Dog Training

Are Beagles Difficult to Train? Not If You Do These Six Things.

Does this sound familiar? You take your dog for a walk, and it pulls so hard on the leash it ends up walking on 2 legs instead of 4? It doesn’t have to be that way. Beagles in particular are prone to following scents, but it doesn’t mean training is an impossible task. Take it from a beagle owner, follow these 6 training tips and you’re well on your way to a happy, well-trained dog:

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. Begin with basic commands. Early on, even things as simple as “sit,” “stay,” and “come” are important commands to learn. Besides instilling some discipline, it establishes the pecking order and lets your dog know who’s in charge.

3. The best training sessions are the short ones. Even with as little as 5 to 10 minutes twice a day, you should see amazing results. Remember, beagles can get unfocused very quickly, especially because of their desire to follow smells. If the sessions are short and entertaining, he’ll want to learn.

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. Positive reinforcement works. Who doesn’t like a treat? A beagle is a hound, and hounds are motivated by food. One word of caution, though. Don’t let the dog see the treat before the command is given. To him, it may be a form of bribery and he’ll only obey if he can see the treat.

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.

A trained beagle is a good beagle, just as any breed of dog that is well-trained is a good dog. Yes, they can be a bit difficult at times. I know from experience. But if you’re diligent and stick with these 6 basic guidelines, you’ll have an obedient beagle that will bring you years of love, loyalty, and happiness.