[CarrieD]

Menolly continues to amaze me with her intelligence

...but that's not necessarily a good thing. Almost nothing can keep her in/out. In addition to nosing open cupboards, she has learned to defeat child safety locks easily, including the latch system for the baby gate I use sometimes. Now she can open doors. Just the handle type right now, but she's almost gotten door<span style="font-style: italic">knobs</span> open.

She's also figured out how to open drawers.

Is this normal? We've never had a dog this smart before!

 

[Murphys Dad]

Yup!! Normal

 

[Brisen]

Maggie can nose open cupboards and doors, but hasn't mastered the doorknobs or drawers yet...thanks goodness! Menolly, you're one smart little girl!

 

[beagletails]

I've always heard Beagles are very smart. I cannot give my dogs credit for their intelligence though. I know they understand a lot more than we sometimes realize, but mine do no fancy escaping or tricks.

 

[Brien]

We bought a box of safety latches but have yet to install them. I figure once Bodie learns to open cupboards I'll put them in. I hate them and will wait until the last minute before we have to use them.

 

[Java]

Yep, beagles are one of the smarter breeds out there. It's just not widely recognize because most people equate trainability with intelligence. Our hounds are not dumb, they're just extremely independent minded (ok, sometimes stubborn

)

 

[cheezyridr]

i think most of you have seen these, but just in case:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VEaFK2v6PbM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3YR_DfnYpE

just typing the word beagle into the searchbox at youtube gives 14,000 hits. apparently, beagles are taking aover the web! hahaha

 

[Brien]

Originally Posted By: cheezyridr

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3YR_DfnYpE

Bodie has the same crate as in the video and almost did the same thing. Although he was only able to slide out the tray. He never tipped it over to the point of being able to get out.

I didn't find the video funny or amusing. I was afraid the dog was going to hurt himself. Not cool.

The one thing I did notice was there were no toys in the crate with the dog. Which is probably why he got so bored and tried to escape. I think you should always put stuff in the crate with your dog to keep them occupied.

 

[Java]

Yeah...they can only sleep so much. At least the owners were considerate enough to not the beagle's collar on. The little guys can hurt themselves.

 

[cheezyridr]

Originally Posted By: Brien & Bodie

Originally Posted By: cheezyridr

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3YR_DfnYpE

I didn't find the video funny or amusing. I was afraid the dog was going to hurt himself. Not cool.

The one thing I did notice was there were no toys in the crate with the dog. Which is probably why he got so bored and tried to escape. I think you should always put stuff in the crate with your dog to keep them occupied.

it's a safe bet that youtube would have removed the video if it showed the dog getting hurt. i suppose it's possible that the people crate their dog without leaving it stuff to play with but when i saw the video it appeared to me as though it was staged so you could watch the dog escape. who puts the crate in the middle of the room like that? i can't imagine putting my dog in the basement, (it looks like that crate is in one) way out from the wall,with nothing for any sort of comfort, entertainment or food/water.

that said, i leave sophie in a crate when i go to the gym everyday for 2 hours. she hates it so much she ignores her toys, and the treats i leave her, and just usually lays there until i come back. i have been considering chaining her to the wall next to my bed as an alternative. it's where she sleeps at night. maybe that might be more pleasant for her.
i've tried letting her roam, but she ruined my $60 raincoat, and chewed the kids nintendo controllers. i tried putting her in the bathroom like i did with my lab, and she clawed the walls till her nails bled. my lab used to sleep in the tub at night, so he liked the bathroom. it's something i hope to get figured out

 

[Brien]

You might want to consider a dog pen. You can get a 24 high metal one (4' x 4') for around $60. What's nice is it's portable and can be configured into a variety of shapes. We bought one on craigslist the same day we got Bodie. I think we paid $20. Like you, we wanted something bigger then a crate but still containable.

 

[Java]

Originally Posted By: cheezyridr
that said, i leave sophie in a crate when i go to the gym everyday for 2 hours. she hates it so much she ignores her toys, and the treats i leave her, and just usually lays there until i come back. i have been considering chaining her to the wall next to my bed as an alternative. it's where she sleeps at night. maybe that might be more pleasant for her.
i've tried letting her roam, but she ruined my $60 raincoat, and chewed the kids nintendo controllers. i tried putting her in the bathroom like i did with my lab, and she clawed the walls till her nails bled. my lab used to sleep in the tub at night, so he liked the bathroom. it's something i hope to get figured out

Sounds like Sophie may have a bit of separation anxiety. If she's no longer a puppy, destroying things and frantic behavior is a strong indicator that she's stressed from missing you (even with toys available). I'm still trying to work out Java's separation anxiety issues, so I can't offer any advice. But, there are good resources on the web. One school of thought is to completely tire out your dog before you have to leave. On a similar note, offering a good distraction (a toy stuffed with sophie's favorite treats) can help her get pass that initial shock of your absence.

Good luck!

 

[Sephly]

genius! my dog can do all doors except the sliding door, its crazy how ingenious beagles are.

 

[Pack Leader]

Henry knows where his leash is stored and is not above retrieving it to sit politely beside you with it in his mouth. And if that doesn't work, you get the head in the lap routine. And if you still don't get the point, he will whine then drop the leash at your feet. Plus he knows tons of words...