Beagles are great... We have one, and he is "calm" for the breed... I.e. still bonkers unless you give them loads of exercise.
They are great with people, children and love attention.
They are very destructive, and suffer from Seperation Anxiety if not looked out for. They need loads of exercise. I wouldn't really believe what the "Beagle Club" etc write. It depends on the dog... Ours needs a minimum of 3-4 hours exercise a day, although if we gave him too much one day, he is a bit sleepier the next!!
They are bred to be very indépendant, and training them can be difficult for those without experience. My wife doesn't have experience, but she is getting the hang of things... But if I were not around, it would have been a nightmare for her. They really aren't easy, and I would agree that Beagles are the most cat-like of the lot. Boris even cleans himself
a lot, and I have pictures of him climbing along narrow things were he isn't supposed to go. All in all, they are not easy and this is why there are plenty in rescues. They need company...
If you can go on long walks, clearly you have a lot of time for the animals which is great, and I would certainly advise talking to breeders and asking us about the pitfalls of their breed. I see plenty of Beagles who don't get enough exercise and charge around and become un controllable. Boris arguably gets too much, but as a result of that and his training he never strays
too... They will also be quite deaf when
they want to be, and this is not because they have shut down other senses. I have often been able to get him to leave a squirrel scent with a tasty treat.
Add to that what MoonViolet says, and I have to agree...
On the plus side, when they get their head tilt going, it is the bestest thing in the world....
Now; I have to agree that crufts is the best place for you to start.
