The nuances of raising and training a beagle
For the owners of beagle dogs, an important point is the understanding that they need to be brought up from the very moment they appear in the house. Regularity and perseverance are needed in this direction. Puppies are very intelligent, they can easily assimilate information and can immediately recognize exactly how to behave with the owner. Therefore, an obedient and intelligent dog is the result of hard work, constant training and tireless education. We will talk about all the details in our article.
Fundamental rules
When it comes to training, you need to start it as early as possible. Otherwise, the time when it is not too difficult to influence the dog may be irretrievably lost. Naturally, first of all attention is paid to the simplest rules and commands. Already by six months, the pet should be brought up as much as possible, later it becomes an almost impossible undertaking.
The main principle that the owner should pursue is consistency in training. All members of the family in which the beagle lives should support him. Commands should be formulated clearly and clearly, and encouragement should be given only when the dog has completed everything to the end.
New commands are studied only after complete consolidation and execution of the old ones.
Duration
You need to start training, devoting only half an hour a day to this process. This is due to the fact that beagles are very active, therefore, they cannot concentrate on the same thing for a long time.
If the kid gets tired of practicing, the training will be useless. You need to create a relaxed atmosphere for training, and you will also need to consolidate skills, constantly reminding the puppy of the learned commands. The animal should not experience negative emotions during training.
Beagles are very fond of active games, they can have fun with balls, chewing toys and all kinds of baits. If the process is pleasurable, the dog will willingly participate in it, so you cannot punish it for non-observance of commands, this will not be beneficial, but, on the contrary, will aggravate the situation.
The use of physical force is also unacceptable, it will lead to a lack of trust between the owner and his pet. The most important motivation is encouragement, and it is expressed not only in a delicacy, but also in simple praise, gentle touches. Treats must initially be given for each command performed.
Later, when the process becomes automatic, it can be replaced with praise.
List of required basic commands
Beagle boys or girls should be trained starting with the basic commands. It is their fulfillment that creates the required level of obedience. You can do this yourself.
Teaching the command "Sit!"
This command can be called the main one. To begin with, the dog must go up to the owner and see a delicacy in his hands. The treat should not be given immediately, but it should also not be hidden so that the doggie loses interest in it. A hand with a delicacy is put behind the beagle's head and the command "Sit!" Is given. The dog can sit down by inertia, observing the hand. In this case, the treat is given immediately. Then the procedure is repeated.
If this does not happen, you should put pressure on the dog's rump, holding the treat over his head. When the animal sits down, you need to praise him and give him a treat. In both cases, the command should be pronounced in a clear, calm voice. The dog needs to understand the connection between words and actions.
The command should be repeated whenever possible. This can be feeding, going out for a walk, the walk itself, getting into the car, in preparation for water procedures, and so on. Thus, the beagle will understand that it is necessary to perform not only at home, but also in any other place, even when there are many distractions around. When the animal has fully mastered the command, dispensing treats should be stopped and limited to verbal praise.
In this case, the dog will understand that it will take more effort to get the treat.
Teaching the command "Place!"
Next on the list is the Place! Command. Training begins when the previous one has already been completed. After the animal has settled, it is necessary to say "Place!" stretching out his hand next to him. Beagle must stay in the same place for at least a short time. If it succeeded, a delicacy is given and the command is repeated, only when the owner is already at another point in the apartment.
The main point is that the puppy should stay where he was left, and not walk around the room after the owner. You need to give the command in a firm, calm voice.
The main thing is to ensure that the baby does not run for a treat, but waits for him at the main point.
Teaching the command "Come to me!"
This is the third step in training, most likely the easiest in technique. If the dog itself goes to the owner, it is enough for him to repeat “Come to me!”, And upon reaching goals to praise and give a treat to the pet... This must be done repeatedly so that the connection of one with the other takes root in the animal's brain. If the puppy doesn't approach the owner too often, even at home, the treat will be the best bait.
The main thing is not to forget to repeat the command more often. It is worth praising the dog for his successes, so that she understands that she is doing everything right. You should not rush in this matter, as well as scold your pet. After all, he can understand it in such a way that the words "Come to me!" associated with punishment, respectively, will refuse to do everything correctly.
It is best not to show any reaction at all if something is not working out for the beagle.
Bite control
Both very small and adult beagles can start biting when they appear in a new home. Such attempts must be thwarted from the outset. If this happens during play, you should change your occupation to a more relaxed one or let the dog chew on a stick or ball. The game itself must be stopped immediately.
If this happens regularly, the animal will understand that it was the bites that caused the termination of the game and will stop biting. In general, dogs can bite for several reasons other than active play. First of all, it is a fear, as well as a kind of protection. The main thing for the owner is to understand that the bite can become a random phenomenon that does not indicate the aggression of the pet.
As for the beagles, bites do happen to them while playing. The dog cannot be scolded, and even more so shout at it. Physical force should not be used. You just need to limit contact with the animal for a while.
If this does not help, you need to contact a dog handler or veterinarian. Bites can be caused by illness and poor parenting in adult dogs.
Teaching your dog to be clean
One of the main points is to accustom the dog to cleanliness in the area of cohabitation and in other places. This issue should be dealt with from the moment the puppy appeared in the house. First of all, you need to designate a place that will initially serve as a toilet, put a tray there, and put a diaper in it. The kid will need to be carried there until he does all his affairs in the right place. To fix the procedure, it is worth repeating several times.
Cleanliness training is an important factor in the upbringing of a beagle. If the baby is trying to relieve himself in another place, you need to persistently take him to the tray, repeating the command "Toilet!" Over time, the puppy will understand exactly what is required of him.
Do not forget to praise your pet when he did everything right, this can be done both verbally and using treats.
At first, it is better to allocate one room for the dog. After toilet training, which takes about 3 days, you can let her out to study the whole apartment. When the necessary vaccinations have been made, you can start walking. After the beagle goes to the toilet on the street, you must definitely praise him. This is done until the baby begins to celebrate all the natural needs outside the apartment.
To begin with, walks should be as frequent as possible, literally every half hour, if possible. You can take the baby to the same place so that he develops a conditioned reflex. With age, the number of walks decreases, decreasing to three, and later twice a day. Praise should be as active as possible, you can use treats, strokes, and voice.
With proper training, problems with executing commands in beagles should not follow. They are very smart and quick-witted. Usually, the dog behaves restlessly when he wants to go to the toilet. She may whine, move in circles, sit by the door, or sniff the floor. These symptoms are the reason to take the animal outside. Even if there are doubts about the reasons for this behavior, it is better to play it safe.
The owner must understand that small puppies can sometimes shit in the apartment. They don't do it on purpose, so you can't swear and beat the beagle. However, in this case, a special purifier will be required, otherwise the smell of urine will again attract the dog to its old place next time. It is strictly forbidden to use household chemicals with ammonia and chlorine when cleaning.
Chlorine is toxic, and ammonia, due to its specific odor, on the contrary, can attract an animal.
Diet
Diet is also part of parenting, and not unimportant. The health of the pet depends on its implementation, regularity is required here. Small beagles should be fed 5-6 times a day. 3-4 times are enough for adolescents. An adult dog eats 2 times a day, in the morning and in the evening, so a treat is a great way to stimulate a pet.
The amount of portions is selected according to the weight and age of the dog, if this indicator is indicated on the packaging of dry food. In the case of natural food, it is best to consult a veterinarian.
The frequency of the walks it requires depends on how often the dog takes food. Therefore, with age, the frequency of feedings decreases, and the duration of being outdoors, on the contrary, increases.
Hosts need to take into account that between trips to the toilet, puppies are able to endure a number of hours equal to their age, for example, at 2 months this period is 2 hours. This point is very important when planning your daily routine. Adult beagles can tolerate up to 8 hours, but exceeding this figure is strongly discouraged.
See below for beagle training.