Hounds of Love
If you have always thought about getting a fluff ball of devotion, you may want to consider a Beagle. Because when you own a Beagle, you own a whole hunk of good ole’ doggy affection!
If you grew up reading the popular comic strip “Peanuts”, your first doggy love would most definitely be Snoopy. Just like Snoopy, Beagles are a highly lovable bunch. It’s hard to resist their soft and pleading dark brown or hazel eyes, and their happy, outgoing and loving nature.
With their hound instincts (inquisitive, determined and focused), these scentdriven Beagles make great hunters, an occupation they were highly involved in in the past. Some countries still practice this till today. Great with kids, and anyone they come into contact with, these dogs have proven to be able to make their owners laugh and cry due to their antics.
So with all these in mind, therein begs the question: Is the Beagle the perfect dog for everyone?
A Ball Of Energy
While they make lovely playmates, Beagles are high-energy dogs and require lots of workouts and playtime. So if you are intending to leave your Beagle at home all day long with nothing to do, be prepared to witness a warzone when you get home. Beagles can also be hard to train due to their independent and stubborn streak so, do make sure the obedience trainer you sign up to understands hounds well.
If you have young kids, Beagles can prove to be a large burst of energy. Always have an adult supervising playtime where ever possible to ensure all-round safety.
Non-Stop Chomper
When it comes to food, don’t underestimate Xaya | Pixabay a Beagle’s threshold. These dogs are well-known to be very food motivated and will do anything for that tasty morsel.
While this makes it easy to get their attention (with food), but it also means you need to be very careful with how much you are giving them. Beagles can munch and munch with no end in sight, and overeating is a huge possibility with them. Also, remember how concerned Snoopy was with his food bowl? Beagles not only love their food, but they are also equally protective of it.
Scent-Focused Barker
Unlike the quiet Snoopy, Beagles are often vocal with their barks making themselves heard very audibly. As they are hounds, their sense of smell is impeccable: They have an impressive 200 million scent receptors that can detect smells from many kilometres away. This means owners will
have to keep them constantly in sight as Beagles tend to follow scents with complete disregard for anything else.
The next time you are at the airport and see a Beagle running up to you – it’s probably one of the sniffer dogs used to detect drugs and other illegal substances – it’s on hound duty.
These cute little tumbles of love and cuteness are guaranteed to steal your heart. If you are considering getting a Beagle, take note that they are prone to certain ailments such as hip dysplasia and glaucoma (among others) due to their genetic makeup, and will need proper grooming to keep them in their best shape.