BEAGLES- what do I need to know?

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We may be getting an adult beagle. First dog as a family, I've always wanted one but the time has never been right for a dog before. She has always been a family pet and not a working dog but her current owners are separating and neither have the space for a dog any more. Poor baby.

I've heard they are difficult to train, prone to getting a bit smelly, but affectionate and friendly. (Just like ds2 actually, it will fit in brilliantly)

What else do I need to know?

They have a very loud bark!

There are some great beagle groups on Facebook, very useful for advice and sympathy!

Ours was pretty good at house training, and is a great sleeper. But will chew anything he can get his paws on, and likes to swipe blankets or scarves and trail them round the garden, where he is very hard to catch! Recall is non existent. But he’s very cute!

Don’t let her smoke in the house.

I was told they are extremely food motivated - great for training, less so when they nab the entire Christmas turkey off the table (true story!)

I have two they are loving, loyal, gentle. Don't like being left alone, if can be left but only for a small period. Very food orientated, some can steel food if left unattended. Can be very disobedient.
Some run off for hours.
We are very lucky with ours. They like to stay close to us. Sleep in our bed too.
They think they are our human babies
You have to be patient and you have to love them to put up with their funny little ways. But I would not have mine any other way. I adore them.
Your one is older so should be trained and be fine. Ask previous owner. Likes and dislikes , maybe right a list and do they have favourite toys ect. I'd leave them on the lead until she is used to you. Try to keep ears clean as can get infected. Wash out weekly.
Ask them about her recall. Let her bring toys and blankets from previous house so she has familiar smells.
There are beagle walks in lots of locations if you check on FB. Mine in bed next to me snoring as I write this.
I'm at my happiest when I'm with my boys x Best wishes. X

That they are the best breed ever?!

@Haggisfish I couldn't agree more absolutely adore mine. They're like babies. X

Mine is funny, loyal, grumpy, noisy, greedy, wilful, loving, stubborn and I adore him

My beagle would bay at anything that walked past the window.
No food was safe from her.
No recall - totally ignored me and only came back if she felt like it.
Loved to sit at my feet and catch any dropped food when I was baking.

Not very bright...eat EVRYTHING! Well virtually everything - ours doesn't eat carrots....but poo and cucumber are devoured 😐. Excellent temperament imo - very gentle and sweet. Tendency to wee with excitement (food time in particular) and wasn't the fastest to house train but we've got there! Loves going for walks (we were told not to let off the lead so we use an extension lead. Very very prone to being overweight. Loud bark but not overly barky - good house dog at night if someone comes in late she barks. We love her ❤️

Oh yes - they chew!! Makes sure there are plenty of things to chew!!!! Doesn't need to be expensive - empty plastic bottles, loves to rip up a cardboard box!

It was many years ago and the breed may have improved, but ours was exceptionally greedy and a terrible scavenger; was an ace escaper and had this terrific urge to wander all the time (even though she got loads of exercise and spent most of her time outside). She took a long time to get the message with house training - in fact, any training! You might take her for a walk, she would dissapear and you wouldn't see her again for hours. (this was a long time ago in rural surrey, so little danger of her being run over). She was so laid back she was almost horizontal, kind and gentle, but really, more interested in living as a part feral hound rather than a family member.

IME destroys toys, hoovers up everything they can get their paws on (causing subsequent stomach upsets varying in severity), big bark, fairly protective, lots of sniffing (walking along with their nose to the ground is very common) and, above all, STUBBORN. If they don't want to go that way, you're not going that way!

All the same, they're bloody amazing and I love them.

Good luck!!

Beagles are not really house pets. I know people do have them as pets, we certainly have had several. They are hounds. They are hard to train, they will not come back if they don’t want to leaving you waiting for hours and hours for them to return.

They are escape artists. They will run off and be gone for hours.

If you go for a walk, a very long lead is needed. We used a washing line.

They are the best breed and very soppy, but no brains and constantly hungry.

Loud, greedy, loud, clingy, did I mention LOUD?

Their recall is awful. Don't do it!

We have a beagle - he'll be two next month.

He can be loud and he does bay a fair bit, and his recall is iffy - we only really let him off at the beach because if he catches a scent we don't stand a chance!

But otherwise he's amazing. We walk him twice a day and he spends the rest of his time asleep or cuddling up on someone's lap! I read so many horror stories on here and I'm so glad I ignored them and actually spoke to some beagle owners. Yes, he can be stubborn and he will tell you off by barking at you but to me that's part of the fun 😂

He's fabulous and such a loving dog. He doesn't like being left alone for longer than a couple of hours so he goes to my in-laws while we work but otherwise he's fine.

Join Beagle Banter on Facebook- they're a lovely bunch of people and will answer any questions honestly (plus they have tons of experience).

Lovely dogs - however, very scent driven and so recall is often non existent, which makes walking frustrating and tricky.

As others have said they can also be very vocal.

Very food driven and tendency to wander.

I have two, and have had others If you can give them what they need, they’re easy. If you can’t they will destroy your house and your sanity.

So what do they need? Company. Affection. They’re curious little beasts and will want to be involved with whatever you’re doing. Mine sit on my feet when I’m cooking and stick their noses in the hole when gardening. If I’m sat on a sofa I will have a beagle on me. I never pee alone.

They don’t cope well with being left alone. A bored beagle self-entertains, which is bad news for anything in range.

They’re escape artists and prone to following their noses, so a secure garden is important. They climb, dig, and push their way under things. If a snout can get through the hole then the rest of the beagle will follow.

A tired beagle is a good beagle. They like exercise (all weathers - they’re not a dog that will refuse walks in the rain) but walks can be stop/start/sniff. Mine all are offlead, and their recall is 95% there, but I always carry treats to reinforce it. If nose switches on then ears switch off, and your beagle is suddenly heading away from you, fast.

That short coat means they’re pretty self/cleansing, but they will drop mud in your bed. And they will roll in unspeakable horrors. They view baths with deep suspicion.

They shed like you wouldn’t believe.

They love kids and cats. They bond to a family, not an individual. They’re playful and affectionate and loving.

They are trainable (I do agility with my youngest) but on their terms. No treat? No training. And they have the attention span of a gnat.

They howl at anything. Earwigs are 3am. Suspicious park benches. And it’s loud!

They will eat anything that’s not nailed down. If it’s nailed down, they will eat the nails. They will counter surf and steal food. Some will resource-guard what they’ve stolen. They will do anything for half an inch of dried spaghetti. If you want a beagle off the armchair, don’t push it (it will grumble) but lure it off with a single grain of kibble.

They’re generally robust and healthy little hounds, with few major health issues.

I love mine. They’re cheeky, determined, affectionate, bloody minded. I came home last night and they were so pleased to see me they almost exploded. But they’re not for everyone.

I’d suggest looking on the beagle welfare site, where there’s lots of information on the breed.

motorina I LOVE every word of what you've just written. A brilliant summation of most hound-human relationships.

Barking, lots of barking

Thanks everyone- I am going to meet her tomorrow and probably have her stay for a week to see how we get on. I've been told that she's not a barker, but her current owners was very open about the rest of things you have all mentioned- she's a greedy escape artist with dreadful recall and a huge capacity for love. We'll see how it goes!

I love beagles but I know that I wouldn't be able to cope with one (so we have a labrador instead!) My friend's beagle is gorgeous but everything Motorina says is true for her. She is not off lead as her recall is patchy. She also wears a soft muzzle whilst out as she eats everything (edible or not) and makes herself poorly.

Recently she got into the food cannister and ate 4Kg of kibble in one go and had to be taken to the vet. Friend said she looked like a barrell!

The phrase oft repeated by my friend to her beagle is "this is why we can't have nice things"

Good luck OP.

Any hound dog comes with its own set of traits... personally not for me, I find them too much like hard work, but then the dogs I do like (spaniels, terriers) are not to everyone's taste either.

What I don't like about hounds
Food obsessive and will steal, you need eyes in the back of your head or you to to shut them outside. They never give up either so it's hard work if you have friends round for a meal. If there's a couple of them they'll start hunting. Selective deafness and wilful disobedience.
They're a bit big and heavy to pick up if you need to do that.
Having said all that, they are generally friendly and nice natured