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?

@OverUnderSidewaysDown

Yes! We had jack Russell’s growing up I bloody hate them. Barky, snappy and smelly. Ugh.

I’m a professional dog trainer, have plenty of experience with both breeds. Beagles are difficult to train; you’re constantly competing with their nose. Having said that cockapoos can also be quite difficult to train; ive never found them to be easy to motivate, they’re quite independent and you won’t necessarily get one that doesn’t mould!

We have a cocker spaniel. He’s just turned one and he is still full on. Easy to train yes, but absolutely full of energy. He gets at least two hours walk, off lead in woodland every day but he would do double given the chance. Until his walk he is in your face constantly wanting attention and asking when we’re going out. After his walk he’s calmer but still wants attention all the time, follows everywhere and has his face in whatever you’re trying to do. Wants to sit on your chest, your legs won’t do. We have other dogs, if he can’t be annoying us he’s annoying them. I love him to bits but he’s the hardest dog I’ve ever had. There’s no way I could have coped with him with a baby. I’m assuming a cockerpoo would have a lot of his traits.

The cockerpoo that lives up our road is known to everyone for its barking, escaping and the number of fb posts from when it’s run off on walks. I realise that’s only one, badly trained, dog but from that and my experience of my cocker spaniel, I would research very carefully before getting one.

I can only find the local news story online, will ask my sister to dig the national one out...

According to the paper it was 1977 - photo is my nan, sister, and George the Beagle (I am in the pram)!

These days I have a rescue greyhound (racing industry ‘wastage’, so dumped before he ever made it to the track) who is an enormous sofa hog, but very laid back and snoozy, very clean and super quiet (sight hounds don’t tend to bark much at all) and a petite rescue lurcher (probably a whippet/Jack Russel/greyhound cross) who is also clean and quiet in the house but much wilier than her big dopey step brother.

I absolutely adore hounds and there are always loads in rescue (and younger ones can usually be trained to live with cats, and kids ours do) but they are no use for an active family who like long country walks - they are sprinters by nature, not hikers and will fake a limp in order to get the short-cut home! Great company though, very loving. Tend to be good with other dogs as they are used to living in kennels.

I have a cockapoo cuddled up to me where he has been for the past few hours. He loves walks and off lead play but he is equally happy to laze at home and follow us around. He's the most gentle and affectionate dog ever.

He is generally happy to Be left at home looking out the window for several hours. He's great with kids and loves other dogs. He was easy to train in terms of toileting and after several years of training he will now walk to heel. He is very mischevious though and loves to dig our garden, steal slippers etc. He doesn't mault and my dh regularly grooms him.

A fab dog imo!

Getting a puppy with a three months old is going to be incredibly hard work regardless of the breed. And a good, reputable breeder won't sell a puppy to a house with such a young child anyway.

Getting a rescue with a three month old is not a good idea either, given that you probably won't know its history, and very few rescues will rehome to a family with such a young child.

Thinking your partner will be able to train a dog in one month is completely unrealistic.

Think you need to do a bit more research before you settle on any sort of dog.

Yeah a puppy and a baby is going to be tough OP. Don't underestimate it.

I was shocked when we got out cocker spaniel pup. It was honestly like being in the newborn phase for a few weeks, crying in the night etc...

Don't get me wrong I adore him, he's amazing and I wouldn't be without but I will never underestimate having a dog from a puppy again.

No rescues would rehome with a 2 year old when I tried.

I wouldn't like either of those breeds personally. I would never buy a dog as I think there are already too many beautiful dogs needing homes BUT if I were to buy one I would like a whippet or a greyhound!

We have 2 rescue dogs, very old now, a Welsh Terrier and an Irish Terrier, the welsh is a pure breed we reckon, a lucky escapee from an illegal puppy farm. The Irish is mix breed but a lot of Irish terrier in him.

They are both absolutely fabulous dogs in their own ways, full of charcater and are fully trained. The welsh terrier took longer to train as she's fiesty and curious but we love them to death

Oh - and one puppy was harder work than all the kids put together.

neither of ours came from shelters, we took them in off the streets.
We have rescued and rehomed 3 other dogs too over the years. We could not keep them because of our own two

Many cockerpoos are puppy farmed and the breeders are getting very good at hiding that from buyers. The so called parents you meet my well not be the genuine ones.

@caperplips Another Welshie owner hello!

Our neighbour has a beagle, it barks for HOURS on end at nothing. When tackled about it they shrug and say 'it's a beagle' as though that explains everything.
On the other hand I've never seen them walk it so maybe it's a case of bad owners rather than bad breed.
Either way it's certainly put me off ever getting one, I do think they have a reputation for being one of the less intelligent breeds.

It was honestly like being in the newborn phase for a few weeks, crying in the night etc...

And he's been in the toddler phase ever since (2yo)

Why not get a miniature poodle (the middle sized ones) rather than a cockerpoo. They are fabulous dogs. I got a puppy a few months before my son was born and they grew up together very happily. I later had a standard poodle crossed with an australian shepherd - she was wonderful, but had horrific recall (I have had dogs for years and never had one like this that I just could not get through to). but she had a wonderful temperament like the majority of poodles. But the miniature was a better family dog.

Smelly, greedy and badly behaved.

We babysat a beagle repeatedly for friends and he was awful. Looked cute, though. Which is why so many people get them. He'd been to dog training classes three times and failed.

We now have a delightful rescue whippet cross mongrel.

Beagles usually have a very good temperament, and are usually good with children,and other pets, but they are hounds,as in hunting dogs really, and like to roam in the outdoors. I had a neighbour who had a beagle years ago, and it never got enough exercise,and got quite fat. It also barked a lot when left alone. It was not properly trained at all, and was just a house pet, because they just fancied having a beagle !!

I think beagles are very vocal. Cockapoos are basically expensive mongrels with no checkable pedigree/DNA. If you want non-shedding dog get a poodle. Better still, when your child is older, get a rescue dog. Lots of lovely mutts desperate for a home.

@silverbubbles

bad recall
very hard to train
escape artists
diggers
barkers
not great with kids
These aren’t specific to beagles. I can only speak for my two obviously but they will do anything for a snack! Yes they can be a bit stubborn but again that’s something that you can work on.
Also saying they aren’t good with kids can be said about any breed. It’s not ideal to get any dog especially with a newborn in the house.
Please don’t think I’m being unkind ( I’m not) but I just want to give my side of the discussion as a beagle owner

My beagle (not pedigree) is a stubborn arse.

Very very affectionate with us, hates the kids but no aggression - will just run away as soon as they go near.

Recall almost non existent - catches a scent and can’t get them back for love nor money. Doesn’t run off as such but will happily walk on the other side of the field and then just stand and watch you shout their name 500 times before slowly trotting back half way then making you meet them.

Any time I see another beagle around our village we get a comment about how stubborn they are.

I love my dog but it’s not a breed I’d choose again - mine is a rescue and mix, had no real idea of her nature other than she was v affectionate.

I’d just rehome a rescue if I were you, check out the rescues (after lockdown) and just let your heart guide you rather than being set on it being XYZ

I have 2 kids and 2 dogs and trust me I wish I had waited. We can’t just take spontaneous trips anymore

Oldest child is 7
Youngest is 5

We then have a 4 year old cat, 3 Year old dog and a 2 year old dog

Ah just seen you’ll have a baby. In which case don’t get a puppy unless you want your house absolutely destroyed by chewing.
You won’t have the time to watch them constantly as you’ll be seeing to baby and I can promise you the minute you turn your back the puppy will chew everything in sight including door frames and skirting boards.
Unless you can give them nigh on constant supervision for the first 12 months I really wouldn’t get a puppy or wait until you can

My PIL have a rescue beagle she was essentially used and discarded by a puppy farm, she's very well behaved, sweet natured and loves to walk. My great grandma had a poodle, horrible bad tempered, snappy, smelly thing, does it have to be a puppy?

I cannot stress this enough.

DO NOT GET A BEAGLE

DO NOT GET A BEAGLE

DO NOT GET A BEAGLE

I have not had time to read the full thread, and I know to you I am a stranger, but please heed my warning and do not get a beagle. They are not like other dogs, they are not pets, they will never give in, even in old age and do what you want. NEVER.
NEVER. Never.

EVER.

Please do not get a beagle.

Don’t get any puppy with a 3 month old - disaster waiting to happen