Hello

My husband and I are looking to get a dog, we do have a decent sized back garden and are more then willing to put time into training, walks etc etc but I am worried - I work from home but will be out for 3-4 hours twice a week during the day and both of us will be out at least twice a week - will this suit a beagle?

We also would like to be able to have the dog off the lead on a heath near our house - will this be possible with a Beagle?

Thank you

Rachel

Beagles are not very good off lead. They follow their nose, and will often ignore recall training if they pick up a scent that they like. They are supposed to be quite hard to train.

Whats the maximum amount of time the dog will be on its own?

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Knacker Lacquer - Adds Luster To Your Cluster

Dont know too much about beagles through experience and in me sure there will be someone much more knowlegable than me but i have gathered that they dont like being left alone, they are very good escapee's and are very hard to train, many have virtually zero recall. They sound very high maintenence dogs to me but if you have the time and stamina ime sure they make lovely dogs.

the most we would leave the puppy is 3-4 hours, sometimes during the day - mainly at night 3 times a week.

we have lots of time and patience for training but want a dog that is comfortable off the lead and we are comfortable to have off the lead

Beagles are well known for having poor recall, they are a pack breed that can be very noisy and destructive if left alone.

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"If the wolf is to survive, the wolf haters must be outnumbered. They must be outshouted, out financed, and out voted. Their narrow and biased attitude must be outweighed by an attitude based on an understanding of natural processes."
L David Mech

We have doomed the Wolf not for what it is, but for what we have deliberately and mistakenly perceived it to be..the mythologized epitome of a savage, ruthless killer..which is, in reality no more than a reflexed images of ourself." -Farley Mowat

Funny I was just talking to my neighbour today and she said, if you ever get offered a Beagle dont take it! She said they are lovely dogs ( she has one by the way) but she cant let her off the lead she she just picks up a scent and is off and also they are dustbins when it comes to food - her one can open the fridge door and has had a whole leg of lamb off the counter when she was defrosting it!!

adorable dogs, however, require a huge amount of work regarding training. recall can be (and usually is) non existant. they follow their noses, so it doesnt matter how much calling and waving and yummy treats you've got, if he has the scent, hes off. i dont know of any beagle owners who can trust there dogs off lead much. my beagle followed his nose to his untimely end.

as for being left alone, if you were to do so, i would recommend a crate. as if left to roam free they can become easily bored and extremely destructive.

dont enter into getting a beagle lightly. they are hard work, but its very rewarding.

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6th Jan 2008 - 22nd July 2009

We had a beagle, lovely family dog and even had great recall after hours at puppy training class. And I mean hours with one-to-one special treatment...

BUT he wanted to be working and kept escaping from our garden, jumping on tables/over roofs/burying/biting his way through fence panels. He was a pack animal and was looking for his pack.

We took a lot of advice about how to secure our garden but - for his own safety and happiness - we had him rehomed to a pack. It broke our hearts as he was such a character and the kids adored him but even they could see he wasn't meant to be living in a suburban house.

I haven't owned a Beagle but I would advice strongly against getting one if you want a dog you can be comfortable letting off lead. Purely because you CANNOT train them 100% recall, they WILL follow their nose and on a heath.. well there are going to be rabbits etc, so No chace, a beagle would be Off! Like Ducky said, that can be fatal


I would have a re-think on your breeds if you're set on having one you can let off the lead.

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I totally agree with what you have said we have now had to crate bobby as even though he has loads of toys and stuff to do play with etc he still destroyed my bed

he wont be off lead ether as he chases foxes as it is while on lead, and once he has the smell of them theres no telling him.