I'm considering getting a beagle mainly for a pet but would also use if for blood trailing and maybe hunting rabbits. I've neve

[herbie57_57]

I'm considering getting a beagle mainly for a pet but would also use if for blood trailing and maybe hunting rabbits. I've never owned a beagle and know there are some guys on here that do so I'm just looking for advice, ie bloodlines, training tips etc.

[mutt]

my only dislike about beagles is that they were bread to find things, so when they do find something/anything they howl insatiably as to say "come look i found something". if you can withstand that they are a good dog.

[herbie57_57]

I've had hounds all my life so I'm pretty sure I can handle it, they are just a little version of the hounds I've been around when it comes to that.

[Jim in Mo]

Beagles are very good dogs and generally good natured. But as nothing but a pet, I'd say no. A Beagle is a working dog . They are born to hunt. They are loud mouthed. If you want one around your house just to be a pet, choose another dog. You'll be doing yourself and especially the dog a disservice.

[Jim in Mo]

I should have said, "You'll be doing yourself and dog a Favor"

[CPT BRAD]

I second Jim you will either have a pet or a hound you should know if you've had a hound before that you can't have both. And the reason is if you want a hound you've got to get him out and let him work let him trail hides or whatever. If you are fortunate enough to get a good bloodline and good dog you'll ruin him in the house. He'll get fat and not used to trailing anything. if you want a house dog a bassett is a better choice the have the same genes but aren't such a die hard hound as a beagle. Beagles have to be out and about sniffing everything.

[Golfing Sportsman]

I have to say that the biggest thing about pet beagles is that they are very prone to obesity, every beagle i have seen that was a pet first and hunter second was grossly overweight.

[herbie57_57]

Maybe I should rephrase my question. My dogs are all pets to me which means to me at least they are a major part of the family. On top of that it will get used for what it was bred to do. I'm asking for training techniques with beagles not what they are like just as pets.

[sayerbefiddlin]

Yeah, herbie every hunting beagle I have seen was really fit. However, I dont know about just one beagle. I have hunted with packs of 10 many times and the reason being a few would always track deer and the others would be on rabbits. The ones that tracked deer were gone pretty much all day and the others would circle only about 300 yrds out. The owner of the pack would go on about how they never did what he wanted them to. Some days everything would just go right and the dogs would only round up rabbits and we would go home with 40 to 70 rabbits depending on who was hunting. I do love beagles though, they work hard for fun.

[Beekeeper]

Herbie,

I have kept beagles for over 40 years now. I don't agree with some of the posts about them not being pets. My wife and I let our beagles sleep in the house and we feed them snacks from the table. The very thing you hear people say not to do... They are trained to sit and stay along with other cute tricks my wife has taught them. They hunt hard for us. A friend of mine paid me complement by saying, "If your dogs can't find a rabbit the rabbits are not there". I have hunted quite often with just one beagle, very effectively I might add. My wife and I usually hunt a pair. I have owned as many as 16 at one time (they lived in the kennel).

I don't know that I would train one for use as a blood trailer for deer and also a rabbit hound. You might spend most of your time deer hunting. Local beagle clubs are usually a source of pups from good hunting back grounds. Beware of the young hunting age dog at a cheap price...

[texasfirst]

Hoo man. I had a beagle and she was a very sweet dog. As long as we lived in town, she was perfect as could be, never barked or anything. But when we moved out into the country, that dog was treeing a raccoon EVERY NIGHT OF THE DAMN WORLD. They are excellent small game dogs, very sweet disposition. My dad said they have a propensity to get bit by rattlesnakes since they move fast with their noses on the ground, but mine never did.

[Cantrell44]

i love beagles

[JoeMar1990]

We got our first beagle two years ago. We got her when she was a puppy. She is very well mannered dog. We are a family four that are gone all day and she is very well behaved when we are gone. As a puppy, she have separation anxiety but that did not last very long. My husband makes sure she goes for a walk everyday and she does not go on a leash and stays pretty close to my husband. Two weeks ago we rescued a 3 year old male beagle and it was the best thing we ever did. Beagles are true pack dogs. Our girl loves this new dog and they play relentlessly. They truly have respect and love for each other and it happened very quickly. Like with any dogs you have to make sure you are the pack leader with Beagles otherwise they will be your boss. My husband takes the male beagle rabbit hunting and he is a well mannered dog. Does his job and loves to be rewarded for that. The girl dog is gun shy and does not hunt but my husband never conditioned her as a young puppy to get use to hunting. Please get a Beagle...you would not be sorry!

[rudyglove27]

Agreed with Jim in Mo answer above and A + 1 for you sir!!!