Beagles for Beginners
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01
Crate Training
It all begins with the crate. On a base level crate training solidifies a potty schedule insuring a well potty-trained dog and provides a safe way to travel with your beagle. Dogs are often starved of the opportunity to decompress in their kennel by well-intentioned owners who want to give “freedom”. It is important to remember that dogs are a den species. By crating your dog, you allow them to take mental breaks, maintain a proper sleep schedule and keep them safe when you are gone. Crates are essentially your beagles’ safe space; a cozy dark secure bedroom where they know they can relax without wondering what is going on in the living room, or the kitchen or if that squirrel is still outside the window or from tearing apart the couch because it seemed like the best thing to do while you were grocery shopping. Consistent crating provides a dog with security during times of stress, whether in the house or on the road, at dog shows, or even when camping.
02
Engagement
03
Enrichment
04
Socialization
It is important to get your beagle out of the house, to see the world and become confident in it. This does not mean to allow every Tom, Dick and Harry to touch your puppy. Often times by over stimulating your dog to strange people and other dogs, you build value in those sensations. This leads to a dog overly interested in strangers/strange dogs, that will pull at the end of the leash and have little to no interest in you. This also makes your dog less able to recover to social trauma, creating insecurity. You may wonder what proper socialization looks like, to us it looks like this- No dog parks, no free for all doggy daycares, instead bring your dog to a pet friendly shop and let them watch the world go by from the safety of the cart (bring lots of treats!) eventually you will notice stability and confidence in your puppy, and this is when you can allow safe interaction with people and pooches that you know won’t physically or mentally harm your beagle. This allows time for your beagle to learn how to properly juggle new obstacles without becoming overwhelmed, fearful and anxious.
04
Socialization
05
Recall
Despite our previous statement that beagles will ditch their beloved owner for a mere smell lingering in the air, it is actually possible to train recall with this breed. From day one we recommend practicing coming when called with your beagle puppy. Never ever scold your beagle puppy when it makes the decision to come to you, even after a delay or making a mistake. Practice recall games- one of our favorites is monkey in the middle where you and a partner take turns calling the dog to you and rewarding them. All of our puppies have loved this game. It’s funny to see how fast they will run and it’s great for teaching a name as well! Reward your beagle with food and/or an excitement party every time they decide to come to you when called. This exercise builds engagement, and also provides a bit of a safety net if you ever were to need it in an emergency situation. If your beagle knows it is to be provided with food and praise every time it comes to you, it is more likely it will come to you when you actually need it to.
07
Measured Meals
As mentioned before, beagles love food. This is fact and there’s no way of working around it! To us it’s a blessing, as it makes for a dog willing to work and engage with its handler. To many it’s a curse, as it can be hard to say no to those puppy-dog eyes. However, it is extremely important to measure and maintain the correct diet for your beagle. Correct caloric intake will lengthen the lifespan of your beagle and prevent many health issues associated with canine obesity. There’s nothing wrong with treats but everything is better in moderation.
07
Delayed Alteration
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