Beagles

Those who have/had beagles, what are they like in general?

How are they with cats or livestock?

How bad is DA/HA/SSA in the breed?

What are the major health issues?

I actually LOVE baying! I'm weird that way.

Laurelin, where in TX did you live? I'm south of San Antonio.

I was in Bryan/College Station.

I grew up with a Beagle who is still alive at 10 years and living with my mother. I absolutely adore her.

In general, Freckles isn't terribly loud. Can be a bit whiny, but nothing too excessive. I love her houndy bay. Insanely food motivated and she learned things quickly because of it.

She was raised with cats and never had an issue. She loves them and they actually cuddle all the time. Never spent too much time in close contact with livestock.

She doesn't have an aggressive bone in her body. She is absolutely lovely. Loves all people and all animals.

She was a healthy weight until we spayed her at 5 years old. Then, she rapidly gained weight. She is definitely overweight and spoiled now, but hasn't had any other health issues ever.

Those who have/had beagles, what are they like in general?
I had a Beagle for 11 years. He died last Novemeber from cancer and he took my heart with him. He was the best dog and sooooo sweet. He was stubborn and if he couldn't have his way, then he wasn't doing what you told him to do. He was easy to train with the right kind of food. Again STUBBORN!!!! He was also from hunting lines, so he had an edge to him. He was a hard dog, not as in living with him. As in you could drop in the middle of the woods and he would make it back home as the leader of a wolf pack. He was loud, smelly and complete jerk.

But he had my heart, he understood me on a level no other dog seemed to know. He was bold, and brave. He loved people and kids. He was a foodie and loved a good meal. He was just such a fun dog and sold me on hounds for the rest of my life. I have two Retrievers right now and it's just not the same. I miss my hound!

How are they with cats or livestock?
Beau was ok with cats, but given the chance he would eat them if he could. But again he was from hunting lines so that's a bit different. He LOVED cows and horses! He tried to eat every small animal near him and was NOT good with small pets.

How bad is DA/HA/SSA in the breed?
He was not DA, he LOVED other dogs, but he was also a scrapper and loved a good fight. He wouldn't back down from a fight and put my mom's Westie in the vet numerous times. He was a crate and rotate system with the Westie. He was FA with all dogs and mildly with people. But that is not typical of the breed.
He was NEVER once HA, he loved all people and never met a stranger. He LOVED LOVED LOVED LOVED kids with all his heart and being. He was happiest when he was with kids and he lived to be with my nephew.
No SSA at all, but he did HATE my mom's Westie.

What are the major health issues?
Cancer and weight issues.
He was a healthy dog and it was shocking to find out he had prostate cancer. He went for bladder stones ad came home to buried.

All and all I cannot wait till I have another one. They're the best dogs. Not to big and not to small. Hardy, tough, and smart. God I miss him.....

Sorry for the long post, but I miss him and sobbed like a baby typing this up. But if you do get a Beagle, you'll never be without one that is for sure!

PICTURES!
Here is what Beau looked like in his prime, NOT what you typically see with the breed!

I'm looking into them because I want a "big dog in a little dog's body" type of dog. I need small for health issues, but I don't want a "purse" dog. Dachshunds have waaaay too many back issues, I have never seen a Papillon down here and I have pet rats so no terriers.

It is the persistence that drives me up a wall. My other dogs can be told no and that is the end of it, not Seagle! He will go to the end of the world and back again if he gets it in his head to do whatever it is that he has focused on. For example, a kid threw a piece of pizza at the garbage can in front of the building that my shop is in. I didnt want him to eat it. My 2 other dogs can be told leave it and that is the end. Little hound will be focused on that garbage can for weeks. He will dodge doors, you name it all to get to the garbage can that once had a piece of pizza laying beside it. I can show him that the pizza is long gone but that does nothing for his obsession.Usually a it takes a few long weeks for him to be sure that whatever once held his interest is gone. We have tried to focus that persistence on things that are positive and that we can turn into a game but we are still working on this.

Cancer is such a scary thing. So sorry that you had to lose Beau like that.



Beagles are definitely big dog in a little body from my experience. Oz keeps up on hikes easily, and has boundless energy.
The back issues definitely aren't as much of an issue as they are in dachshunds. The only reason Oz's back occasionally causes problems is because a) he's nearly 11, and b) he was attacked by 2 large coyotes when he was 4 years old - which left him with permanent damage. But how's that for sturdy? Bounced back within a few weeks as though pretty well nothing happened to him.

They do tend to go grey pretty early, and noticeably though.

Age 3


Age 5

Age 10

I have met quite a few Beagles through the vet clinic and they have always been very happy, loud dogs. Lol Very houndy. They all seemed to be very...opinionated. If they didn't like what we were doing they wouldn't try to bite, but oh Lord would they scream at us. It also seems like we saw a lot of Beagles with anal gland issues, but that may have been a weight thing as well.

And I know you said no terriers, but another breed I'd look in to would be a rat terrier. An old coworker had one and he'd go out to the barn with her and go horseback riding with her. Brilliant dog. He got along with other animals, too, and while he liked to chase small rodents, he knew the difference between pets and varmits. I don't know what lines he came from, but he was just a neat little dog. A lot like Cynder in a lot of ways.

Well, I have a beagle. I swore I would never have one but I do. I swear I will never have another one...and I mean it this time. Don't get me wrong, I love my hound to death but a beagle isn't the easiest breed in the world to own. Training wise, he is super easy. He is so food motivated that I can train him any trick etc. I don't even mind the stubbornness so much, and he is stubborn unless he thinks he can get something out of it.

It is the persistence that drives me up a wall. My other dogs can be told no and that is the end of it, not Seagle! He will go to the end of the world and back again if he gets it in his head to do whatever it is that he has focused on. For example, a kid threw a piece of pizza at the garbage can in front of the building that my shop is in. I didnt want him to eat it. My 2 other dogs can be told leave it and that is the end. Little hound will be focused on that garbage can for weeks. He will dodge doors, you name it all to get to the garbage can that once had a piece of pizza laying beside it. I can show him that the pizza is long gone but that does nothing for his obsession.Usually a it takes a few long weeks for him to be sure that whatever once held his interest is gone. We have tried to focus that persistence on things that are positive and that we can turn into a game but we are still working on this.

Have you watched the videos of the beagle climbing out of the kennel that went viral a few years ago? Or the video on you tube about the beagle and the chicken nuggets? Pretty much sums up how a hound can act. Now in all fairness Seagle did come from trialing dogs. We really wanted his focus to be on trialing but NO WAY!!! Did you see that fluttering leaf over there? Oh wait, I found a ball in the field!!! Anything, and I mean anything takes his focus off of trialing...ANYTHING!

He is a snuggle bug supreme. He has a fantastic recall which is not typical of the breed. He doesn't have an ounce of aggression in him UNLESS another dog tries to take food from him. He is super active, he needs lots of daily exercise (and he is 7), his weight has always been a battle. And the barking. Oh my...the barking.

Sure, beagles are cute! But remember that there is a reason that shelters are FILLED with them. People get these cute little puppies and then they discover that they can be tough little dogs to live with. I wouldn't give up my little Seagle-beagle for the world but if you catch me on the right day I might be tempted.

There is something about a well-bred show beagle that just tickles my fancy. They are such nice, adorable looking dogs. I would totally own one. I find their baying adorable, and much preferable to the shrill herder bark!