Hi Everyone. We are finally thinking about getting another dog now that our fulltime travels have finished. We have always had English ****er Spaniel but have been thinking about a dog with less maintenance and we are considering a Beagle.
Could any current or previous owners of a Beagle dog advise of the Pros and Cons of a Beagle dog.
iana said
09:47 AM Mar 29, 2020
I would never own a Beagle, try taking one for a walk, all nose, ignorance, and a bloody pain in the butt. You want to go one way, it wants to go the other and the battle begins.
blaze said
09:51 AM Mar 29, 2020
great dogs with a good temperament BUT, they love to hunt. They get their nose on the ground and you may see them tomorrow or the day after. They are real stickers on a scent.. Would I have another one, too right. Ones I had were used for hunting but the ones for pets want to do the same
cheers
blaze
Dougwe said
10:45 AM Mar 29, 2020
"They get their nose on the ground"
G'day Col, I'm so close to you yet so far mate.
Maybe with the comment from blaze, you could train him/her to sniff out lost coins etc, sort off like a metal detector.
Keep Safe out there everyone.
Mariner30 said
11:32 AM Mar 29, 2020
My son's partner has had one for years,
It's very needy and high maintenance,
Gets very anxious if they go out without it,
Have had to make the fences higher to try and stop it escaping,
They are a pack dog and get bored easily if by themselves...you may need to get two lol
Wanda said
11:47 AM Mar 29, 2020
We have had 5 Beagles over the years, dog free now because they impede your travelling plans.
They make lovely pets, good natured and excellent with kids and people, just so friendly. Remember they are hounds and loved to be walked,(nose down bum up) Diet wise, they will eat ANYTHING and EVERYTHING so you do need to have them on a diet from day 1. Your back yard will need to be a very very secure, if there is just the slightest chance of getting out, THEY WILL FIND IT. The female beagles are less trouble but they all like to roam if given the chance. If and when we get another dog it will be a female desexed Beagle Go for it you will love them cheers Ian
PS : we always had the 2 too stop boredom but if you are home most days, retired, I am sure 1 on its own will be fine, with some training!
-- Edited by Wanda on Sunday 29th of March 2020 11:49:29 AM
Cupie said
01:50 PM Mar 29, 2020
Wanda wrote:
We have had 5 Beagles over the years, dog free now because they impede your travelling plans.
They make lovely pets, good natured and excellent with kids and people, just so friendly. Remember they are hounds and loved to be walked,(nose down bum up) Diet wise, they will eat ANYTHING and EVERYTHING so you do need to have them on a diet from day 1. Your back yard will need to be a very very secure, if there is just the slightest chance of getting out, THEY WILL FIND IT. The female beagles are less trouble but they all like to roam if given the chance. If and when we get another dog it will be a female desexed Beagle Go for it you will love them cheers Ian
PS : we always had the 2 too stop boredom but if you are home most days, retired, I am sure 1 on its own will be fine, with some training!
-- Edited by Wanda on Sunday 29th of March 2020 11:49:29 AM
I find this assessment fits best with our experience.
We had a Beagle for about 16 years & he was a fantastic pet.
Ronsun Bold Barnaby (Barney the Tricolour Beagle) was a perfect companion for our children. He loved the family, walks & new, well any, smells plus food.
Of course training is the key to any pet.
When we moved to a country house he would go to school with my Daughter then come home by himself through the bush to have morning tea (including his own saucer of tea) on the back verandah of an ageing neighbouring couple, then he'd go round the building sites to cadge sandwiches & pies from the Tradies & finally back home exhausted for a nap. Just in time to chase the Postie then off back to school to wait for our Daughter. Such a busy life!
When we moved to the Sunny Coast he soon found that the returning fishermen at the boat ramp across the road were a good source of treats too.
Old age & arthritic hips got him in the end.
-- Edited by Cupie on Sunday 29th of March 2020 01:51:50 PM
Meredith said
02:00 PM Mar 29, 2020
We had a ****er Spaniel for many years, our neighbour has had Beagles which we have looked after many times. Out of the two I would say our ****er Spaniel was lower maintenance, yes a bit more grooming and trimming and a bit more shedding (though we have since had a Lab and look back fondly on how much the Spaniel shed) but less digging and getting into trouble and our Spaniel was definitely easier to train and to take for a walk. They are both generally lovely friendly dogs, but if we were getting another dog I personally would go the Spaniel.
-- Edited by Meredith on Sunday 29th of March 2020 02:02:49 PM
keiron said
05:32 PM Mar 29, 2020
At the risk of being off-topic, I have been looking for a Collie / ****er Spanial cross. I encountered one at Trangie mid 2019 which I recall came from Northern Victoria.
Please, if you have any leads, I would be most appreciative. KB
iana said
05:38 PM Mar 29, 2020
What about a foxy, good companion. Smart, small and a good guard dog.
cjt55 said
06:23 AM Mar 30, 2020
Some interesting points raised here. Thanks for your comments. Starting to lean back to my beloved English ****er spaniel but certainly not until this virus has gone. Stay safe everyone and see you on the other side.
PS .... Will be interested to see how many babies are born between September 2020 to about March 2021 LOL
Wizardofoz said
07:31 AM Mar 30, 2020
I strongly suggest that you research the breeds that you are interested in, it is essential that as you age the dog you get fits your situation and fills in all gaps and gives you the companionship, is easy to manage and gives you love as their first priority.
This breed is an ideal dog for your situation imho, but only you know exactly what suits you and what you want.
by researching sites like this one, you will eradicate almost all of the possible mistakes that are too late to alter afterwards.
have a look at this, meanwhile good luck, you will find the right dog for your situation and lifestyle, remembering that no dog or breed is absolutely perfect.
-- Edited by Wizardofoz on Monday 30th of March 2020 07:33:12 AM
Dougwe said
07:46 AM Mar 30, 2020
cjt55 wrote:
Some interesting points raised here. Thanks for your comments. Starting to lean back to my beloved English ****er spaniel but certainly not until this virus has gone. Stay safe everyone and see you on the other side.
PS .... Will be interested to see how many babies are born between September 2020 to about March 2021 LOL
Fast forward 60 years....'Baby Coronas' Will be out here in the playground. I will be looking down at them by then though. Mmmm, I might need a periscope though.
Mike Harding said
09:54 AM Mar 30, 2020
Wizardofoz wrote:This breed is an ideal dog for your situation imho, but only you know exactly what suits you and what you want.
I am very tempted by the labadoodle, they seem an ideal cross. However I was not tempted, last time I looked, by the price of around $3k!
i just picture you as a foxy or kelpie kind of guy
rgren2 said
10:43 AM Mar 30, 2020
Our last few dogs have been rescue dogs. No puppy stages, pretrained and they would have been put down otherwise. Spent many happy years with them.
Cupie said
11:51 AM Mar 30, 2020
rgren2 wrote:
Our last few dogs have been rescue dogs. No puppy stages, pretrained and they would have been put down otherwise. Spent many happy years with them.
Good advice I think.
If you do choose to buy an expensive designer breed, be sure to carefully check out the breeder.
My Son bred Swiss Shepherds for a few years & he was scathing of some of the puppy farm operators who pumped out litters without any regard for the breed or for the bitches. Puppies were often kept in disgusting conditions & were frequently bred from defective blood lines.
BTW my favourite these days is the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, but sadly perhaps not suitable for an ageing person. Difficult to train & especially to lead but extremely loyal & affectionate. Can be aggressive to other dogs. They need to understand where their place is in the pack.
One of my earliest dogs (Rasputin/Butch) was one I had bred for me just for hunting wild pigs.
Started with a greyhound bitch who would rather attack the other dogs than chase the lure.
Selected a bitch out of her litter to a good pig dog (English Bull Terrier) & then picked the litter of that one to a second extremely good pig dog (another English Bull Terrier).
This gave me a more leggy version of an English Bull terrier who was an excellent pig dog. Big frame, fast on to the pig & then hang on - fearless!
I had many years of pig hunting solo with him and a bloody big knife or a handgun. He would go straight for the ear & hang on until I did my business. Best thing was that I could let him range the scrub around me as we went along & I could call him off any that were too big. He loved to play with my nieces & nephews often holding them softly by the ear with his tail wagging madly, never drawing blood.
Suspected Distemper & an incompetent Vet got him in the end.
Edit ... On reflection. I think that I'd go for one of the well known small 'lap dogs' that have been round for generations. Certainly not one of the designer breeds or any from a line that has been bred specifically for showing. The King Charles Cavalier as recommended below sounds like a good choice.
-- Edited by Cupie on Monday 30th of March 2020 11:11:46 PM
terrola said
05:10 PM Mar 30, 2020
think about a king charles cav great dog
delatite said
08:46 PM Mar 31, 2020
Please do not buy one the "designer breeds". There are no reliable pedigrees/parentage in unreliable, there are no guarantees you will get what you want, they are generally overpriced, most do not come with health checks, by this I mean against any hereditary diseases the breeds used in the mating. If they do get something the breeder will generally fob you off. There is a large list of things against this type of dog. Also don't buy a "fad" dog. There generally are pitfalls that can be similar to above. I have a brittany, which are high energy dogs and can be similar to and English springer, which are great dogs.
I would normally suggest going to a dog show and walk around and talk to the breeders, but at the moment they are all on hold. You don't mention whether you want a pup or not. If not consider one from one of the breed rescues. They are all healthy and temperament tested.
Maybe even one from the pound. These days they are all type and temperament tested.
I am fairly heavily involved in the dog scene. Take your time when making your decision, as it will be your friend for the next possibly 15 years. If time visit a show when they are back. Any questions, drop me a message. Good luck.
Hi Everyone. We are finally thinking about getting another dog now that our fulltime travels have finished. We have always had English ****er Spaniel but have been thinking about a dog with less maintenance and we are considering a Beagle.
Could any current or previous owners of a Beagle dog advise of the Pros and Cons of a Beagle dog.
cheers
blaze
G'day Col, I'm so close to you yet so far mate.
Maybe with the comment from blaze, you could train him/her to sniff out lost coins etc, sort off like a metal detector.
Keep Safe out there everyone.
It's very needy and high maintenance,
Gets very anxious if they go out without it,
Have had to make the fences higher to try and stop it escaping,
They are a pack dog and get bored easily if by themselves...you may need to get two lol
We have had 5 Beagles over the years, dog free now because they impede your travelling plans.
They make lovely pets, good natured and excellent with kids and people, just so friendly.
Remember they are hounds and loved to be walked,(nose down bum up)
Diet wise, they will eat ANYTHING and EVERYTHING so you do need to have them on a diet from day 1.
Your back yard will need to be a very very secure, if there is just the slightest chance of getting out, THEY WILL FIND IT.
The female beagles are less trouble but they all like to roam if given the chance.
If and when we get another dog it will be a female desexed Beagle
Go for it you will love them
cheers
Ian
PS : we always had the 2 too stop boredom but if you are home most days, retired, I am sure 1 on its own will be fine, with some training!
-- Edited by Wanda on Sunday 29th of March 2020 11:49:29 AM
I find this assessment fits best with our experience.
We had a Beagle for about 16 years & he was a fantastic pet.
Ronsun Bold Barnaby (Barney the Tricolour Beagle) was a perfect companion for our children. He loved the family, walks & new, well any, smells plus food.
Of course training is the key to any pet.
When we moved to a country house he would go to school with my Daughter then come home by himself through the bush to have morning tea (including his own saucer of tea) on the back verandah of an ageing neighbouring couple, then he'd go round the building sites to cadge sandwiches & pies from the Tradies & finally back home exhausted for a nap. Just in time to chase the Postie then off back to school to wait for our Daughter. Such a busy life!
When we moved to the Sunny Coast he soon found that the returning fishermen at the boat ramp across the road were a good source of treats too.
Old age & arthritic hips got him in the end.
-- Edited by Cupie on Sunday 29th of March 2020 01:51:50 PM
We had a ****er Spaniel for many years, our neighbour has had Beagles which we have looked after many times. Out of the two I would say our ****er Spaniel was lower maintenance, yes a bit more grooming and trimming and a bit more shedding (though we have since had a Lab and look back fondly on how much the Spaniel shed) but less digging and getting into trouble and our Spaniel was definitely easier to train and to take for a walk. They are both generally lovely friendly dogs, but if we were getting another dog I personally would go the Spaniel.
-- Edited by Meredith on Sunday 29th of March 2020 02:02:49 PM
At the risk of being off-topic, I have been looking for a Collie / ****er Spanial cross. I encountered one at Trangie mid 2019 which I recall came from Northern Victoria.
Please, if you have any leads, I would be most appreciative. KB
PS .... Will be interested to see how many babies are born between September 2020 to about March 2021 LOL
I strongly suggest that you research the breeds that you are interested in, it is essential that as you age the dog you get fits your situation and fills in all gaps and gives you the companionship, is easy to manage and gives you love as their first priority.
This breed is an ideal dog for your situation imho, but only you know exactly what suits you and what you want.
by researching sites like this one, you will eradicate almost all of the possible mistakes that are too late to alter afterwards.
have a look at this, meanwhile good luck, you will find the right dog for your situation and lifestyle, remembering that no dog or breed is absolutely perfect.
https://www.rover.com/blog/labradoodle-facts/
-- Edited by Wizardofoz on Monday 30th of March 2020 07:33:12 AM
Fast forward 60 years....'Baby Coronas' Will be out here in the playground. I will be looking down at them by then though. Mmmm, I might need a periscope though.
I am very tempted by the labadoodle, they seem an ideal cross. However I was not tempted, last time I looked, by the price of around $3k!
i just picture you as a foxy or kelpie kind of guy
Good advice I think.
If you do choose to buy an expensive designer breed, be sure to carefully check out the breeder.
My Son bred Swiss Shepherds for a few years & he was scathing of some of the puppy farm operators who pumped out litters without any regard for the breed or for the bitches. Puppies were often kept in disgusting conditions & were frequently bred from defective blood lines.
BTW my favourite these days is the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, but sadly perhaps not suitable for an ageing person. Difficult to train & especially to lead but extremely loyal & affectionate. Can be aggressive to other dogs. They need to understand where their place is in the pack.
One of my earliest dogs (Rasputin/Butch) was one I had bred for me just for hunting wild pigs.
Started with a greyhound bitch who would rather attack the other dogs than chase the lure.
Selected a bitch out of her litter to a good pig dog (English Bull Terrier) & then picked the litter of that one to a second extremely good pig dog (another English Bull Terrier).
This gave me a more leggy version of an English Bull terrier who was an excellent pig dog. Big frame, fast on to the pig & then hang on - fearless!
I had many years of pig hunting solo with him and a bloody big knife or a handgun. He would go straight for the ear & hang on until I did my business. Best thing was that I could let him range the scrub around me as we went along & I could call him off any that were too big. He loved to play with my nieces & nephews often holding them softly by the ear with his tail wagging madly, never drawing blood.
Suspected Distemper & an incompetent Vet got him in the end.
Edit ... On reflection. I think that I'd go for one of the well known small 'lap dogs' that have been round for generations. Certainly not one of the designer breeds or any from a line that has been bred specifically for showing. The King Charles Cavalier as recommended below sounds like a good choice.
-- Edited by Cupie on Monday 30th of March 2020 11:11:46 PM
I would normally suggest going to a dog show and walk around and talk to the breeders, but at the moment they are all on hold. You don't mention whether you want a pup or not. If not consider one from one of the breed rescues. They are all healthy and temperament tested.
Maybe even one from the pound. These days they are all type and temperament tested.
I am fairly heavily involved in the dog scene. Take your time when making your decision, as it will be your friend for the next possibly 15 years. If time visit a show when they are back. Any questions, drop me a message. Good luck.