[imported_Bobbiesocks]

Hi Everyone,

Not that any of you will probably already be aware but i moved out of my family home (and left the family lab ) about 6 months ago now and now live with my boyfriend.
I see Bobbie every day and look after overnight on a regular basis. It's not the same as living with her and i miss having a dog permenantly around me. My BF is just the same.
So far i am being the sensible one of the couple as we are doing up the house we are in, i have refused to get a dog of my own. It's not fair in the mess etc. I'm also a little bit concerned that i might be a tad young to become a mom (i know a pup is not a baby but to me the responsibility is the same).
So anyway after all that waffling on my post is actually about Beagles!! My BF adores the breed and when the time is right for us to get a dog of our own this breed is what he wants us to go for. I would love another lab but Dan seems to think our house is too small for a lab!
So has anyone got experience of Beagles? My main concern would be that they are good around kids and at commands - like coming back when told etc.

TIA x

 

[CoCosMom]

I really have no experience with Beagles, but I do think they are sweet. One thing I have heard is due to their tracking drive, they aren't very good at recall... they catch a whiff of something and they are loooong gone. So off-leash is a no-no.

There are some great beagle rescue groups out there too!

Hope you get some answers here, I know there are a few beagle people on this board.

 

[imported_bacatherine]

Beagles are cute but very very stubborn and have a tendency to wonder. Did I mention they are stubborn.

Not my choice of dog but if you are looking for good info I know Paula and Paddysmom belong to a beagle forum they will hopefully give you the link to.

BTW I don't think any house is to small for a lab as long as your commited to getting them some exercise daily. I lived in a 1br apartment for the first year of Mocha's life and she did fine. Others on here are in apartments too.

 

[kaisdad]

Beagles are cute but very very stubborn and have a tendency to wonder.

BWAAAHAAHAHHHAAAAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAA!!!!!!!

Sorry, but that struck me as very funny.

 

[Paula]

Beagles are cute but very very stubborn and have a tendency to wonder.

BWAAAHAAHAHHHAAAAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAA!!!!!!!

Sorry, but that struck me as very funny.

You know I have always wondered what Lazy was wondering about. ;D


I love my beagle!! She is the best, but when that nose hits the ground the ears seem to close off. I would not trust her off leash. Other than that I think they are awesome dogs.

 

[LarrytheLabs Mom]

How big of a house are you living in?

Doyle and I both live in apartments. Doesn't get much smaller than that. It just means a bigger commitment to spending time outside with Larry.

That said- only a few weeks until Doyle's in the HOUSE and we have a backyard for Larry! We can't WAIT!

 

[tuckersmom]

Don't discount a lab because of the size of your place. Tucker was brought home in a 1br condo downtown, I was up and outside with him at 6 in the morning (sometimes in my jammies and a coat! ) and back home at lunch followed by a long walk in a local park at night. We now have a house but think of those days fondly and Tucker is no worse for the wear. In fact, he is the best dog anyone could ask for.

I do love beagles too but they are anything but low maintenance, our beagle mix growing up would 'escape' when he caught a smell and be found wandering all over our town.

 

[kaisdad]

I agree with the others. The size of home really doesn't matter as long as you are able to take a Lab out for regular exercise. There are a lot of Labs living in apartments in the core of Vancouver. My house is also small (1000 sq. ft.) and I have two Labs. We're out every day for a big walk and game of fetch.

 

[Paddysmom]

I wouldn't discount a lab based on the house size either.

Now... on to beagles. I have two, a female and male. They are 5-1/2 years and 5 years, respectively. Beagles, when properly trained and provisions made for an enclosed outdoor play area are actually very LOW maintenance. They are scrupulously clean, require very little grooming (maybe an occasional zoom-groom).

Beagles are marvelous companions for adults and children alike. They are affectionate, love cuddling (especially under the blankets at night), they love making up games, they are quick to learn and equally stubborn about demonstrating new-found lessons. You just have to be the boss on that item. It is one of the more, ahem, challenging areas of beagle training. But, once they've "got it", they've "got it" for life.

This is where I pull out my soap box speech. NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER EVER EVER let a beagle off-lead unless they are in a safe, contained area or they are competing in trials. Once that nose picks up a scent that interests them they will be off like a rocket and no amount of recall training will get them to return to you when you call "Here Daisy! Here Moses!" You might see them hours or a day later, unharmed, but I STRONGLY urge you resist the temptation to let them run free.

There are two AKC standard sizes, up to 13" at the withers and not to exceed 15". I prefer the 13" variety. Just my personal beagle taste.

I could go on and on about their virtues, but maybe I'll stop here. If you have any other specific questions I'd be more than happy to drone on with answers.

 

[Trickster]

I think house size is totally irrelevant. They really don't care as long as you provide them with plenty of outdoor activity.

 

[tuckersmom]

You might see them hours or a day later, unharmed

Awww ... memories of our family dog Stanley. After his escapades he was unharmed but lordy did he smell!

 

[imported_Bobbiesocks]

Oh i totally agree with all of you about the size of the house not being an issue. I don't know it's measurements but it is a 2 bed mid terrace house right on the edge of a huge park
I would get another lab tommorow, they are by far my fave breed but after lots of pleading on my part my BF still has his heart set on a beagle. I'm sure i'll get my way in the future!

Thanks for all the info by the way. I had heard that they aren't v.good off leash which i can't say is their best quality as i love running letting Bobs off over the park but she will always come back when called. Although i would always do what was best for the dog and if everyone says don't let them off - i wouldn't!

How much would we be looking at for a Beagle pup, any ideas? Ta x

 

[Jan]

The only two beagles I've seen at our 50 acre off-leash park ... one was on-leash, straining at the end of it, and the other was loose, running at full speed past us on the main road back to the parking lot, looking as focused as any dog I have ever seen (no owner in sight). I wonder what happened to that beagle, and what was going through his mind?

Personally, I wouldn't want a dog that couldn't be off-leash -- that is a big part of my dogs' lives.