[Snoopy]

I have never had one - would love one - even maybe breed them in the future -

Can anyone advise me on this breed - are they pack animals?  Do you have to keep more than
four?

Do they make good pets - if you can keep one on its own

Can you house train them easily?

Are they good with children?

[doganjo]

They run like stink when you let them off and take hours to get them back.  I know someone who breeds them and they get suckers buying them every time because they look so cute.  I think they are relatively healthy and get on with dogs, and people, I believe they are cat chasers
check these out -

http://www.beagledogguide.com/Beagle_Puppies/

http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/item/15

[sandy]

I love them too but they are a hound and they roam!!!!! I think otherwise they are good dogs, minds of thier own and only come back from walks when they are ready!!!!!! Oh and some used to smoke (sorry, bad joke)

[JulieS]

I have a basset hound with all the traits you have already mentioned......I used to have two, but lost the eldest last year.  Looking around for a new puppy now as, being pack animals, they do like to have a friend about.

They are very stubborn and I've found the best way to train them is to make out that whatever you want them to do was their idea in the first place 

And of course a nice smelly titbit always works as a bit of blackmail.  (A morsel of frankfurter or a small cube of cheese works the best).


I wouldn't recommend letting them off the lead when you are out and about.  They get the hint of a scent and it is nose down and off they go (at great speed).  Their sense of hearing seems to disappear, so can't hear you calling them back.  They have no sense of direction either, so when they do look up they have no idea of how to get back to where they came from!

I love them!!!   But make sure you understand their 'quirks' before getting a hound. 

[bedrock]

Hello Snoopy, I can only comment on working strains of beagles because they are the only ones i have had experience with. They are very high energy animals with a high pray drive they tend to howl and bark allot and be very head strong and stubborn. They are very friendly and happy around people but require a stern and experienced hand to control them. I have no experience with the show strain so I cant compare them. I hope this helps atb bedrock

[marigold]

I fell in love with a beagle once and wanted to rescue it from its pack - this was when fox hunting was cool. Even though there were 25 dogs in the pack they were lovely with people and adorable.
Anyway since then I only have experience of my dad's bassett when it comes to hounds. He is a fabulous character but my Dad is getting on a bit, not very strong anymore and not very good at dog training (actually he is totally rubbish) as a result he now has a pulled ligament in his knee and stitches in his head from being pulled over by his dog.
So I don't think that he was the best choice for him. However I have Jack Russells and they get some pretty poor character references. We love them and have got to know their quirks. So the short answer is whichever breed you go for there will be a good reason for leaving the pup at the breeders 2 more for bringing it home.

[sellickbhoy]

The Future Mrs SB wants a beagle. Down to the cuteness factor and the fact that our wee Fella has been as good as gold (her 1st experience of dog ownership)

I've tried to explain the hunt/tracking/running instinct in them - we'd be out for hours at a time! and they also like to bark - which i'm not too big on!!

on the plus side, we actually have the space and time for one - so maybe one day she'll get her wish (i'll wait until we've had kids and she is the one at home all day with it then we'll see how she feels!!)

[JulieS]

Hounds do like to bark.....and howl.   I love the sound of my basset howling, but not something everyone enjoys as much!!   

[doganjo]

I can guarantee all breeds can howl - you should have heard my boy outside in his run yesterday when he knew (could smell :-) )another gentleman was paying compliments to his ladyfriend!  I think it is the doggy equivalent to chest thumping

[Snoopy]

Decided not to get Beagles - sound like hard work and I cannot stand dogs that bark a lot

Sooooo

Sellickboy - tell future mrs to go and see a few Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Pups.  I can highly recommend them as one of my best friends breeds them, and they are also brilliant with children - which I am sure you will have lots of - or at least two.

I, in the meantime might breed something else cute with long ears - don't know what though, yet!!!

[doganjo]

Why long ears?  Inside gets sour and mucky.  My cockers were a damned pest!  Had to clean their ears out at least once a week and they got sooo gungy

[sandy]

One of my labs had ears that did not vent and was always having ear drops and her ears cleaned, that Lab always had something wrong! Big ears needs looking after a lot;D

[sellickbhoy]

Decided not to get Beagles - sound like hard work and I cannot stand dogs that bark a lot

Sooooo

Sellickboy - tell future mrs to go and see a few Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Pups.  I can highly recommend them as one of my best friends breeds them, and they are also brilliant with children - which I am sure you will have lots of - or at least two.

I, in the meantime might breed something else cute with long ears - don't know what though, yet!!!

sorry, we're not fans of king charles spaniels. i like a working type dog

looking at a German Shorthair pointer, lurcher/greyhound, some variety of collie if we have another. it'll probably need to be a bit of a mongrel for me - my Fella is a bit springer, english pointer, lurcher and collie - it's a great combination!!!!

[Snoopy]

Not into cross breeds of dogs.

Have kept in the past Golden Retriever, West Island White, German Shepherd, Cavalier King Charles,
and Collie.

At the moment have a Rottweiler who is wonderful, but very big and therefore lots of poop around, but he has a job to do.
The Cavaliers are my personal favourite cause there a good all round easy to house train dog, that don't eat a lot or require miles of walking, make useful hot water bottles when its cold, are loving, and great guard dogs as they bark only when someone is around. I also found them easy to train and keen to please, and don't chase hens, geese, ducks or any other animals.

I love Springers too - but then all spaniels are lovely and handsome, I have friends who have pure pointers and they are lovely, and I have a friend who has Dalamtions, I had one once, but it was loopy, hard to train, mad as snakes and into everything - but very loving and very beautiful.

Dogs are a very personal choice, and theres lots of them to choose from, and I am sure you will find exactly what you are looking for.  Good luck with the diet, the wedding plans and finding a dog

[doganjo]

I'm not into crossbreeds, mongrels or designer dogs either.  Plenty of 'REAL' breeds to choose from - and contrary to rumours most are 'line-bred' not 'in-bred'.  My own breed looks 'spanielly' to some eyes although they are hunter pointer retrievers (continental gundogs)  I find other breeds seem like zombies compared to these. They have so much energy - and speed!  Someone once described them as Springers on LSD