How to Decide Whether to Adopt a Beagle

Beagles make very good pets for many families. Beagles have an upbeat personality, and they are remarkably sturdy for their size. Beagles are particularly good pets with small children because they are rarely aggressive and are sturdy enough to withstand rough play. However, beagles also have some traits that can be annoying to some dog owners. Here is how to decide whether to adopt a beagle.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Honest assessment of your family life
• Introspection

1. Consider whether you can live with a dog that howls. Beagles love to howl, and they can even get creative about varying their howls based upon what they want to communicate. For example, a short howl might mean, "I am ready to come inside," while a long howl might mean, "I am lonely." While some people might find the howling cute, others find it to be quite annoying. If you do not have the patience to put up with howling, then a beagle is not a good breed for you.

2. Decide how important immediate obedience is to you. Beagles are intelligent dogs, but they are also headstrong and sometimes choose not to obey a command, such as "Come," if they do not feel like it. So, beagles can be difficult to train when compared to other dogs.

3. Assess how frequently the beagle would be left alone. Like all dogs, beagles are pack animals and are happiest when surrounded by those they love. If you adopt only one beagle and have no other dogs, he is likely to howl while you are away. If you live in an apartment complex, you are likely to receive complaints from your neighbors.

4. Determine whether you have rabbits in your backyard. Beagles are particularly fond of chasing rabbits, and they howl the loudest when they pick up a rabbit scent. If you have rabbits living in or visiting your backyard, then your beagle is going to howl each time you let him outside to relieve himself.

5. Ensure that your backyard fence is in good shape. If you have a fenced-in yard, make sure that the fence does not have holes or gaps. Beagle are masters at squeezing through fences, especially if they have picked up the scent of a rabbit.

Tips & Warnings

• Beagles are particularly good with young children. They are gentle even when the child gets too rough, and their bodies are sturdy enough to withstand rough play. Beagles are also very protective of children and will stand up to any perceived threat to protect the child.
• Never give a beagle table scraps while you are eating. This will encourage the beagle to howl at mealtimes.

[grouch]

on 12/8/2007 Beagles make great pets. If you already have children then you can deal with a beagle. They pretty much act the same way.