Are Beagle dogs a good family pet?
The most common answer is yes. After all they are ranked number four on the blog titled 10 best family dogs by AKC. However, maybe this question should be rephrased to read “Is your family the right fit for a beagle?” To help you best answer this question, lets take a look of some of the characteristics of a beagle.
One universal characteristic of a beagle is that they love to follow their nose, so what does this mean for the owner? It means that they have to have constant supervision when they are in an open area.
Have you ever sat down and just watched a beagle? If you have, then you have probably noticed that they naturally wander. They have their nose to the ground and wander back and forth trying to pick up on any type of scent, as they do this, they tend to wander further and further away until they are out of sight completely.
If they ever do pick up on a scent, they will take off after it, and it is almost impossible to call them off the scent. For this reason, lots of people either keep their beagle on a leash while out in public, or they train them with a training collar. If you are not comfortable doing that, then perhaps a beagle is not the dog you are looking for.
Are Beagles a Loyal Dog?
If you are searching for a loyal dog then a beagle could be for you, however there is a catch. From my experience with beagles, you have to earn their loyalty.
What do I mean by this? Well it is quite simple. If you want loyalty, then you have to spend time with them, know their likes and dislikes, and really get to know your beagle. You have to get to know their individualized personality to make the relationship work.
Are you the type of person, or family, that spends all of their time with electronics? If the answer is yes, then a beagle will probably not be the right fit for your family. They need more time then just an occasional “Hey boy/girl”. Feeding time should not be the only time you see your dog.
To sum up a beagles loyalty, yes they are a very loyal dog if you put the time into the relationship. When you put in the proper time and training, there is no greater reward than the love a beagle will have towards you.
Are Beagles a Good Family Dog for Kids?
One thing I love about beagles are they are not an intimidating dog. Beagles are a small to medium dog breed. When they come running at kids, the kids usually do not cower back in fear.
Beagles are playful and just want to have fun. They love new people as well as new dogs. If you have a child that loves to be outside, then a beagle might be for them.
However, there are some downsides to a beagle when it comes to kids. Beagles are not what I call “shadow dogs”, meaning that they are not constantly by your side. As stated above, they like to venture far ahead of you. If you want a dog that is always by your kids side in the great outdoors, then you do not want a beagle.
You can train a beagle to play any game. I have taught both of my beagles how to play fetch. You can see Nova playing fetch in the blog titled, do beagles play fetch?
Once again there is a limit to “game time” with a beagle. Beagles have very short attention spans. You could be playing fetch one minutes, then the next minute your beagle has lost interest and is off on a new adventure leaving you to fetch your own ball that you just threw!
Conclusion
To determine if a Beagle is a good family pet, just depends on your family. If you like to be outside and are willing to put in the time, then Beagle dogs makes great family pets! If you are the type of person that wants an obedient dog who never fails to obey a command, then you might be barking up the wrong tree. Beagles require love, attention, and most importantly patience. If you or your family cannot fulfill these needs then stop right now and look for another breed.