I applaud you for getting information before making your commitment.
I have owned and been around dogs my entire life. Beagles are no different than any other breed in that there are a lot of differences between individuals. What may hold true for my beagle may be the polar opposite of what you see in your dog.
Murphy is our first beagle, and after doing some research I decided on a beagle with the stipulation that we would attend obedience class with him. I've never felt the need to do that with any other dog, but it's been extremely beneficial for both Murphy and me. I'm not sure that I could have been consistent enough without the guidance of the instructor.
Housebreaking has been more of a challenge than I remember from puppies of the past. But-we also picked Murphy up just before Christmas and it was a cold, snowy winter. There were times when it was just too cold for an 8 week old puppy to spend time outside. This is the first time I've ever used piddle pads. I've also learned to pay close attention to his signal to go outside. Murphy is now housebroken but it took a lot of work.
Hint: What Odor? works great for those accidents.
I've also learned that Murphy can be headstrong-more so than any other dog I've had. Now that I understand it I can usually outsmart him and get him to do what I want, although I had to change the approach I use for training (again, the classes were invaluable). This forum has also been a great resource for information from people who have been there, done that.
Another thing you'll want to keep in mind. If you have kids in 5 years, about the time they are 5-8 years old you'll have to face the aging and death of your dog with them. In my opinion it's a valuable life lesson for kids, but some people may not agree. We just had to let 2 of our dogs go in the last 5 months and I still mourn their passing. It can be a heartbreaking decision to euthanize your companion of the last 14 years.
If I had to do it over again would I get another beagle? In a heartbeat. In fact, if things work out I'll do that very thing on Saturday. They are simply great dogs if you're willing to dedicate the time to them they deserve.
Just remember-we like pictures!
Good luck!
I have owned and been around dogs my entire life. Beagles are no different than any other breed in that there are a lot of differences between individuals. What may hold true for my beagle may be the polar opposite of what you see in your dog.
Murphy is our first beagle, and after doing some research I decided on a beagle with the stipulation that we would attend obedience class with him. I've never felt the need to do that with any other dog, but it's been extremely beneficial for both Murphy and me. I'm not sure that I could have been consistent enough without the guidance of the instructor.
Housebreaking has been more of a challenge than I remember from puppies of the past. But-we also picked Murphy up just before Christmas and it was a cold, snowy winter. There were times when it was just too cold for an 8 week old puppy to spend time outside. This is the first time I've ever used piddle pads. I've also learned to pay close attention to his signal to go outside. Murphy is now housebroken but it took a lot of work.
Hint: What Odor? works great for those accidents.
I've also learned that Murphy can be headstrong-more so than any other dog I've had. Now that I understand it I can usually outsmart him and get him to do what I want, although I had to change the approach I use for training (again, the classes were invaluable). This forum has also been a great resource for information from people who have been there, done that.
Another thing you'll want to keep in mind. If you have kids in 5 years, about the time they are 5-8 years old you'll have to face the aging and death of your dog with them. In my opinion it's a valuable life lesson for kids, but some people may not agree. We just had to let 2 of our dogs go in the last 5 months and I still mourn their passing. It can be a heartbreaking decision to euthanize your companion of the last 14 years.
If I had to do it over again would I get another beagle? In a heartbeat. In fact, if things work out I'll do that very thing on Saturday. They are simply great dogs if you're willing to dedicate the time to them they deserve.
Just remember-we like pictures!
Good luck!
