How to Train a Beagle – Different Approaches
A popular dog breed for a family pet is a Beagle as they are intelligent, keen to please their owners and have a very sweet nature. Beagles are medium sized and this is a consideration when choosing a family pet. Beagles come from the hound family and were originally bred for hunting rabbits and hares etc due to their heightened sense of smell. Having a well developed sense of smell can make training both challenging and rewarding. Beagles do tend to be independent so to make training interesting for your dog you will need to be creative. If you have a young family then a Beagle is a good choice for you. Strong and gentle in nature, Beagles have a high threshold to tolerate noise and busy activity around the home. Beagles are happiest when they are with company and don’t like to spend large amounts of time alone. You could consider buying two to keep one other company.
Here are some training options for you to consider. Chose the option that is most appropriate for your lifestyle and schedule when considering the Beagle training tips below. Read even more about Beagle Obedience Training at DogHelpdesk.com.
Training your Beagle yourself
Many training techniques and materials available are aimed at dog owners who want to train their dog themselves. You will be able to source material written and developed by trainers with experience and a good reputation. By chosing to train your dog yourself you’ll have the advantage of being able to fit training times in with your busy schedule. A disadvantage of training alone means you won’t be exposing your dog to distractions such as other people and dogs. Important experiences for a well adjusted dog. For more tips on dog-training and handling (very handy if you are considering training your Beagle yourself), take a look at Dove Cresswell’s ‘Online Puppy and Dog Training‘: packed with valuable information, straight from the mouth of an experienced dog-trainer.
Your Beagle will love puppy pre-school classes
For training your Beagle, with its well developed sense of smell, it is very helpful to get used to being in environments where there are many distractions. You will need to be armed with strong smelling rewards to keep your Beagle focussed on your commands. You don’t want to spend the whole training class with your dogs nose in the ground! Beagles can be stubborn and won’t bend too easily if they find something more interesting to do. You will have to be firm and consistent with your commands. The more fun you make training, the more your Beagle will want to participate and it will easily learn from your commands. You will get a lot of satisfation from training your Beagle.
