[Electric]

Hey there,
My names Peter, I am 18 and live in derbyshire, England.

I hope to be getting a puppy Beagle over the next few weeks. I have nver kept a dog before although both of my parents have.

If i tell you abit about me and my different commitments and enviroment, then i would appriciate your advice on what is positive and what is negative (so i can get it sorted out) in terms for the puppy.

I live at home, an am currently inbetween jobs, although i will be working 9-5, but may be able to nip back at lunch time to see the puppy for half an hour. I have a big back garden and live about 30 seconds from a really nice, dog friendly park. I am an active person and everyone in the family is loving and caring.

I would really apprieciate any helpful comments that you are able to give me in the run up to me adopting my new puppy.

And i look forward to getting to know you all,

Thankyou,
Peter /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif

 

[cabecca19]

Beagles are a lot of work - we got Boomer when he was 10 weeks old last summer. But the hard work is SO worth it! You will learn a lot! Potty training is challenging but be patient and stick with it. Beagles do really well with positive reinforcement. Get him/her on a schedule. Crate train. If you haven't already, I would invest in few books about beagles to read up and prepare as much as possible. Two books I would recommend are "The Idiot's Guide to Beagles" and "Beagles for Dummies". Congrats on getting a beagle!!!!

 

[beagletails]

First thing....buy a crate. My beagles are both 1 now, but they are still kept in a crate when we leave the house or when they sleep at night.

So far in my experience with beagles I find that the females are more likely to be hyper, clingy and demanding of your time and attention, whereas my males are more content to entertain themselves. Other people may feel differently, but I have had quite a few beagles pass through our home over the years and that seems pretty consistent.

I did not have a hard time with potty training either of the 2 beagles that I currently own. Just establish a schedule and pattern and the dogs will usually take to it pretty quickly.

cabecca19 offered good advice to read some Beagle books. I strongly recommend that as well.

Good luck to you and keep us up to date on your choices.

 

[Murphys Dad]

Welcome to the BW pack!

You said you have a back garden. Is it fenced in? If not, I would put up a fence.

Have you considered a rescue? (not a puppy)

 

[Murphys Dad]

Hi and welcome! You have chosen a challenging breed, but probably the most rewarding one.

Any advice that was already given is great, and we'll probably be able to provide more and share stories along the way.

Crate training is the key for their housebreaking. And as Joe said, fence your yard.

Good-Luck!

 

[Lucy's Mom]

Congratuations on choosing a beagle, and welcome to Beagle World.

The main lesson on puppies that I learned from raising Lucy and Flora is that you must train such that you are able to reward success (rather than punishing errors). For housetraining a puppy, this means that you must take the puppy out on a regular schedule appropriate to an "infant dog." A puppy will not be able to go 9 - 5 without a break. During puppyhood, my husband and I scheduled our work hours so that the puppy was not left alone for more than 4 hours. (My husband started work early so he could be home by 4, and I look a long lunch and worked late so that I could let the dogs out at noon.)

By "living at home," do you mean you live with your parents? Will your parents be able to help with the housetraining, when you do get a job? That mid-day break is vital for housetraining, but can be phased out as the puppy gets older.

Another thing to consider, before you actually get a puppy, is what your living arrangements will be in the future. At least in the States, many places do not allow pets. Are you willing to make the sacrifices necessary to find/live in the places that will allow dogs?

The other major piece of advice is to take the puppy to a training class, preferable one with a trainer/instructor familiar with hounds or terriers. The classes I have attended were most important to teach me HOW to train my dog, and especially to show me the difference between what I thought I was teaching, and what I was really teaching, from the dog's point of view. A lot of the lessons transferred well to children -- so it was good pre-parental training as well. /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif

Keep us posted, and best wishes.
Sylvia

 

[Electric]

thank you all very much for the warm welcome and the fantastic advice. We have an area of the garden that the beagle would be able to run around in in the summer, i dont think that i would be to happy leaving them out there any other time, especially with the English weather.

I am going to buy a book on them tomorrow and start to make inquires about local dog training schools and local breeders.

I shall then hopefully start to buy the essentials next week and adopt my new puppy the week after.

thank you again for the help and i will keep you posted.

Peter

 

[MyKale]

I would definately buy a crate as already suggested.. but also working a 9-5 when they are puppies and only getting a half hour to let them out is not so good. i go to school in the morning and then work at night and i give diesel at least an hour in between, btw diesel is 4 months. he is really hyper and needs a while to let it out. i try to make him tired before he goes back in his kennel.

when he was younger and couldnt stay in his kennel long i had family come over to let him out and play with him for a bit.

as said to me from someone here "a tired puppy is a good puppy when putting him in the kennel"

 

[Electric]

What's a crate sorry?

 

[Murphys Dad]

A crate is either a flight cage or a cage. I personally feel that with a cage the dog feels more "with you" and just extremely isolated.

 

[Electric]

I can't lock it up can i?
I pictured them cuddling up with me at night or when im watching TV?

 

[Murphys Dad]

Well, you can probably do whatever you want. But for housebreaking it's best that they are locked up when you can't watch them and be with them. The point is that when they are in the crate, it's big enough for them, but small enough for them not to pee/poop in their own "place". When you take the pup out, it's directly outside for potty, praise, praise, praise and then if not under your supervision - crate!
After a while it gets easier and they can be out for longer periods of time (under your supervision).
They actually like it and consider it to be their own "condo"...

 

[Electric]

Lol that sounds fine then.
I wasn't too sure how much time it would take for them tobe house trained.

 

[beaglesmom]

I personally prefer the wire "cage" - but the plastic crates are better for traveling. When I have a litter of puppies going to the vet, they have a plastic "carrier". I have both kinds. Years ago I would have said that crating a dog was CRUEL. Now it's something I recommend to buyers of my puppies. It gives them a "safe place" when you're doing something or can't be watching them every minute. My two older boys and my two younger girls sleep in their crates, and are in there when I'm at work or away from home. Saves the house - and your sanity! They go in willingly - I don't use them for "punishment" - I also feed the big boys and little girls in their crates. With 10 dogs feeding is a zoo - so they're fed "separately" - at least not all 10 together.
Like others, I strongly suggest obedience training - here in the states they have "puppy kindergarten" classes for young puppies - and they're great. It's good for the pup - good for you - a win win situation. If you're getting a pup from a breeder, he or she can probably suggest classes.
Good luck with your new "baby". If you have any questions about anything, there's always someone with experience around!
Welcome to BW.

 

[Electric]

Would it possible to use my utility room instead of a crate?

 

[Jennifer]

Hi Peter, I've never crate trained a puppy in my life but I do have a crate like the wire one that Chloe's Mommy posted a picture of. They are invaluable as a good place to put puppy when it's just impossible to keep an eye on them. Plus remember that beagles can be destructive chewers so a crate can keep them out of mischief when they can't be watched.

I used my kitchen instead of a crate so a utility room would do just as well. I put a baby gate at the doorway so puppy was contained if I needed to go upstairs or to the bathroom etc.

Good luck

 

[Electric]

my utility room is not too big, i'll actually post a picture up later, and it has a door, is that still ok?

 

[Murphys Dad]

Well, you'll have to gate it and make sure the pup can't reach anything! but I mean - ANYTHING!!!

 

[Electric]

Oh right. I have bought a book today and there is an 8 week course about 5 miles from mine starting in april, and there is a puppy that will be ready on the 23rd of March in derbyshire aswell, that is for £600 ($1200 approx).

I also bought there first toy... a "puppy cuddle pad". You can put it in the microwave an give it to the puppy as a warm cuddly toy...how cools that?

 

[RhodaTse]

Do not let the crate(cage) scare you, your dog will love it once its trained. Do some research on crate training, it will help you a lot especially if you are working. Yes, it is very challenging with pups, a beagle pup.
And be sure your neighbor won't mind the beagle's imfamous loud bark and arrrooo. I do not mean to be discouraging, once you adopt or purchase a beagle, you are to make a commitment along with the work, and fun also of course. Good luck!