Beagles have a friendly character. They are kind, cheerful and affectionate.
Caring for a beagle is not difficult. These dogs are unpretentious in terms of maintenance and feeding.
Thanks to their small size, they can easily live both in a spacious household and in a small apartment.
However, these charming hunters have breed characteristics that must be taken into account when keeping them in the house.
How to care for a puppy?
In order for a beagle puppy to grow strong and healthy, it is necessary to provide him with good living conditions and take good care of him. And already in the first days after the puppy appears in the house, you need to start raising it and teaching it some simple commands.
As a rule, respectable breeders provide their customers with instructions for keeping and feeding the puppy, and all that is required of the new dog owner is to strictly follow the breeder’s recommendations.
IMPORTANT!
In the first two weeks after purchasing a puppy, it is especially important to follow the breeder’s recommendations regarding feeding the pet.
Even before buying a beagle, you need to take care of purchasing a bed for the puppy and from the first day you need to accustom the baby to his place.
Until the end of vaccination and the quarantine period, puppies cannot be walked outside, and therefore, you need to take care of setting up a temporary dog toilet in the house.
Caring for a puppy of this breed is simple - you need to examine the puppy's eyes and ears daily, and clean them as needed. Puppies' nails need to be trimmed from time to time with a nail clipper.
It is not advisable to bathe a small beagle. If the need arises, then you need to remember that for the first time this procedure can be carried out only a week after purchasing a pet.
It is necessary to strictly adhere to the vaccination and deworming schedule recommended by the breeder or veterinarian. Also, it is necessary to rid the puppy of external parasites in a timely manner.
Beagle and household
By nature, the Beagles breed are hunters, but in life they are very loyal and kind dogs for their households. They quickly become attached to people, and their love for their owners is limitless.
Relationships with children
The pet’s cheerful character encourages games, including with children.
How does one live with a cat in the same house?
There will be no quarrels with cats living in the same room. They are very friendly and will spend time together with great pleasure, the main thing is that the cat does not offend.
With other dogs
These dogs are friendly, so they easily get along with other animals, but can show their hunting character.
Basic rules for caring for an adult dog
An adult beagle does not need complex coat care - it is enough to comb it with a brush 1-2 times a week, and comb out the dying undercoat during shedding.
If the animal gets dirty during a walk, you can simply wipe the dirty area with a damp cloth or baby wipe.
If your eyes become sour, you should wipe them with a cotton swab, after moistening it in chamomile decoction. The ears are cleaned as needed with cotton swabs.
The claws of an adult beagle, if he walks on a hard surface enough, wear down on their own. If necessary, you can trim them with a nail clipper.
There is also no special need for brushing teeth if the dog chews cartilage, veins or special toys to clean the mouth.
You only need to walk your beagle on a leash. These dogs can only be allowed to run in a fenced area, since representatives of this breed are passionate hunters and if the beagle picks up a scent, it can run away and get lost.
Expert opinion
Kozhevin Semyon Kirillovich
Expert dog handler.
Beagles require minimal grooming - brushing, cleaning eyes, ears, and, if necessary, teeth. They usually grind down their claws themselves while walking. Maintenance and feeding are not difficult - beagles are unpretentious in this regard. But you need to remember that they love to eat. The dog should not be overfed, and on the street it is necessary to ensure that the beagle does not pick up anything from the ground.
Also read reviews from owners about the features of keeping beagles.
Diseases
Like all animals, dogs also get sick, the Beagle breed is no exception. They have a very strong immune system; with proper maintenance and care, diseases will rarely bother them. In good conditions they live 12–15 years. In general, they are resistant to illness and quickly overcome them, but during their lives there are times when they are unwell.
The most common
The most typical diseases for this breed include:
- obesity from overeating;
- genetic disease - epilepsy;
- chronic hepatitis;
- ear diseases;
- eye diseases;
- diseases of the musculoskeletal system;
- dermatitis.
All diseases are quickly curable in the early stages, so it is important to visit a veterinarian in a timely manner.
Rare
Of the rare varieties of the disease, such as:
- amyloidosis,
- hypothyroidism,
- cherry eye,
- deafness,
- cataract,
- glaucoma,
- congenital hypotrichosis.
Redness of the eyes
If red eyes appear, there is no need to panic. During the walk, grains or dust most likely got in. The first thing you need to do is wash your eyes with special disinfectants, such as Visine or Diamond Eyes. If after the procedure the redness does not go away, show it to a specialist.
IMPORTANT! Beagles are at risk for eye diseases. The symptom of red eyes may indicate cherry eye disease, which occurs when the lacrimal gland of the third eyelid prolapses.
Diagnosis will not be difficult based on the following signs:
- the mucous membrane turns red;
- swollen red glandular tissue can be seen from the inner corner;
- discharge and itching.
Red ears
There are no special problems with the ears if you take care of them and clean them on time. The cause of red ears may be an allergic reaction to food. The second reason is an inflammatory process or ear mites.
With inflammation and an allergic reaction, an unpleasant odor and plaque appears. With an ear parasite, the pet will periodically shake its head and scratch its ears. To eliminate problems, you should see a doctor.
Tail injuries
What do we know about the beagle's tail? The tail is a part of the body consisting of vertebrae, ligaments, tendons and muscles. According to the standard, it is thick, covered with a thick layer of wool, and looks like a brush. As practice proves, you should not pull a dog by the tail - it can injure you. In fact, there are many injuries that a dog can face.
The most common abnormal tail injuries are:
- Rolled over on the back - occurs due to increased muscle tone.
- Twisted - the reason is very strong and short ligaments.
- A knuckle is the fusion of one or more vertebrae to form a step upward.
- A fracture is a deformation opposite to a crease, the fusion of vertebrae step down.
- A bend is a defect that disrupts the center line of the tail.
- Nodulation is the fusion of wedge-shaped vertebrae to create a thickening of the tail.
Most tail injuries come from childhood - a genetic defect. When selling a puppy with a defect, most likely, sellers hide the truth, claiming that the tail was damaged during birth or pinched by a door. For a pet, a deformed tail does not cause concern, and he lives a full life.
A Beagle dog is an excellent option for those who can afford to spend a lot of time with the dog and educate it. She is very active, playful and devoted to her owners. Proper maintenance and care will allow your animal to avoid health problems and live for many years, enjoying its positive mood.
Is it suitable for an apartment?
You can keep a beagle in a city apartment if you take him for walks three times a day. Moreover, walks should be long and active.
If you don’t give your pet the opportunity to release energy, then he may start playing pranks and chewing furniture, walls, and shoes.
NOTE!
In order to avoid such destruction in the apartment, you can try locking your beagle in a cage of a suitable size, but you need to start accustoming your pet to it while still a puppy.
A beagle living in the city will need special clothing and shoes that will help protect the dog’s fur from dirt, and its paws from the reagents that are sprinkled on the streets in winter, as well as from glass shards and other sharp objects.
Winter clothes
Specialized equipment and clothing for the dog will be an excellent help in uncomfortable bad weather. The modern pet industry offers a stunningly extensive range of beagle wardrobe options:
- blankets or capes for chilly windy evenings;
- Bolognese overalls and water-repellent windbreakers for walking in the rain;
- quilted sets with hoods for special cold weather.
The choice is really huge, there are no universal solutions: there are kits for protection from humidity and slush, winter collections are designed for insulation.
Personal place
A dog bed or a thick mattress with a removable cover on it, which is washed when it gets dirty, and a clean one is put on instead, is suitable as a place for a dog to rest.
It is best to arrange a place for the beagle in the room where all family members most often gather, for example, in the living room. The bed should be located away from heating appliances, as well as from windows and doors.
A small beagle needs to be trained to its place from the first day it arrives in the house. If the puppy is stubborn and does not want to fall asleep there, then he needs to be taken to the bed.
There is no need to allow the puppy to sleep on the owner’s bed, as well as on armchairs, sofas and other places where an adult dog will subsequently be prohibited from climbing.
Command training
It is better to train a beagle after a walk, when he has run around and calmed down. This way you can achieve the greatest concentration of attention.
Take a treat and show it to your pet. They say loudly “Come to me!” As soon as the beagle approaches, reward it.
Place
The “Place” command is taught to the puppy as soon as he moves to a new home. The pet's bedding is placed in a quiet place, protected from drafts and direct sunlight. They come up to the bedding, show the treat and say “Place!” When the baby comes up, they praise him and give him a treat. The baby should sleep only on his own bedding.
Ugh! It is forbidden!
When a puppy, while walking, reaches for some object lying on the ground, they say “Ugh!” and tug on the leash. When the beagle grabs an object, they also say “Ugh!” and take it away.
Command "No!" necessary to prevent some action. For example, when a beagle starts to pull on the leash during a walk, they say “No!” and tug on the leash.
Quiet!
Beagles are very loud dogs. It's not that easy to stop them from barking.
As soon as the puppy begins to bark, say “Quiet!” and distract attention from the stimulus
When a puppy barks at other dogs while walking, immediately tug on the leash and change the direction of movement. You can distract your puppy from barking while playing with a toy.
sit, lie down
Take a treat in your hand and show it to the puppy. Raise your hand above the dog’s head and say “Sit!” To reach the treat, the beagle will sit. If this does not happen, lightly press his croup.
When the puppy is sitting, take a treat in your hand and say “Lie down!” The palm with the treat is lowered down, and the other hand presses on the withers. When the baby lies down, they encourage him.
How to accustom a puppy to a diaper?
This is easy to do if from the first day you put the diaper close to the dog bed and, every time after the baby has eaten or slept, put him there. Subsequently, the puppy will understand why the diaper is needed and will wear it himself.
From this time on, you can move the diaper little by little until you finally move it to the place where the dog toilet should be. The place where the diaper lay before must be thoroughly washed and treated with a product that eliminates animal odors.
How to feed?
It is recommended to feed beagles with industrial food for active dogs of medium breeds or with complete natural food. It is important to remember that the food must be fresh and of good quality.
If your pet eats natural food, it should be food based on protein products. For a puppy, it should mainly consist of fermented milk products like cottage cheese, and for an adult beagle, it should consist of meat and offal with the addition of raw or cooked vegetables and herbs.
Cereals should also be present in small quantities in the diet. Oatmeal, buckwheat or rice porridge are especially beneficial for dogs.
For a natural-fed dog, it is recommended to add vitamin and mineral supplements to its food. If the dog eats commercial food, then he does not need to give him any food additives.
CAREFULLY!
You should not feed your beagle food from your table, as it may contain foods that are harmful to dogs, such as spices or sugar.
Grooming
In order for the beagle's coat to look well-groomed, it is enough to comb the dog with a brush 2 times a week. During shedding, loose hair should be removed with a shedding dog brush.
During the shedding period, the frequency of brushing should be increased to once a day.
The Beagle's smooth coat does not require trimming. But you can trim the stray hairs a little with scissors before the exhibition.
How to walk?
You need to walk your beagle 2, or preferably 3 times a day, and the walks should be long and active.
A sedate walk on the asphalt is not for the beagle, who, following his hunting instincts, must certainly run around and sniff the entire territory that he considers “his own.”
You should only let your dog off the leash in closed areas, where the dog cannot escape and go in search of adventure.
NOTE!
You also need to take into account that the beagle is an addicting nature. If the dog gets on the scent, it may ignore the owner's commands. That is why you need to try to achieve unconditional obedience from your pet.
Cost of training classes
There are group and individual lessons with a dog handler. In the first case, the baby will not only master commands, but will also be able to communicate with his relatives.
In individual training, the beagle will receive more attention, and the training program will be adapted to the characteristics of the animal.
In Moscow, the cost of one training lesson starts from 700 rubles. Group lessons are cheaper. Mainly dog trainers offer the following courses:
- raising puppies;
- obedience;
- general training course;
- behavior at exhibitions;
- learning tricks.
The Beagle is very energetic and independent. This is a hunting dog that needs increased attention and mandatory training.
Dogs of this breed are prone to running away. They are curious and restless. That's why raising a beagle puppy is not easy.
Beagles should be raised from the first days in their new home. Not everyone can cope with this on their own. An inexperienced owner is recommended to seek help from a professional dog handler.
How to trim claws correctly?
To trim claws, it is recommended to use a special device - a nail clipper.
To trim your pet's claws, you need to sit him in front of you, and, taking his paw, press on the pads. Then, holding your pet's paw tightly, you need to carefully, but at the same time quickly, trim the inanimate part of the claw, which is usually clearly visible in beagles.
If the living part of the claw is poorly visible, then you need to trim the claw 1-2 mm at a time until a lighter point appears on the cut.
If you don't wear them down while walking on asphalt, you need to trim your nails about once every two weeks.
Ear cleaning
Beagle ears should be inspected daily and cleaned no more than once a week. It is recommended to use cotton swabs for this purpose, after dipping them in a special composition for cleaning dog ears. There is no need to go deep into your pet's ears - just clean the visible part of the ear canal.
When contaminated, the inner surface of the ear is wiped with a damp cotton swab moistened with the same liquid or just warm water.
After wiping the inner surface of the ear, it must be dried thoroughly, otherwise the remaining moisture on the ear can cause inflammation.
Bathing a dog
Washing a beagle is often not recommended, since the fur of these dogs tends to clean itself of dirt on its own. The normal frequency of bathing dogs of this breed is 3-4 times a year, and this will be quite enough.
It is best to bathe your dog with a special shampoo for short-haired dogs, which should not be replaced with human shampoo or soap.
You need to wash your dog as follows:
- pour warm, but not hot water into the bath;
- put the beagle there and wet the fur thoroughly with water;
- dilute the shampoo with warm water, since most animal detergents are highly concentrated;
- Apply diluted shampoo to the coat, massage a little and rinse with warm water;
- if necessary, dilute the shampoo again and wash the dog again;
- Wipe the dog's fur with a terry towel, then release it from the bath.
You should not dry your beagle's coat with a hairdryer. This can increase the release of oils that coat the dog's coat, causing it to quickly become dirty again.
To get rid of dog odor, you can bathe your pet with shampoo to eliminate the odor. You can also use special fragrances.
Taking care of your pet's health
The breed is susceptible to developing certain diseases, which is explained by their genetic predisposition.
You won't be able to fight genetics, but you can create favorable conditions for your pet's health. To do this you need to follow the following rules:
Vaccination. Vaccinations will help prevent the development of the most dangerous infectious diseases. Proper nutrition. A balanced diet with all the necessary components prevents the development of many diseases. First of all, this concerns obesity and problems with the digestive tract. Vitamins and other nutritional supplements. For example, additional consumption of chondroitin in older dogs helps to avoid the development of pathology of the musculoskeletal system. Competent care. Dogs of this breed are susceptible to developing ear diseases, which is associated with the anatomical structure of the ears.
Therefore, it is very important to treat and clean your ears weekly. In addition, you need to regularly inspect them for ticks. The first mating must take place under the supervision of an instructor.
It should be remembered that treating a disease is much more difficult and less effective than preventing it. Therefore, prevention of disease development should be included in the ongoing care of your pet.
Outdoor content
Many people are interested in the question, is it possible to keep a beagle in the yard?
A beagle can live outside - in an enclosure or in the courtyard of a private house, but provided that the area is completely enclosed by a reliable fence, under which the pet cannot dig a hole and escape through it.
IMPORTANT!
You cannot keep a beagle on a chain - this dog should live either in a house or in a spacious enclosure.
It is most convenient to keep a beagle in an enclosure with a concrete floor and reliable fencing. If it is a metal mesh, then it should be small so that the beagle cannot climb over it.
The enclosure must have a booth where the pet will hide from the weather. Every day he needs to be let out of the enclosure to run around the yard, and also taken for walks outside the household.
In the cold season, it is better to take your pet indoors, since the beagle has short hair and even in an insulated kennel in severe frosts it feels uncomfortable and can catch a cold.
