Imagine you’re the expert amateur instructor, and you’ve trained multiple dog breeds to significant success, but then you get yourself a Beagle. At first, you think that it’s just like training any other dog breed, but it proves to be frustrating as time flies.
You notice he’s unruly, stubborn and even ignores you whenever you call him. You’ve tried sound training and many other things to the point that you’ve gotten to your knees to make him listen, but it hasn’t worked quite well.
Don’t give up! Beagles seem untrainable, but with the correct technique, you’ll succeed. It just needs you to do a little bit more, and you’ll notice them following your command. But why are they hard to train? Because they are hunting hounds and so mostly they use their nose for guidance. To know more about Beagle, read on.
Are Beagles Hard to Train?
Yes, Beagles can be trained even though they are an independent breed. However, training a Beagle isn’t easy as it requires patience and skill. They are challenging to train because they are bred as hunting hounds which means they follow their nose, and so most of the time, they do their own thing.
The Beagle, a hunting hound, was used to track the game using his nose. It searched for small rabbits as it’s biologically functioned to follow his nose and not command. Beagles are active, happy and playful but require a lot of attention and exercise so that they can follow your lead.
Good mental stimulation and a few activities will help this wonderful dog feel satisfied as it finds joy in interacting with humans. The beagle also relates well with other animals as it’s easy for them to make friends due to their friendly nature.
One thing to know about beagles is that they require a lot of regular exercises. Preferably you can execute the activity through games or regular walks. Why regular walks? Because they are hunter dogs and so they need to roam from time to time
Also, note that Beagles have selective hearing, which means roaming around on their own might not be a good idea as they might not return. If it’s a must, let Beagles walk on their own, then ensure that the area is fenced?
How Do Beagles Behave?
Beagles are exceptional hare hunters. But what are the hunting character traits that make them stand out from other hunting dogs? Let’s find out.
- High smelling sense
- Independence
- Great energy and stamina
- Food driven
These traits explain why it’s challenging to train Beagles compared to other dog breeds. Their sense of smell is a massive distraction, especially when you’re trying to get their attention. Even if you’re offering the world to them, they’ll still pick their smell over you.
When Beagles mainly used to hunt, they had the freedom to roam and go anywhere they wished; their sole purpose was to find Hare. They did so using their sense of smell as their masters followed them slowly and watched.
As Beagles were out hunting for most of the day, they required a lot of energy and stamina to help them throughout the day. They also needed energy and stamina to help them chase and keep up with the Hare.
Can I Use Beagle’s Traits to Train Them?
Yes, you should take their food obsession and high sense of smell and use them to your advantage when training them. For instance, you can carry some food when you’re out on a walk with your Beagle.
You can use the food to train them to walk on the leash. However, if your Beagle is used to you using food to teach them, it will be hard to stop. This is because they become accustomed to you rewarding them every time.
But what’s important is that you make them believe you have something you’ll have something so that they follow your command. It’s not a must; you always use a leash as you can train them in your enclosed backyard.
But for a start, use a leash and slowly stop using it when you realise that your Beagle is finally able to recall what you’re teaching them. The training should not take place on highways or roads to avoid harming the Beagle.
For treats, go to a pet store and get quality treats with low amounts of chemicals or preservatives. I’d recommend you go for treats made from whole foods like fish skin.
Why Are Beagles Hard To Train?
It’s not easy to train Beagles due to their strong sense of smell. This often distracts them as they frequently want to roam around.
Similarly, training a Beagle needs time and patience, or else it won’t work. All Beagles are hunting hounds, so training them to become more obedient pets will take some time.
As a trainer, you need to have consistency. Lack of consistency will totally confuse the dog, and what your teaching will not stick in their minds, and hence it won’t learn commands.
It would help if you also had a habit of rewarding your dog when they do well so that they know what’s right. This will help break down their natural response that causes problems during training.
How Does a Beagle Learn?
Beagles learn by watching you. They also learn through repetition or association with something negative or positive.
For you to teach your dog ideally, knowing and understanding how they learn is vital. Beagles are dog breeds that learn mainly through experience. This means that you have to incorporate experiences and rewards during training.
Rewarding Beagles good behaviour or better also known as positive reinforcement is a crucial part of your training. You’ll need treats to reward your dog as it continues to pick on some of your commands.
This type of training will change the Beagles behaviours without them feeling intimidated. It will also make the training process fun and enjoyable.
How Do You Train a Stubborn Beagle?
You have to bribe a Beagle. Yes, a bribe is the only way to make Beagle corporate with you. This means you have to get some dog food to give them when performing a task according to your command. These dogs are brilliant, so they’ll notice when you’re soft or harsh towards them.
However, the bribe should be issued with caution so that you don’t spoil your dog as they are knowledgeable, and you don’t want them to hold you for ransom. When you’re excessively soft, they’ll know that they can get away with bad behaviour, which is bad for training.
You’ll also need to create some ground rules like no soiling inside to guide your Beagle accordingly. Ensure your Beagle abides by the set rules before giving them a treat. You have to show them.
Beagles’ trademark is their hunting skills and a strong sense of smell nowadays used in various industries such as Airports and police forces as sniffer dogs. Even though they are independent, with the right tools, time, approach and consistency, training Beagles shouldn’t be an issue.
When training your Beagle, find a quiet, calm place so that your dog becomes more attentive and obedient. Some of the popular commands you should teach your Beagle include:
- Sitting
- Stop barking
- Drop it
- Come here
- Leave it
During training, you have to ensure your beagle is fully attentive or otherwise; the lessons will be unsuccessful. If you notice your Beagle is tired, restless or bored, stop the training for a small rest so that you can continue later.
The only way your Beagle will become unruly and stubborn is when you don’t offer training consistently or reliably. Even though stubborn Beagles are sometimes funny, it can lead to great dissatisfaction with the trainer’s part.
For instance, when you see your dog running towards a busy road, surely you want it to stop. Similarly, if it’s about to eat dangerous or contagious food, you want it to drop it, but if it goes on to do the contrary, I’m sure you won’t be happy.
How Can I Teach My Beagle What To Chew or Not Chew?
Beagles are by far the most active and intelligent among most dog breeds, so with proper training on what to chew and what not to, you shouldn’t have a problem with them. The training will include multiple things, including what isn’t allowed into the house or good behaviours.
Positive reinforcement techniques are by far the best way you can make Beagles listen and follow instructions because it involves treats and praises, which dogs love.
Note that Beagles like playing games, and so when executing your training, be the fun guy. Fun games make dogs more actively engaged and so you can use this as an opportunity to unlock the commands you want your dog to learn.
However, if you’ve tried training your dog but you notice it’s still chewing on things, buy and offer your beagle a chewing toy. Don’t yell! As it will make the dog more unruly.
And if your dog likes picking up shoes and other household items, ensure you train them but first, remove all footwear from Beagles reach to let it serve as an example. Although it will take time for your dog to pick up on these small acts of discipline, eventually, you’ll win.
However, training doesn’t involve any violence or use of force, such as throwing shoes at your dog. Too much pressure may lead to aggression problems which are bad for your training process.
Why use force(negative reinforcement techniques) when positive reinforcement works better? Give your dog a treat or a toy anytime he does what you want, and you’ll notice a massive change. You’ll only need to reward and pay close attention to their extraordinary acts and undermine bad ones by ignoring them.
Are Beagles Hard to Potty Train?
No, Beagles aren’t easy to train in any aspect as they hunt dogs, mainly guided by their smell in most of their activities. So back to potty training, yes, it’s possible, but it’s not the easiest of jobs unless you’ve mastered how to use incentives to your advantage.
It’s essential to start early, so as soon as you’ve brought your pup home, teach them the proper way to relieve themselves. Beagles are very territorial, and by that alone, you’ll have to use persuasions to change how they run their businesses. Try showing him the places he should conduct his bathroom business.
To do this—select an area near your door and train your dog to go there anytime he has to use the bathroom. This will help you restrict your dog from destroying the entire house. When you notice your Beagle going to the selected bathroom areas, praise him so that you motivate him to use the designated area frequently.
When your Beagles is still learning the selected bathroom areas, you’ll need to keep an eye on the floor and promptly clean. If you suspect your Beagle wants or is about to use the bathroom, guide him to the selected bathroom area.
However, all this without consistency is nothing. You have to constantly remind and train your dog in the right place to relieve itself. Consistently training your dog will make them more familiar with their designated bathroom.
Related Questions
1. What Problems Do Beagles Have?
Beagles are mainly affected by some illnesses such as glaucoma, central progressive retinal atrophy, patellar luxation, epilepsy, distichiasis, hypothyroidism, cherry eye, chondrodysplasia and KCS(keratoconjunctivitis). These are the challenges these breeds of dogs go through even though most of the time they are healthy.
2. At What Age Do Beagles Calm Down?
After six months, Beagle starts to calm down, and most of the time, they’ll reach the baseline in terms of their energy level, and by the time they hit one and a half months, there won’t be a discussion over their energy. The good thing is that they’ll show signs that they are slowly calming down in every step of their development.
3. Why Are Beagles So Bad?
It’s part of their nature as they are hunting dogs. This is why they are generally mischievous and stubborn. The only way a Beagle can be obedient is if you train it consistently to pick up good behaviours. However, when you leave them to pick many, what’s right or wrong, they mostly go with the bad decisions.
4. Can You Let a Beagle off the Leash?
Yes, just like any other dog, Beagles can easily be let off the leash, but under some circumstances. First, you have to acknowledge that beagles are scent hounds, and they rank highly on having the most pungent scent compared to other dog breeds, so letting them off the leash should only be after you train them they don’t follow the things they smell.
Bottom Line
All in all, Beagles are excellent dogs to own as they have exciting behaviours that can test your brain and intelligence. However, with consistency, patience, commitment and some tasty treats, you can train your dog to adapt to your program. But if you are extremely busy preparing your Beagle, find qualified dog trainers to see great results.
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