Beagle training tips

[Kevin Lawler]

When mine were little I took them out and when I finally jumped one I shot it. I didn't think I hit it because it took off. I led them to the spot and they trailed it and to my surprise I had put one pellet through it's lungs. They freaked out when they found it. I was going to tie it to the back of my 4 wheeler but the battery was dead. I had to use my kid's 20 year old, 40cc 4 wheeler. I tied it with about 25 feet of slack and road it around the house for about 5 minutes. They were hot on it's tail the whole time.
Back then I never kept them penned. I would let them out and they would leave the house and come back late in the afternoon. Many times I would go outside and hear them burning one up. They were lean and mean that summer. They got to the point were they would catch the rabbit and eat it. That combined with the fear of them getting picked up or hit by a car caused me to fence in the back yard. Actually had one of them get caught in a leg hold fox trap once too.

[kctreeman]

My beagle is one year old and makes a great house dog.  Figured out the potty training with no trouble.  Can't hardly get the thing off it's dog pillow.  Gets outside and acts like she's freezing to death.  I guess here in the midwest that's not too uncommen right now.  My dog loves to eat.  Constantly has her nose to the floors, rugs, oven, everything just looking for something to lick or eat.  Biggest drawback that I've found is the shedding.  I never seen a dog shed like a beagle, hair on everything she lays on.

[Deerstalker]

I've got two in the house, and they are crate trained and ask to go outside. A tri tronics collar set was the best thing I ever bought. Made a huge difference in my dogs. If you want to get them started on rabbits, you may want to find someone with a starting pen in your area, and get her in it. There are several good web sites for beagling as well. Beagles are a l;ittle hard headed, but they really are loves as well. I don't think I will be without one again!
Bryan

[Ron LaClair]

Tim, that's a very good looking pup. I think beagles are the greatest all around dog anyone can have as a companion. I admit to being a little prejudice because I love beagles, they are great hunters and great pets. They will fit in your lap eaiser that a lab, plus they eat less than a big dog.  I've had at least one around just about all my adult life.

I use to keep my beagles outside in a pen but the last two I've had I kept in the house and they were part of the family.

You always hear that beagles are stubborn, don't listen and don't mind. I've seen dogs like that and also a lot of kids. Smacking them or shocking with a collar will only make them timid. A shock collor may be necessary if they take a liking to chasing deer. For the most part you train a dog with LOVE..and lots of it. A beagle is a sensitive dog and will respond in a positive way to love and kindness. They are a loving breed and love to please their master.

The key to making a beagle LISTEN to you is spending time with them. My last beagle Maggie was with me in the shop all day. I taught her tricks for the amusment of customer and kids that came in the shop. She would sit up, roll over and play dead. A neat trick she would do was when I let her outside, she would push on the door to come back in then...she would close the door with her front feet.

My current pal Dolly is also very smart and minds  very well. She loves to hunt and comes from  champion field trial stock. She goes everywhere with me, to the grocery store, Post Office or where ever. I leave her in the truck and she lays on the dash waiting for me. People that pass by comment on the dog on the dash and I tell them she's my dashhound.   :D

In my opinion the only training a beagle needs is to be taken out in good rabbit country. They come by running rabbits naturally, it's bred in them.

I even took Dolly to deer camp last fall. She scared off a bear that had been coming into camy every night..he never came back.

   

She also love to tree squirrels.

   

   

[Chris Wilson]

kctreeman.....Our beagle doesn't seem to shed much at all.  She goes through a phase around late Spring where it's pretty noticable, but the rest of the year, it's not bad at all.  Of course, she gets brushed frequently and bathed at the slightest sign of here stinking up the house.

Deerstalker.....They are a loving dog for sure.  Once they get attached to you, they'll follow you anywhere.  If I even think about sitting on the floor, Lily is either in my lap or laying right up against me.  She's a sweet girl.
   

[Ron LaClair]

Beagles have a lot of energy, especially a young dog so they need to be exercized every day. A game I play with Dolly is throw and fetch. A tennis ball works good for this game, basically I throw it and she brings it back. Sometimes she plays by herself in the yard with an empty plastic pop bottle of milk jug.

If you keep your beagle in a pen all the time or he lays around the house and only gets to run on the weekends, the dog probably won't respond to your commands...he just wants to GO!

[Tim Kosteczko]

i apreciate all the input.
Incognito; thanks but texas is a LONG way lol
thanks again, we are all brand new to beagles and all this will hopefully help us make a great hunting partner. keep it coming!
Tim

[Chris Wilson]

I try and run Lily daily.  She loves a frisbee.  I can get more distance out of it than a tennis ball.  I like to get her out in the late afternoon and run her before supper.  Man, when she runs, she runs hard and fast.  I found that if I run her good at the end of the day, she sleeps better at night and is not as rowdy in the house.  It also keeps her in shape.  Beagles can get fat real quick if they don't get enough exercise.

[Tim Kosteczko]

Ron: what a great looking dog and sounds like she is  pretty brave, chasin bears away and all, but i was laughin readin that because i could just picture it.

Chris: between my dog and my brothers beagle i have the same "problem" whenever i sit on the floor i have a dog laying somewhere on me almost instantly, great looking dog.

[DEAN]

MR.La CLAIR  could not of said it any better!!!I had beagles most of my life and all they want is for you to love them and they show it back  more than you can imagine.Just take them out  as a pup and they will play at your feet but ignore them and they slowly go out a little further at a time and explore!!! Soon you can walk a bit and they will be in tow .Stop let them explore and after a while when you here that first bark it will send chills up your spine and you will feel like a proud DAD  watching your son play ball!!!If you jump a rabbit call him over and get him worked up as to where you jumped the rabbit!!Nature will take its course.You get exactly what time you spend with your new buddy.AND the rewards and memories are a lifetime treasure to enjoy
DEAN

[no]

check out the american beagler web site. Lots of great stuff on there. I have 4 beagles. One lives inside. They all mind well & I always have 1-2 with me. I start them at 5-6 months old. I like to use a domestic rabbit first & then a dead wild one on a rope. I alternate between bringing them with the older dogs & solo time. Just remember they are like kids & each one is a little different as to when they mature.  Be PATIENT. I cant stress that enough. My 11 month old female really didnt start until 9 months & it wasnt for lack of effort. She will run the fur off of one now & makes my 2 year old work hard to keep up. He started at 5 months. Good luck & e-mail w/ any questions. Be patient & use lots of praise with the dogs.  Mike

[swampbuck]

My nieghbor was off from work for a couple months when he got his pup and spent everyday with him at a young age,it does make a big differance in how well he listens.Most of us hafta go to work which makes that a little more difficult.

Actually the deer thing was the reason for my first try with a shock collar.It wasn,t the trakin part it was when the deer got up in front of him and he saw it...the collar worked very very well to take care of that.

The 2nd time I used a collar was on the tradgang bunny hunt which was several hrs drive from my house and I wanted to make sure I came home with the dog.He picked up on the warning tone so fast that I bought my own.

More times than not,without alot of effort in training at an early age or a collar which also needs training with, beagles with their nose down will look at you ackknowledge they heard you and put their nose back down headin the other way.

Since I,ve used the collar I don,t need it at this time really and he won,t just blow me off when I call him,he may come at beagle pace but he will be coming LOL

Enjoy your dog they make great companions

[Ron LaClair]

Not to brag but I'm the worlds smartest beagle. Just ask my master.

Dolly LaClair

   

[swampbuck]

Nice pic I see she share's your interest LOL

I,ve got this funny feeling based on the call from my wife a few min.s ago that I,m gonna have a house broke spay'd 2 yr old treeing walker little girl wiating at home when I get there.She's been wantin a dog for to call her's for a little while now guess I,ll see when I get home tonight

[Tim Kosteczko]

There shouldnt be any trouble gettin her enough exercise as she will lead a very active life i am sure. i was also wondering how are they with water? i know it can vary with each specific dog but in general. we wont be able to test her with the water for a while.

no: thanks for the offer i just may do that down the road.

Ron: lol  what a great picture, thanks for sharing

Swampbuck: good luck let us know how u make out with that and see you saturday.

[Dale Hajas]

My family would be lost without our beagle! I've raised blueticks, fox terriers, a bunch of house dogs and none of em can come close to this beagle I have now. Litter trained right quick too.

One thing I have learned about house training.

I used to live in a townhouse that permitted pets but no poop on the lawn. So we trained our dog by taking him on 15 minute walks, so he wouldnt go in the yard.

When we bought our house we hoped he would go potty in the fenced in yard. NOPE- he will not go to the bathroom without being taken for his walk. It'd sure be nice just to let im out in the yard during these sub 0 temps. But no way will he go in the yard! Keep that in mind during potty training.

Beagles really need love and they give it back 10 fold! That sure is a nice looking pup!!

Good Luck!!

[Mick]

You guys are KILLIN' me with all this beagle talk.  I miss mine sooo badly!  I have shared my home with three beagles over the years.  All were special and all ended tragically.

Number One was a male named Raliegh.  I was a  young and inexperienced dog dad, but did alright any way.  Through firm, consistant and loving training, that dog would jump over a deer trail like it was hot lava.  Was just as good at birds as rabbits.  He would actually range like a quartering spainel in the grouse woods.
I put him down at 8 yrs. old due to a degenrative spine coondition.
Broke my heart.

Number two was my houndawg named Flash.  I worked that dog every day when he was a pup on basic obedience.  He would walk off-leash on city sidewalks looking at me like a highly trained lab does.  He was a good hunter as well.
I put him down at only 3yrs. old due to a rare blood disorder only after my former wife and I decided to try to buy his life back.  $4000 later I couldn't stand his pain any longer.  Broke my heart.

Number three was Jack.  Flashes half brother from a breeder in Coldwater, MI.  Great dog, was just getting his head out of his rear-end when I couldn't stand the pain any longer and was divorced.  He lives happily with my former wife and her divorce attorney.
Broke my heart.
Mick

[Dale Hajas]

Another note: The breeder that sold me my pup told me to keep his food bowl full at all times. This would prevent him from binge eating and being over weight.

Also he told me to keep his dog food to a MINIMUM of 27% protein for an active dog.

   

   

[V I Archer]

I can't wait to own a beagle.  My sweetheart bought me a beagle calender for Christmas to tie me over until we can have one of our own.  Gonna call her Artemis, Missy for short.

Not so much into the rabbit hunting, thoughI do like the idea of treeing squirrels.  I have the crazy noting of using the beagle for blood trailing wounded game.  Wish me luck!

[swampbuck]

My first coon hound was feed that way but had been fed with a bin type feeder his whole life starting shortly after he was weaned from his mother.My beagle now I think would burst if I let him eat what ever he wanted LOL I keep a close eye on his wieght and feed IAM's lamb n rice adult formula.Feed him puppy food the first yr,both parents where 13" he stands 17.5" and wieghs in @43#s no fat.

I always used that real high pro on my huskys and some on my hounds if they was runnin hard enuff but it sure makes their farts stink I tell ya LOL