Some questions about Beagles..

[Pydpiper]

I never put much thought in to two dogs, it would make for some hard training but it would certainly help with this dilemma.
Our last dog, Dewalt, was as good as they come, 12 years he was never on a leash, and not once had an accident in the house. Better yet he wouldn't even do his business where people walk. In those 12 years I never had to clean up the yard after him, he would use the corn field or deep under the pine trees. He was a Shepard/collie cross who turned in to a runner late in his life.
Then came Makita, his Rottweiler girlfriend, she was only around a few years before she met her fate. Great dog too, gentle as can be.

Now as the kids grow up hey have their own demands as to what they want in a dog, and of course my wife and I do too. 2 breeds almost sounds like a solution. I am not looking for a dog that will be trained primarily as a hunter, I am more after a companion while hunting. Being able to take advantage of a nose would be a treat if that time ever comes up.
I manage to get out in to the woods at least once every day, 99% of that bush can be seen from my yard, and that is why I am not terribly sure about a hound. Again, I have a half acre of completely fenced in yard, but dogs have been known to elude that in the past, usually with some assistance from the kids. 66.6% of my kids are past that stage now though .
I want a dog that is good in the bush and for work. (capable of running a flock of birds)
My oldest daughter wants a guard dog for the family.
My son wants "D" back.
My wife wants anything she can licence to coon hunt at night.
My youngest daughter wants a ducky.

I am not sure which way to turn, but I do know there is a void in this house that needs a dog to fill it, soon.

[Grizzly Adam]

Pyd, as you see, asking whether it's a good idea to own a beagle is like asking if you should marry a redhead ... everyone's going to have an opinion, and they're not going to agree, because they're all subjective reports.

In general, I think it might be stated that beagles aren't the best choice for a pet type of dog. It's not what they've been bred for.

I had a beloved Beagle / Bassett mix when I was a boy. Cinnamon was a good dog, but she had to be in a fenced yard, or tied. If you didn't keep her controlled, she strolled ... gone like the wind, and hard to catch.

My brother Eric has a Beagle named Festus ... and I know that he would not recommend that anyone else try one as a family pet. Festus just got hit by a car and no longer has use of one of his legs, because he isn't easy to control.

In the end, it's up to you, friend ... and I wish you the best as you decide!

[Tom]

Hey Pydpiper, I had a beagle (male) for the past 11 years that was both a family pet and hunting dog. I found he'd stay around my yard as long as I was there and paying attention to him. If you took your eyes off of him for more than 5- 10 minutes then he would slowly wander away and I'd have to go look for him. I don't think you'd ever train one to be obedient like a lab as they seem to be stubborn and do what they want. That being said he was never totally out of control and not listen but you had to be patient. The trouble with having a hunting dog for a pet is that you run the risk of losing him after a chase. Mine always came back but there was a few times he was late and returning home without him wasn't an option. I don't think running them with a leash is possible because deer/rabbits will blast through some balsam thickets, junipers, mud holes and you will not want to follow a hyper beagle in those conditions. (If you try you may want a full faced helmet ) Although he required alot of patience and attention the sound of him coming over a ridge with a buck in front of him made it all worthwhile.

The above has alot of truth to it. But each beagle is different on their own. They can be trained, but you need to be more stubborn then they are. I had one beagle that would stay at my side when in the field until he broke a track. He would also stay at the house, I would never have to tie him up or fence him in a yard, even when other animals came up to him (unless it was a female in heat ). This beagle would also retrieve grouse and would not eat food off any other dish other then his own (unless you give him permission). Buck was a wonderful dog. I have also had a beagle that needed to be tied because he wanted to hunt. A fence was just another obstical for him to get around. I have actually seen him jump a 4 foot fence and climb straight up to the top of a 7 foot fence, when I caught him and scolded him. This was CJ and he was also a wonderful dog. Loved to hunt and would stay close to me and would usually run a track for about 40 minutes (trained him for this) and then come back.

Beagles can be both a family pet and a hunting dog.

Hehehehe They are characters but I don't know anyone that knows them that will tell you any different. If they catch scent without you being able to stop them.......they are gone! They are real hunting machines.

Yes, unless you train them to not run a certain scent, then they will want to follow one when they come across a track. The first bit of training you need to master with a beagle is the sound (not just a word) which he will come back to you no matter what. Sounds travel better then words (espically in the woods). The next thing you need to train is backtracking your scent. THis is so the dog can find you again in the bush. This is easy if started early in it's life. A trained beagle will stop running a track if they are told to, even if it is real fresh with blood.

[terrym]

What about the versatile hunting dog breeds? These dogs are likely very trainable and intelligent and would handle alot of hunting chore also.

[Pydpiper]

I am open to suggestions, can't be a runner or a drooler.
It is very hard to research dogs on the internet, there are a lot of breed dedicated forums out there, and most are very biased.
For some reason my wife does not want a lab, that seems like a great compromise of breeds to me.

[bukee]

Pyd, I grew up with many beagles. My grandfather and uncle would typically have 3-5 around at any time and they were strickly rabbit hunting machines. No letting these guys go unless you planned on waiting around until they ran themselves tired. At home they were kept in a fenced in area and dog houses.

I have come accross many beagles in my life, they are mostly good natured and love attention and kids, just that their nose rules their actions. My first and only dog to this point has been a lab. As Boo stated bird dogs or retrievers make great family pets and the home bond just strengthens there performance in the field. My lab, Trout, is mainly a retrieve, but I've shot grouse, woodcock, rabbits and jackrabbits behind him, as his nose will lead him to flush any animal that is around.

I was turned off rabbit hunting with beagles for many years because half the day was spent trying to get them back, especially if they trailed deer while hunting rabbits. Every once in a while you see a beagle that is a great hunter and listens to the owner similar to a bird dog. These beagles are rare. Read the link below, Barney, is one of these beagles and I've enjoyed hunting rabbits with him for more than 12 years.

http://ontariohunter.proboards26.com/in ... read=15971

[Sopchoppy]

Beagle behavior is dictated by their instinct and your time and patience to alter that instinct. We got Tanner from SOS Beagle rescue when he was 5 months old, a beautiful tri-color. The first year, I threatened to take him back about once a month. My wife says it was once a week. He chewed on stuff he should'nt until he learned NO!!!. He was always on a leash when we went down the road for a walk. He did progress to the point I could let him loose in the back yard, 2 acres. He would stay close 99% of the time, but would come back when called. He was trained to a whistle and to a loud STOP while clapping my hands. From the time he was about 2 years old, we left him alone in the house for up to 6 hours and he never got into trouble. He could go outside alone to "do his business" in the morning and evening. He slept on his bed right next to ours, and yes, sometimes he slept with us. He loved to ride on the bow of our boat, but hated to ride in a car. Go figure?? You may or may not remember, but about 1 1/2 years ago, he jumped off the sofa and ruptured a disc in his back and had to be put down. I still cry sometimes when I think about him. I will always miss him. He was the perfect beagle pet.

[Houndsman]

Pydpiper, It sounds to me that you are looking for a versatile dog that would fill many needs, companion,hunter,tracker,good with kids etc.I would suggest you look into a German Shorthair Pointer.They are a very versatile and can be trained to be very obedient.In the hunt tests they are required to perform well in tracking,retrieving (on both land and water)and pointing.A friend of mine has them,some he imported from Germany,and they are very nice all around dogs.

[VixChix]

http://www3.sympatico.ca/ruffwood/

[Pydpiper]

Pydpiper, It sounds to me that you are looking for a versatile dog that would fill many needs, companion,hunter,tracker,good with kids etc.I would suggest you look into a German Shorthair Pointer.They are a very versatile and can be trained to be very obedient.In the hunt tests they are required to perform well in tracking,retrieving (on both land and water)and pointing.A friend of mine has them,some he imported from Germany,and they are very nice all around dogs.

I just ran the breed past my wife, we did some quick reading and she told me she had one growing up. I got two thumbs up for this dog.
Are there any breeders in S/W Ontario I can visit?

[ch312]

getting 2 pups at the same time may actually be beneficial. dog A may do well with some training while dog B isnt catching on as quick. dog B will see that dog A gets praise and treats for obeying the commands and will likely learn much quicker by a dogs natural jealousy and wanting to please his master.

ive seen this multiple times with different breeds of dogs.

[Pydpiper]

getting 2 pups at the same time may actually be beneficial. dog A may do well with some training while dog B isnt catching on as quick. dog B will see that dog A gets praise and treats for obeying the commands and will likely learn much quicker by a dogs natural jealousy and wanting to please his master.

ive seen this multiple times with different breeds of dogs.

That is a great point too!

I think I have decided against a Beagle at this point, I have begun to research German Shorthaired Pointers, and after a brief talk with someone today I have added Brittany's to my short list too.

[bait pile willie]

have had 2 beagles,great dogs better pets,although they shed a lot of hair. they are a nose on 4 legs will not leave a trail till they lose it or catch it.hunted deer one year on the eastern shore in Virginia where they used Labs to recover deer and it didnt take long for them to find them.I have owned a shorthair pointer,togh now to find one bred for hunting at a reasonable price.not enough bird hunting in Ont. unless its on game firms. a good Lab would be my bet.

[Pydpiper]

I just got off the phone with a GSP breeded in St. Marys, we are going to see him on Sunday for a visit.

[Grizzly-Papa]

Hey Pydpiper,

It appears we have lot's in common these days except I'm ahead of you by about 15 years.

Let me introduce "Trapper" my GSP all purpose sporting dog. I have tons of pictures to share if you wish to look at the album. This dog was purchased as a pup from a breader in Gananoque about 25 years ago so I just have fond memories of it all. He was from hunting stock and I trained him as a bird dog. Started him off pointing at quails in a field on a setup I had with a call back cage for the birds and then migrated to grouse and ducks. He excelled in everything. Loved the water and running. However, as a house pet he was terrible. Too high strung and needed to go-go-go all the time. I finally had to let him go because I simply could no longer keep up with his demand for time and energy. This is typical of the breed.

My next dog after the current sucky family Bichon Frise departs will be a Brittany.

Hope this helps once again.

Grizzly-Papa