Do you really want me to tell you?
Well our Beagle is nearly 8. We got him when he was 5 months old.
We went through the destrcutive phase but I think even then, he took it to the next level.
I think we had to replace 3 carpets as he pulled them all up, he ate some really expensive boots of mine, one of dh's suits and endless toys. Just to compare, ILs have a dog the same age and he has soft toys from being a puppy that he has never ripped or destroyed, ours will rip them to shreads the seond he gets them.
He cannot be left out of his cage when we leave the house as he still destroys things. Having a cage up is a PITA.
Beagles are known for being wanderers. Ours has escaped quite a few times. A couple of times he's almost been run over because he just has no road sense at all (although does any dog?).
We have also since read/found out from other Beagle owners, that they like company and are alot better when with one of their own or another dog.
We got a Chihuahua over a year ago and all she does is bully him lol so if you were to consider 2 dogs, get them together, not later on iyswim.
Ours is also very anxious and some of his behaviour comes from that.
We've had a behaviourist out to him earlier this year and she said alot of it comes from him coming from a big family of beagles to just on his own and also the fact that they need to have a clear signal of who is in charge of their "pack" and apparently us as a family dont do that. Its a bit more complicated than that but that is the general gist of it.
But having said all that, he is very sweet and loving.
If I am ill, he will come and lay down with me. The dogs are not allowed upstairs in our house but if he knows me or dh are ill, he will come up and lay at the bottom of the bed.
He used to sit by me alot just after I had the children and when dd started to walk, he would follow her around, especially if someone new came into the house.
And he is very very patient with the children. They are absolutely rotten to him at times and he has never so much as growled at them. I trust him totally with the kids.
Sorry for waffling!