Are Beagles Difficult to Train? Not If You Do These Six Things.
Can beagles be difficult? Absolutely. But they're also incredibly loyal and loving. Couple that affection with a good training regimen, and you have a great dog to enjoy for years to come. Here are 6 ways you can assure your beagle (or any other dog for that matter) becomes the pride of the neighborhood:
1. Start early. From the time he or she is a puppy, training can begin. Put the dog on a feeding schedule to assure it eats at the same times each day. It's never too early to get your dog used to strict schedules. Also, if you begin to reward good behavior early, the greater the likelihood your dog will develop fewer bad habits.
2. Learning simple commands early is good. "Stay," "sit," and "come" might seem like simple commands, but the earlier they respond to these, the easier it is to train them later. Remember, a beagle is a pack dog. It wants to be the leader. The sooner you let him know you're the pack leader, the more readily he will respond to your commands, rather than the other way around.
3. Keep the training sessions short. Even 5 to 10 minutes a couple times a day can work wonders. Anyone who's ever owned a beagle knows they're scent-motivated and can lose focus easily. Keep the sessions short but entertaining.
4. Never use physical punishment. Face it. We all get frustrated from time to time. But using any kind of force on your beagle (or any animal) will have the reverse effect. All it will do is instill fear in the dog, and there's a big difference between fear and respect.
5. Reward good behavior. Any dog likes a treat, and they like to know they're getting a reward for pleasing you. Being a hound, a beagle is food-motivated so use that to your advantage. However, make sure the dog doesn't see the treat before you issue a command, or after a while he will only obey if he's able to see the treat, and that's not what you want.
6. Play to a beagle's strengths. Use training methods that are related to his natural behaviors. With an amazing sense of smell, you could incorporate the uncovering of buried objects into your training. Since beagles are hunters, running and retrieving can be worked into the sessions as well. Plus, it'll be more entertaining for the dog.
Beagles are headstrong, no doubt about it. But that doesn't mean training them has to be impossible. If, at the very minimum, you stick with these 6 guidelines, you'll have a well-trained dog that will bring you years of lasting enjoyment.
1. Start early. From the time he or she is a puppy, training can begin. Put the dog on a feeding schedule to assure it eats at the same times each day. It's never too early to get your dog used to strict schedules. Also, if you begin to reward good behavior early, the greater the likelihood your dog will develop fewer bad habits.
2. Learning simple commands early is good. "Stay," "sit," and "come" might seem like simple commands, but the earlier they respond to these, the easier it is to train them later. Remember, a beagle is a pack dog. It wants to be the leader. The sooner you let him know you're the pack leader, the more readily he will respond to your commands, rather than the other way around.
3. Keep the training sessions short. Even 5 to 10 minutes a couple times a day can work wonders. Anyone who's ever owned a beagle knows they're scent-motivated and can lose focus easily. Keep the sessions short but entertaining.
4. Never use physical punishment. Face it. We all get frustrated from time to time. But using any kind of force on your beagle (or any animal) will have the reverse effect. All it will do is instill fear in the dog, and there's a big difference between fear and respect.
5. Reward good behavior. Any dog likes a treat, and they like to know they're getting a reward for pleasing you. Being a hound, a beagle is food-motivated so use that to your advantage. However, make sure the dog doesn't see the treat before you issue a command, or after a while he will only obey if he's able to see the treat, and that's not what you want.
6. Play to a beagle's strengths. Use training methods that are related to his natural behaviors. With an amazing sense of smell, you could incorporate the uncovering of buried objects into your training. Since beagles are hunters, running and retrieving can be worked into the sessions as well. Plus, it'll be more entertaining for the dog.
Beagles are headstrong, no doubt about it. But that doesn't mean training them has to be impossible. If, at the very minimum, you stick with these 6 guidelines, you'll have a well-trained dog that will bring you years of lasting enjoyment.
About the Author:
Bob Moore is the proud owner of his own beagle. Check out his own dog website and beagle blog. Visit today to get more free valuable information related to man's best friend.
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