no idea what you'll be getting. Their coats are also incredibly hard work - I have a friend who's a groomer and she deals with endless streams of cockapoos and the like who are matted to hell and have to be shaved. Any poodle cross coat is going to be a huge commitment. They are very cute and some have lovely bright friendly temperaments, but others are snappy and highly strung, or very nervous - not traits you want around a baby or toddler.

Your baby is only 3 months old and you only have 2 weeks off to settle the puppy.
Do not get a dog because you categorically do not have the time that it will need.

You could have any of the problems you've listed with a cockapoo too. They are definitely not exclusive to the beagle out of the 2. My sister has a beagle and 2 cockapoos. The beagle is massively better behaved, trained and has far better recall. He was also far easier to house train. He does moult a lot although her cockapoos are 2nd generation with a non shedding cockapoo mum and a poodle dad so the coats were more guaranteed than an f1. I'd personally not have either.

Ok if your top priority is getting a good dog I'd:

Get your "baby stage" out of the way before you consider any dog.

When the child(ren) are old enough go to a reputable rescue and get an older dog, don't focus on breed focus on the individual dog and finding one who fits your family.

When your kids are much older (teens) and somebody is around most of the day then you can revisit your desire for a puppy and start to discuss breeds as a family.

I've seen too many people have a puppy and a baby at the same time.... most do end up regretting it.

Breed does not guarantee certain desirable behaviours. Good behaviour is mostly about training, which takes time and commitment.

It sounds to me like you don't really want the hassle of training right now. Cockerpoos can be very high energy and needy, not great at being left alone. Recall will take time and practice with any puppy - whichever breed you get, no doubt you will go through a stage where you do have to go chasing after your excitable adolescent who just doesn't want to come back to you (unless you keep them on a long lead).

Regarding dog and baby - do you have a space where you can keep the two separate at all times? We got our pup when our youngest was almost four (so no crawling / toilet training to contend with) and even then struggled during the puppy phase because the dog's 'room' was also the open plan kitchen / dining room. I wouldn't consider getting a puppy with a baby unless you have a totally separate space for the dog's living area - it's a massive hassle otherwise. A 2 year or older dog could be a better option for you.