I've made a mistake. And I feel awful and like a bad owner.

[Keepingittogether27]

PLEASE. I have made a huge mistake, and that takes a lot for me to say this. Everybody has told me this but I have refused to accept it but I really need help. I have a beagle x basset. I researched the breed. My friend has a beagle, and she is a lovely calm dog and I thought I could cope. She was a wonderful puppy and google seemed to point us in the direction of a beagle. To
possibly calm it down we got one crossed with a basset hound.

OH MY GOD. This dog is worse than Marley and me. I don't know where the lazy basset is in him. Cause I've never known a dog with such energy. Please don’t get me wrong I love him. I don't shout or hit him. If I have to punish him I put him in the kitchen. I leave the room when he’s wound me up and take a minute. But I’m losing my mind. I was wondering if you could give me tips on training? I’ve had dogs before, most recently a border collie (which I was told was the hardest dog) who I found easy work but this boy is something else.

There’s many things that he does that upsets me. But obviously it is my fault, leaving things out or leaving doors open, but sometimes I can’t fathom why he’s behaving like this when he knows he will get into trouble. In my weakest moments I cry because I don’t want to get rid of him and I feel like I’ve failed him because he’s made me so upset. I can’t leave anything, anywhere in fear he will get it. I left a nappy on my child's changing table behind a closed door whilst I bathed him. I came out of the bathroom and its there, ripped up, and all over my floor. HOW DOES THIS HAPPEN? This isn't the first time. In fact I can cope with that.

The worst thing is how attached he is to me. When I read that beagles become attached I thought that would be fine because I am a stay at home mum and he wouldn't be alone much. Boy was I stupid. I can’t have a second. If he’s not in the same room as me he wines. He follows me into every room. If I am sat down he is wedged against me. If I move him he will come straight back. If I leave him downstairs behind the baby gate he pees or poos. Even if he chose to stay downstairs after I called him, EVEN when he’s just been outside to go to the toilet.

I walk him for up to 2 hours a day. Once in the morning and another time at night, off the lead. In open fields. Then make sure I play (or do some training) with him for at minimum, an hour whilst my son sleeps and give him a KONG or a toy or a chew when I’m playing with my baby. But he just eats what’s in it and then tries to sit on me or pulls on my clothes or gets so excited that he runs around the room so he knocks my boy over. And if he’s not doing that. He is chasing the cat, sometimes out of the door and won’t come back.

PLEASE HELP. I read all the books. Overused google and even run a beagle breeder (we didn't buy him from here) to see if this would be the right dog. I thought I could handle this but I just can’t. I don't want to give him up I just need help. I wanted my baby to grow up with dogs like I did (I grew up with quite a vicious, energetic lab and I loved her so I thought this guy would be fine). My baby loves him and vice versa.
I can't decide if he's just too daft for me or too smart. Like this dog rolls over, spins, does all the tricks. But doesn't know the meaning of no (or pretends not to).

Thank you.

How old is baby? Which came first - baby or dog? How old is dog? It could be jealousy of the baby, teenage doggy hormones or many other things.

My suggestion would be to find a really decent dog trainer (that does not include all - I can tell you from personal experience) and have some one to one sessions followed by regular classes.

Good luck! I have nearly despaired of my lovely boy several times but a good trainer has sorted us both out….

Where do you live? If you live in / near Oxfordshire I can recommend a fantastic dog behaviourist who trained me to how to train my out of control girl!

Is he crate trained? It sounds like hes bored and finding his own entertainment, do you take him to puppy classes?

A good dog trainer. I got help with my dog from a 'dog whisperer'. The difference is almost instant. I was astonished. I am having another session soon, just to remind myself really, as there is a little slipping on my part. I live in Scotland and she travels. Willing to recommend her if you want.

Sympathy OP - beagles (and beagle crosses) are not easy - as pack dogs they're incredibly human (social-contact) focussed and yet remarkably stubborn so training can be a challenge.

How old is your dog?
How old is baby?
What have you done so far in terms of training?
What is your daily routine with DDog?

Baby is 2. Dog is 8 months now. Soon too have his nuts off to see if that might help. He went to puppy training classes at the start but that only went up to 4 months.

I tried to crate train him but he just cried. Would go in for his food and I locked it, to open it after he finished. But he would just eat and cry and I don't have the heart to just force him in and make him stay there.

His routine is
-Wake up (Curled up on me or next to me) go for a wee.
-Have his breakfast.
-Go for another wee.
-Go for a walk (45-1hr)
-I go upstairs to put the baby down. He comes with me or he pees or poos everywhere.
-Sit down for 5 mins to see if he settles and goes to sleep (9/10 times he doesn't)

• Do some training with him, sit, paw etc. Or we play ball.

-I have my lunch whilst fighting him off. -Goes outside for a wee. -Baby comes downstairs and has his lunch (dog trying to get on the highchair everytime my back is turned)

• Baby plays on the floor with me. Dog rushing around.

-Baby has tea whilst dog tries to eat his food. -Dog goes out for a wee -Put baby in the bath and in bed. Dog locked outside bathroom crying or destroying something. -Dog goes out for a wee. -OH comes home. -Dog goes for another walk. -We have dinner then dog has his. -Chill out with the dog trying to get as close to me as possible. Leaning on me or trying to lie on me. -Dog goes out to the loo -Go to bed, dog on the floor after being kicked off 100 times. -By 1am dog is on the bed between us.

Sorry was very long winded!!!!
He's just jumped on my laptop to try and be on me. Now curled up on the edge of my tiny chair right next to me. I live in Huddersfield.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR REPLYING EVERYBODY!

Cant lock him out of our bedroom either because he just cries and barks until we let him in and can't risk waking the baby.

Try asking on your local fb selling pages for trainer/behaviorist recommendations.

There is work to be done. It is worth it tho. Good luck.

I'm pming you with some local suggestions OP.

Very new to this! No idea how to get messages! :(

OOOO I FOUND IT :)

Oh gawd, you poor things (both you and him) he has no idea that you are supposed to be his lack leader and is ruling your home. He needs to sleep in the crate and be put there when your baby eats also at the very least. He will cry, a lot....probably for a week or so and you will no doubt get no sleep, until he accepts that this is how it is, but you have to be cruel to be kind. He has to have discipline otherwise the rest of your dogs life will be a misery. Try an adaptil collar from your vet and go cold turkey with him. You will get through it but he needs to know he is bottom of the pile and at the moment he is in charge of your household. Please remember the behaviour he gets away with now will start to become "learned" and you will have a far harder time trying to correct his behaviour the longer this goes on. Good luck but Stay firm!!!

Pack not lack ....oops.
Your baby may be disturbed by him until he gets used to his new routine but if you allow him to carry on I can almost guarantee that these behavioural issues will escalate

Uou might find he won't disturb your DC at night. Our puppy was crying and barking last night for a while (bless him, we think he has an ear infection).
Dh and I thought it seemed really loud but both DCs tell us that they didn't hear a thing.
Good luck.

Please ignore anyone or anything that mentions packs and dogs knowing their place in the pecking order it has all been discredited . Also can we see a picture as a beagle x Bassett sounds a delight .

Floralnomad so you having a picture of the cute puppy will make sure the OP's dog doesn't end up needing a new home etc etc.
wtf
At least come up with some actual advice to the contrary if you are so knowledgeable on the subject

You'll be disappointed he just looks like a ginger beagle with big feet!

My sil got a beagle and she nearly went MENTAL, now she is an actual athlete and just could not deal with the dogs energy. She gave the dog to her mother at about 10 months because she just could not cope with it.

Her mother has three dogs at all times, has had so many dogs over the years and even bred a litter of pups once, a very very experienced dog owner and the beagle almost broke her too. Mil is exceptionally calm and patient, she left her out of the crate because she felt it was making the dog more anxious. She kept her and after 2 or 3 years the beagle calmed down (a bit), she is still a difficult dog and I don't like the dog very much but is much happier now.

Good luck, it sounds like a total nightmare but beagles can be difficult.

And you know you are not a bad dog owner because you have had other dogs! You sound extremely patient to me. I hope you get some good advice here and manage to get it sorted out. He is still only a puppy so I have faith you can turn things around! Best of luck with everything.

mulberry I don't claim to be an expert but I do know that pack theory is proven rubbish .

Only one I have on here. I don't mind sharing pictures of him! But like I said GINGER BEAGLE!

Also, bear in mindmind that eight months is teenager time in dog years. So much so it's the average age that pups get sent to rescue I believe.

You tend to find them pushing boundaries a bit at this age, testing you and regressing a bit. I'll swear I could almost see mine stamp his bloody paws at that age. Thankfully it does pass and you are doing the right thing by looking for help. I will warn you though I have a shadow, a shadow who even follows me to the loo and actually brings a ball for me to throw whilst I'm sat there. He's even tried to get in the bath with me.
In not sure the role of 'constant companion' is something he will lose, it is rather sweet once you get used to the idea that you'll never pee in peace again.

Don't beat yourself up too much over it. Just rename him Kevin and crack on

YY to percy it is indeed the 'teenage years' and this will be the most challenging time of dog ownership. Providing the foundations are sorted now, he will get much easier to look after once he's a bit older.

He really needs crate training as a matter of urgency. If he's destructive not only is it soul destroying for you, he could really hurt himself chewing up the wrong thing.

He is weeing and pooing when left alone because he has separation anxiety, not to be naughty. Lots of info how to overcome this on the Internet but essentially you need to build up the amount of time he is left alone gradually, e.g. Starting with 30 seconds with you out the room, and increasing to a few hours. Don't make a big fuss when you leave or come back to him, it only reinforces that being left alone is Big Deal which he needs to worry about.

Run a million miles away from any behaviorist, trainer or layman mentioning 'pack leaders', 'dominance', 'knowing his place', 'hierarchy' etc. That theory was based on wolves, not dogs, and the wolves involved in the study were unrelated and thrown into the same living quarters. Wolves in the wild in their natural family groups rarely, if ever, full on fight. And dogs are not wolves. With your dog being a sensitive, anxious little soul it is even more important not to buy into dominance based training.

Good luck, he looks gorgeous!

Also, he sounds very intelligent and while physical exercise is a big help he also needs mental stimulation to stop him making mischief to occupy himself. Try stuffing a kong with yoghurt and freezing it, or some brain games like Nina Ottoson toys. Will be pick things up readily? Teach him to help out around the house, collecting toys, washing etc for you.

Is he generally quite nervous and anxious? Although I'm a big advocate for neutering to avoid unwanted and unnecessary breeding having him neutered may not be the best idea at the moment. Nervous dogs need the testosterone to give them a bit of a confidence boost. My nervous dog definitely got worse after being neutered, and I do regret it now with hindsight.

How about Sprinkles www.dog-games.co.uk/sprinkles.htm A food loving beagle x scent hound should love it and it would give you some peace.

I know several beagles and beagle crosses and they need a lot of exercise, love food and are fond of snacking on/rolling in gross things. They are all lovely dogs too. Try to get back to training classes and for the kong try to up the difficulty of getting the food out, possibly by freezing it or filling it with paste rather than bits of food (there are lots of ideas and recipes online.)