To get a beagle?

[mashh]

My parents think I am. DF says they are hunting dogs so are hard to train and very noisy. DM says they are working dogs, not family dogs and no one really gets them as domestic pets.

DP grew up with one so is happy to have one but says his childhood dog was stubborn and had bad recall. I personally just don't want a big dog and preferably a low maintenance breed. Aibu to consider beagles?

I wouldn't say they are low maintenance.

We have a similar (french) scent hound, possibly a bit more worky as they're a little closer to working lines than show Beagles would be...

He's lovely, adorable, stinky hound and dribbly but thats the longer fur and flappy chops he has that a Beagle won't have.

Plus sides are, Beagles tend to be universally people and other dog friendly and if introduced properly when young, easily 'other animal' friendly.

They are also very easy to train as they are super food motivated, and its very easy to entertain them by scattering treats, hiding food stuffed toys, etc.

BUT the downsides are .. off lead, it is true that the nose goes down and the ears become purely decorative. It is rarely that they hear you and CHOOSE not to return, it is more like they haven't heard you, and are wholly unaware that you are not right behind them. It genuinely comes as a surprise when they lose a trail and the head goes up and they look round and you aren't there!

It takes some management and common sense, lots of work teaching a recall just in case, but not relying on that recall as a matter of course. The long line and harness combination come in very handy and again thats something that takes a bit of time to learn, and practice to be really skilled at handling 30ft of line (don't use flexi leads, they have a lot of downsides and can be quite dangerous).

People DO get Beagles as domestic pets, they aren't the most common but I'd say more common than:

Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen
Grand Basset Griffon Vendeen
Basset Fauve de Bretagne

All of which are v similar and have a fairly strong show/pet following in the UK now.

Another super fun thing to do with any dog but really great for the scent hounds is Man Trailing - its on a long line, its a single dog sport so your dog doesnt have to be ace with other dogs... following a human scent to find a hidden 'misper'. Easy to learn, really great for the dog, lots of fun for people too.

I'd have one if I didnt adore shaggy haired breeds!

I am in bed next to a sleeping beagle right now! Fantastic family dog. She is adorable and really loving, loves cuddles and people in general. We have two house cats who she was brought up with and gets along with fine - though she does keep them in check occasionally! She gets on brilliantly with other dogs but also likes her own space. She’s perfect with children and very gentle natured. I agree with the pp that they are massively food orientated, that’s all she thinks about and she was extremely hard work as a puppy. I’ve never seen a beagle off lead and talked to many other beagle owners who have said the same; you can’t let them off lead as once they get a trail of something, they’re gone and won’t even look back once! They are very strong, powerful and intelligent dogs. She barks but only occasionally and it’s a typical guard dog bark when someone knocks on the door or she hears the food delivery van outside, certainly nothing of a nuisance. Would I have another beagle? Absolutely, but I wouldn’t have a puppy again, not of any breed! Good luck in finding your perfect canine companion!

We used to borrow a beagle from friends as a practise dog.

Smelly, noisy, greedy, poor recall, OBSESSED with food, and had to do obedience school repeatedly because it didn't work. I think some of the last was the fault of the owners because his behaviour improved when he stayed with us.

I wouldn't have one. My rescue mongrel is much better

I would never but that's because my old neighbour put me off then for life. Hers was feral and omg the howling!

Oooh I move a beagle thread as people always come on with stories about how totally unmanageable and naughty their beagles are and they are always funny.

No, I would not have a beagle. They are pack animals and as stubborn as all get out.

We had a Basset Fauve de Bretagne after my husband saw one at a dog show. Wonderful dogs in every way except that they will follow a scent and are deaf to all instructions.

Can’t count the number of times we had to cancel dinners, reschedule guests and so on while we went out to search for our headstrong but much-loved dog. Eventually she was walked only at the beach where life was a lot calmer.

Beagles are one of the furthest things from a low maintenance breed you can get!

I follow a lady on Instagram who has a beagle.

It eats everything and appears to tip the bin and eat the contents regularly 😆

O.MG beagles are a handful. They absolutely Need hours of exercise not just a pootle they need scent work and a job to do. They are working dogs and need the stimulation or you home becomes their stimulation in all the wrong ways hence the naughtyness

Diet is also massively important for a beagle. Some owners think working dog breed = working dog food nope all that does if give them energy to destroy your house

They’re beautiful, but I’ve never heard anyone describe them as ‘low maintenance’

Why do you want a beagle? Because you like the look of them? How about researching a low maintenance dog.

Beagles are dogs that comes with a huge amount of extra responsibility, more so than many other breeds. I wouldn't have one for that reason. You have to keep them in, which might need big fences, they take a lot of exercise and as people say they are pack animals bred to follow scent. Not a pet.

We used to know someone who had a beagle. Everyday at the park she would come with tales of naughty beagle.
One of the funniest (but could have ended badly!) was when the beagle escaped the garden at night, dog parent had been on a night out and had fallen asleep downstairs. Knock at the door and the police had found the dog. But..... they couldn't get it in the car boot (stubborn!!) so it was riding up front in the passenger seat 😂
There were frequent stories like this and I do have to say that in the end they rehomed the dog to someone who had another beagle and then they got a lab.
So moral of the story, I would not say they are low maintenance in the slightest. Good fun? Absolutely!

My friend has a beagle, lovely dog, but omg the smell!
It would put me right off.

I grew up with 14 outdoor beagles, but we were in the country, and they got extensive exercise because they were used for hunting. A bored beagle is a fat, loud, chewy scrounger. As long as you are prepared to give it more exercise than you are expecting, a lot of training to keep them from running after smells, and a very strict diet, get one.

We had one - she wasn't noisy at all, but she did smell, was food obsessed but adorable!

They're incredibly clever and stubborn. Recall is often shit.

But they're so loving and I'd have another one!!

Absolutely do not get one. HTH.

I wonder what are the smell comments. All dog smell (GSD owner here), especially after they get wet (rain or river likewise).
Beagles I know are the handful

You clearly haven't done any research on beagle if you're considering getting one as they're low maintenance!
If you want a low maintenance dog I'd suggest a stuffed toy.

We have a beagle and she is amazing. Perfect with children, doesn't have an aggressive bone in her body and super sweet. HOWEVER I wouldn't class them as low maintenance dogs. We've put so much work into her recall and it's still not 100% - if there's a picnic to dive bomb or a deer to track, we simply can't compete.

Agree with most others, do not get a Beagle unless you are planning to let it work, and I mean properly work. They need hours of exercise daily to not be too destructive in the house, they are noisy, headstrong and just unpredictable and almost impossible to train to a high degree of reliability. They are also very, very cute of course, but it sounds like you want a low maintenance dog, and that is definitely not a Beagle.

I've got a Welsh hound crossed with a Beagle. She's the most loving, happy family dog I've ever owned. She's never shown an ounce of aggression towards humans or other dogs.

Scent hounds aren't naturally good with recall, some just can't be trained, 'head down, arse up' whilst walking. But mine is very food orientated, so easy to train in other areas. But means she will eat anything so weight needs to be monitored.

Beagles are the best family dogs!! Ours is super sweet and friendly, has been a great support for our autistic son. She is incredibly calm and puts up with endless toddler pulls on her ears and whacks on her head. 100% agree with previous posters about the strong food motivation - but this does make them easy to train. They are really smart dogs. Ours does not howl or bark and can be left at home by herself for a few hours at a time with no issues. She's very friendly with other dogs and is just a delight. She goes to a dog park every morning for a massive run and play and then sleeps the rest of the day. Absolutely eats everything in sight (my parents recently left biscuits and a wedge of blue vein cheese on the kitchen table, all gone as soon as their backs were turned) so guests soon learn to keep food up high and to lock bedroom doors!!

Beagles are gorgeous I grew up with two. So affectionate and funny but as others say not low maintenance.

Now if you want low maintenance may I suggest the humble lurcher massively overlooked as a wonderful family dog. Not always the brightest tool in the shed but still fabulous!