Beagle as a family pet?

[Sunseed]

I'm being mithered by DCs who are missing our late departed miniature dachshund and would like me to get a new dog. They seem set on a Beagle being the ideal breed. From my point of view it would be the right sort of size and I like that it is short-haired. We would be able to give it plenty of daily exercise, but I am a bit concerned about what I've read about them being great escape artists and high-jumpers.

Does anyone have personal experience of having a beagle as a pet, please?

We had beagles when I was growing up. Yes, they will run for bloody miles if they get a scent. They are always hungry- ours stayed with my gran for a week when we were away and came back the size of a small table as my gran thought she was always hungry.

Our first beagle was obsessed with soap, and we always had toothmarks on the soap. Our second one used to pen the dishwasher and lick the dirty plates.
But they are so full of character and so soft natured. So affectionate- but stubborn. If I didn't work, I would get one like a shot.

I bloody loved my beagles but Christ they were hard work. Wilful, disobedient, selectively deaf and terrible scavengers: they would cross three lanes of traffic for half a mouldy sandwich if you let them. And they can't half howl as well. Think very carefully about the breed before you get one

I've got a 13 year old beagle we've had since a pup. She came from a working pack so doesn't have the issues a KC bred bitch/dog might have. She's always been loving, loyal and a great family pet. I let her off the lead at the beach but nowhere else as the hunting instinct is so strong. We also have a Basset so well used to scent hounds. No problems with training etc but I think you do need to understand the breed.

Nice to see some positive posts about beagles on here for a change - yes they're hard work but they're such loving and affectionate dogs too.

I often only see negativity with regards to beagle puppies and I think it explains why so many end up in rescue around 5/6 months old - the pups are just going through puberty but people give up because they think it's just a beagle trait they won't grow out of.

I have a Beagle x Pug (waits for grief about having a x breed). He is lovely. Good recall, very cuddly, was destructive as a puppy but fine now. Great family dog. Quite a funny character. Is greedy though. I think he is beautiful. Even my sister who doesn't really like animals actually likes him.

Just to show you how cute he is!

Beagles are amazing dogs but oh! the noise. The one near us never stops howling, the slightest thing sets it off. Give me a spaniel any day.

I have a beagle too, and agree with the other beagle owner. Lovley dog, but wouldn't recommend the breed.

See, I have a beagle and I would recommend them, but only to people who are aware of what beagles are like and are prepared to look after them accordingly.

They are not your typical family dog. They need huge amounts of attention, stimulation and brain work/exercise to be good pets and a lot of families are unable or unwilling to provide that kind of input.

Beagles are destructive when bored and left alone (as a rule, some will be fine alone) so ours is not left alone. He goes to daycare when we both work, if we need to pop out, we go out separately or someone comes to watch him, or he comes with us. It's restrictive but I'd rather that than come home to a destroyed house, a distressed dog or one that's eaten something he shouldn't have done.

I think they make excellent pets if you're willing and able to give them the stimulation they require, which is a lot. At the end of the day they are pack/working dogs and don't do well on their own or when they can't get enough exercise and sniffing done!

they would cross three lanes of traffic for half a mouldy sandwich

100% true! And they'd run through the same traffic every day after, just to see if the mouldy sandwich fairies had left another one.

Beagles get terrible reviews on here which is a shame. They are brilliant family dogs, but only if you're the sort of family that can give them the life they need. Training is both very easy (they learn fast and do anything for treats) and very hard because they are stubborn, calculating and relentlessly self interested. If you can make good behaviour profitable they'll be perfect dogs, but they aren't instinctively obedient whatsoever.

The upside is that they're so funny, endearing, cuddly and trustworthy around kids (though not around their food). No aggression in their temperament at all, and the same pig-headedness that makes them a challenging breed to train makes them very tolerant of children as they'll simply ignore them if they want to. Ours goes walking off the lead every day and has good recall as long as there are no picnics around. Give them a long walk, preferably with other dogs, involve them in family life, survive the puppy years and you've got an amazing family pet.

Just don't get one because they're cute, that wears off fast when you're washing fox poo off one.

I walk on a beach next to a forrest and regularly bump into a beagle owner who has to use a gps tracker to find his dog after in invariably runs off. Seems like a massive pain to be honest.

Only a pain if you let them off the lead in open spaces @sacredgeometry.

We never let ours off unless he's in a secure field or yard. I know some people will say that's cruel but I would rather have a living dog than one that's bolted after a rabbit and ended up in a field of sheep getting shot by the farmer. We live in the Lake District which is yes, beagle heaven but also a disaster if you have a hunting dog off lead that gets a scent and follows it.

He loves his walks, we still give him tons of opportunity to sniff and you can get beagles into all kinds of scent training so they can "work" and use their noses.

I think you just need to treat them as what they are - working dogs with strong noses. They're not labradors or collies or poodles so treat them for what they are and use it to their advantage. Ours will do anything for food so we use is food throughout the day for training and obedience. He doesn't get fed regular meals.

Ours also good off lead - if you have food in your pocket. That said there is always that worry that he'll find something more interesting and I do look at mums obedient lab with envy sometimes. But I knew what we were getting with a beagle and researched for about a year, phoned and met the breeder and waited for him to come along.

He's gorgeous but does have a habit of finding and rolling in any fox poo in a 5 mile radius it seems!

My dogs best friend is a beagle. She is naughty but very sweet. The owner lets her off lead if there is a dog to play with. She has run off before though and much more naughty than my dog and a bit wilful. On the plus side he says she is excellent with his grandkids and quite well behaved in the house. She is also friendly with other dogs and very gentle.

Ours is very friendly and excellent with children. He loves cuddles and attention and he's never shown a single sign of aggression.

They are hard work and I think too many people get beagles because they're cute and don't think of the work required to get them to be good family pets.

🙈 my friend just got a beagle pup. It does seem hard work but they've never had a dog before. We have always had black labs and they are ace family dogs apart from having acid teeth and chewing every bloody thing 😂

We’ve got one and he’s none of the negative things mentioned above . We have a 4 and 3 year old and he’s absolutely amazing with them, they adore him. We took him to puppy training classes, it took a while but his recall is great and he’s very obedient. He’s not at all food motivated, in fact it was irritating as even through baby led weaning he wouldn’t eat the food on the floor (unless it was meat or cheese!) so I had to bloody clean it up regardless.
He’s great with other dogs and he rarely howls (only if there is a cat in the garden).
My dad also has one and she’s equally as lovely although her recall isn’t great.

Oh yes and we walk him a lot but that’s a good things IMO, it’s good for him but also for me and the DC. They’ve regularly been going on 3-4 mile walks with him since they could walk, basically. They have great walking stamina!

We have a Beagle, affectionately known as Dipshit.

He is fantastic with the kids, couldn't fault his temperament at all.

His recall is non existent so we can only let him off in an enclosed field. He's great with other dogs and just wants to make friends constantly.

He's not allowed in the kitchen at all and the kids have learnt not to leave food and toys out, so my house is always tidy!!

He doesn't get separation anxiety and doesn't howl, he does have a loud bark though. He gets at least two long walks/runs a day but is still slightly chubby.

He's 3 now and has settled down slightly, still has moments of madness but a lot better than when he was a little pup.

It's lovely walking him as everyone comes up to have a chat about him or to tell me about a Beagle they used to have as a pet.

As much as I moan to my husband about him he is part of our family and we'd be lost without him!

We have a four month old Beagle pup and we find she loves being part of the family and enjoys - no craves - cuddles! I have a 9 year old dd and they ate brilliant together. We had some stressful days with nipping etc but that happens much less now. However they are intelligent and energetic dogs so not for everyone.

One of my friends has 2 beagles, they are very sweet, great with kids even though friend doesn't have any. Negatives they are noisy, love to bark, and recall is terrible, can't be off lead unless in enclosed area.

But knowing them well, I think they are great family pets as they are so gentle with kids, been visiting/out walking with them with my son since he was about 5 and they are very gentle (apart from the charging about!)

Lovely dogs, not the smartest! I have a border collie and she thinks they are absolute numpties! And as they can't really be off lead the running about is limited.

And not able to jump at all, I could be wrong but I don't think jumping over fences is a thing at all with beagles. My friend has babygates to stop access to some areas in her house and they def don't jump.

Forgot to mention, friendly to all other dogs and people, no aggression whatsoever.

My friend has babygates to stop access to some areas in her house and they def don't jump.

Definitely depends on the dog! Ours jumps - not quite high enough to scale a stairgate yet, but he'll leap on the bed or the sofa quite happily. His dad can easily jump onto a dining table from standing to get food as well, and I know our breeders had to employ the "dual stairgate method" to keep them out of the kitchen!

They jump on the sofa etc but I thought OP was meaning garden fences. Also I suppose there might be variation in the breed with leg length etc, which would affect jumping.

If you are on Facebook there are some great Beagle groups. Our Beagle has been amazing especially with children. Yes he's a bit cheeky where food is concerned but we have made some amazing memories. Honestly I would do it all again. He is twelve now.