[Hannah]

Hi all
My beagle has the annoying habit of contracting 'deaf ear syndrome' very frequently. We will be on a walk and I will call her back and she quite simply ignores me and runs off in the opposite direction. This has become such a problem that now I have been told to never let her off the lead. I have previously lost her for 2 hours in farmland when she did not come to my calls and ran off on an adventure. I don't have to tell you all what I went through during those 2 hours

Please can I have some honest advice. Are beagles more difficult to train that some other breeds or am I just using the wrong techniques to train her...? Any tips would be gratefully received. Many thanks, Hannah

 

[Erin]

We don't ever let ours off leash unless they're in a fenced area. I think in general beagles are not good off leash. Their little noses just take them everywhere! However, I know their have been a couple of members that have been able to train their beagles off leash, but I can't think of who they are off the top of my head.

Both of ours have been known to contract the deaf ear syndrome as well. LOL

 

[Hannah]

Does anyone hear know anything about dog whisperers..? Do they work..? Or are they a waste of money..??

 

[Quinn&Grayson]

Hannah,

Most vets I talk to say do NOT ever let my beagles off their leashes. They are hounds. They follow their noses when they catch a scent. This is why beagles end up at the pound so often. They get out and follow a scent until they get lost.

From what I've noticed on this forum, very few people have trained their beagles to go off their leashes. If I were you, I would keep her on a leash. Why would you want to deal with losing her again? Is it worth the risk?

 

[Smeagle]

When a beagle puts their nose to the ground and starts to scent their brain switches into the lower half called the medulla - the part used for primal instincts. This is why your dog switches off and ignores you - she literally can't hear you and her brain is thinking of nothing but scenting. Because of their strong instinct to scent, beagles switch into this mode quickly and often which is why it's not recommended to let them off leash unless in a safe area.

That's not to say they can't be trained - if you found a trainer who was experienced in working with beagles and had a solid understanding of drives and how to use your dogs natural instincts by harnessing them in a more constructive way, then they could form a training program suitable for your dog.

However there are a lot of trainers out there who don't have a clue how to handle dogs like beagles and won't know how to get the best out of them.

I found a very reputable trainer and I now have a dog who I train off leash almost every day and is almost ready to enter her first obedience trial - Daisy still scents but she knows that obeying my commands will give her drive satisfaction and therefore listening to me is far more rewarding.

 

[BeagleWeegle]

I think this deaf ear thing bothered me when I first adopted Charlie, however coming to know and learn about the beagle breed, from beaglesites/long time beag owners and observing, I realized this about My beag, it's not his fault, his nose does the thinking and being that, it's my Responsibility to do all I can to make my beag safe and understand him, I had lost him for 5 days ONLY ONCE cause I learned fast that he's not the average breed of other dogs.

We hired 2 different trainers who said they can deal with beags, ha I realized fast this was not the case. (for off leash training) haha

sure I also thought an open area with not many smells that was not closed in was safe? yeh first few times was safe and it only takes even a scent in the air for MY beag to be off, sooooooooo Closed in areas ONLY.

There is no trial and error trial and error over and over again.......it's tria and error then We stop what WE DID WRONG not what our beag did wrong, after all it's him teaching us about his type of breed.

He knows all commands, is very smart and listens well. OHHHHH wait not when his nose kicks in. lol

 

[Tucker]

I agree with the others. When the nose turns on, the ears turn off. Since they use there ears to help focus the smells to their noses, mabey they can't multitask with their ears.

 

[araine]

Cassidy gets out of gate every once in a while, and follows her nose. However, a few stern calls usually gets her at least in site. Then, the fun part...catching her...lol

 

[Smeagle]

Originally Posted By: AmberCassidy gets out of gate every once in a while, and follows her nose. However, a few stern calls usually gets her at least in site. Then, the fun part...catching her...lol

If you are calling her back sternly, why would she want to come back to you?

Reliable recalls are only established if the dog sees the value in coming back when you call them. If you are yelling at them sternly to come back or punish them/yell at them when you catch them or they return to you the dog will never want to come when you call it.

 

[araine]

Originally Posted By: Smeagle

Originally Posted By: AmberCassidy gets out of gate every once in a while, and follows her nose. However, a few stern calls usually gets her at least in site. Then, the fun part...catching her...lol

If you are calling her back sternly, why would she want to come back to you?

Reliable recalls are only established if the dog sees the value in coming back when you call them. If you are yelling at them sternly to come back or punish them/yell at them when you catch them or they return to you the dog will never want to come when you call it.

It works for her. Because I use a stern voice, she knows that I am not playing. She likes to push my buttons. She has a very rewarding household, she gets treats and toys up the ying yang. She even has a toy box and her own leather chair...lol spoiled dog. She, like a child, likes to see how far she can go.

 

[Smeagle]

Originally Posted By: Amber
It works for her. Because I use a stern voice, she knows that I am not playing. She likes to push my buttons. She has a very rewarding household, she gets treats and toys up the ying yang. She even has a toy box and her own leather chair...lol spoiled dog. She, like a child, likes to see how far she can go.

It can't work that well if you find it hard to catch her - obviously she doesn't come back when you call her.

You have to think of it from the dog's POV not the human's POV - why would a dog recall to you when she has no reward history behind coming when called? She's pushing the boundaries and running away because she sees no value in coming when you call her. Would you want to come to someone if they were yelling at you and you knew you were in trouble - I bet you she takes one look at you when you call her and thinks Hell no! I'm just going to get in trouble!

I can have Daisy off leash in a busy football field with dogs, people, kids, bicycles all going past in a solid sit stay - as soon as I say her recall word (here!) she pelts over instantly as fast as she can. She can't get to me fast enough because she knows how rewarding it is to do a recall.

I've had her get out of the house and thank god that I proof it so much because she'd had her nose to the ground scenting across the road and when I stopped, used her recall word, she turned around and came running back instantly - a good recall can save your dog's life!

 

[Quinn&Grayson]

Quinn listens better when I call her name sternly. If I'm trying to get her to come to me by using my nice voice, and she doesn't listen, I switch to stern mode and she stops what she is doing and immediately starts to slowly walk toward me. I never punish her, but I usually have to call her like that because she's got something in her mouth she isn't supposed to have. She will come toward me, and I'll take it out of her mouth and everything will be fine. Again, she isn't punished, but she knows I'm not in playing mode when I call her name sternly, so she's more apt to listen to me.

Grayson, on the other hand, is...well...he's not MY dog.

 

[araine]

Originally Posted By: Smeagle

Originally Posted By: Amber
It works for her. Because I use a stern voice, she knows that I am not playing. She likes to push my buttons. She has a very rewarding household, she gets treats and toys up the ying yang. She even has a toy box and her own leather chair...lol spoiled dog. She, like a child, likes to see how far she can go.

It can't work that well if you find it hard to catch her - obviously she doesn't come back when you call her.

You have to think of it from the dog's POV not the human's POV - why would a dog recall to you when she has no reward history behind coming when called?

Cassidy does get positive rewards in our household when she comes to us, and we don't spend hours trying to catch her. I am a strong believer in the pack leader develepment with dogs. Cassidy is actually very well behaved for a beagle, most on here know that since she has been on her for over a year now.

I am also very strong on the dogs POV. When she gets too close to me when I am eating, I give her the stare, and she backs down. If she is too rough with me, I show my teeth and glare and she backs down. I believe in body language more then verbal communication.

 

[Buddysmon]

For the most part Buddy is a well behaved Beagle, but there are those times he displays deaf ear syndrome. LOL

 

[Smeagle]

Hey Amber - I was just responding to the part where you said when Amber gets out of the house, the fun part is catching her, as it sounds like she doesn't always recall reliably - maybe I misunderstood you?

I found doing lots of training outside under high distractions definitely helped with Daisy's recall!

 

[cobismom]

I used to think it was like my kids, the boys just weren't listening, until my vet told me the same thing, once the nose starts working, the ears turn off. We have NEVER let any of our three beagles off the leash....we use a longer lead if we're going to the park or empty soccer field....they think they are free, but we have them tight. They have gotten off the leash, and they go...even the baby, who has never been off the leash on purpose; the clip didn't get hooked strongly enough...he ran...and it took all three of us adults to catch up to him. I have too many beagle friends who have let their dogs run, only to have them hit by cars when the dog rushes out to cross the street. Please keep yours on a leash, unless you are truly sure they won't run.