getting a dog, have some questions!?

Question

I went to animal shelter after seeing a picture on their site of a beagle, 3yrs old. My boyfriend & i both like her and she seem to like us as well. she has to be spayed before we take her home, shes in heat so they have to wait. The shelter noticed it on the 5th of jan, I forgot to ask them how long dogs are in heat for? other question I have is: her former owners left her alone alot & had to get rid of her because she barked when left alone & the neighbors complained (not a problem for us oneof us is home all but 1 or less hour a day) The question is: is there ANY way we could prevent her from barking when we're not home & whats the best way to train her not to bark if she barks a lot? I know they are known for barking but shes a very calm dog & didnt bark at the shelter much at all!even when the other dogs were barking alot! also are there any good info. websites on beagles? what do u think of a crate for a dog that age that isnt used to one? is it nessessary?

My boyfriend and i work different hours, he goes to work at 1:30pm and i get home from work at 2:00pm, there's really no one to watch the dog unless we bring her to dog day care which is a ways away from our home. Someone has told me get a spray bottle and spray her when she barks until she figures out it's bad. but that seems cruel to me...

Answer 1

First off, I definitely would not crate the dog, unless absolutely necessary. When they grow up with a crate, it's a comfort. When they don't, it's a jail.

They stay in heat about a week, so by next week, you should be able to be getting her spayed.

The barking thing, as you said, probably won't be an issue, as you are going to be home with her most of the time. I would test her out a little, and go outside and leave her 'alone' for a few minutes at a time. If she starts barking, come in and firmly tell her NO. Each time you do this, try staying outside a little bit longer. For the time that she's quiet, when you come in, tell her how good she is, and give her a little treat. When you have to come in because she's barking, she gets nothing but the NO.

Beagles are really smart dogs. With a little work and lots of love, which it sounds like you're definitely ready to give, she's going to do great!

Answer 2

Beagles are great!

We have a Beagle that was a problem barker. He would bark because he was bored. It did not matter if we were home or not. We decided on a shock collar. The shock is not painful, and it does stop the barking. Dogs Bark. I always like to leave my dog with toys stuffed with treats or toys that move, anything that is interactive.

But, remember that Beagles are pack dogs and they like to live with other dogs. They have a lot of energy and are very playful. Also Beagles do not have a normal bark, for some people it is as bad a finger nails down a chalk board. They are also very hard to train. Beagles are escape artists and if they pick up on a scent they will follow it for miles, so you need to be sure to never take it off leash unless in a supervised area like a fenced dog park. My dog is crate trained but he feels more comfortable sleeping in bed.

Now the good stuff. They love everyone: kids, other dogs, strange people, everyone! They love to be the center of attention.

I would not trade my Beagle for any other dog but at times he can be a lot of work.

Good Luck!

Answer 3

Beagle are very sweet and loyal companions. When she figures out some one is spending a lot more time with her the barking problem will go away. Remember to give her lots of excercise beagles love to run.Dogs usually bark a lot because they are lonely and bored. The heat cycle lasts 2week. Try leaving her for short periods an hour or two come home and see how she does I bet a crate wont be neccessary. Some people say crate training is a must but at her age shes over the chewing and is most likely house trained. Take out for a walk before you take to your house and if you can spend as much time as you can at first this will calm her and let her know you are here to love her!!!Good Luck Your going to love her,I know from experience how good a pet beagles make!!

Answer 4

Nothing wrong with crating a dog at this age. If you are home most of the time, the barking may be a non-issue: if she is getting sufficient attention and isn't bored, there won't be anything to bark at. If it's separation anxiety, the vet can help you work out what's best for her particular personality-behavior modification, anti-anxiety meds, pheromone spray/vaporizer or a combination of these may be needed. For separation anxiety/crate training, you start by putting her in the crate or wherever she will be when alone, and leave the house briefly-less than 5 minutes at first and slowly extend that time as she tolerates it. But you won't even know if that's the issue till you bring her home. Heat usually lasts 2-3 weeks, and I know it's hard to be patient but it is safer for her to have the surgery when she's not in heat.

Answer 5

Dont crate the dog, there is no to need unless it is destructive. If was alone alot and didnt do damage, it is probably going to be a fine pet without having to resort to a crate. (This dog has already spent a long time alone, dont make it worse with a crate)

Now, if you were alone alot, wouldnt you cry for help? THats what the dog was doing... you would holler if you were alone all the time too! LOL I am sure that since you are home alot, that the dog will give up the habit of barking when you arent there. If not, train the dog... DO NOT spray it in the face. That is not a good method. Learn good training methods, and I suggest you mirror the methods of Cesar Milan. He is an incredible dog trainer, and his book will cover barking... in fact, I saw an episode of his tv show that went over how to correct dogs who bark alot. You will need to use training methods that let the dog know you are the head dog, without being aggressive and mean. I know you will find the answers in Cesars book or on his tv show.
There are tons of good dog websites. One great interactive one is Dogster.com. Do a search on beagles, look at a number of different sites and save the ones that have the info you need. I bet Cesar has a website too.
Good luck with your beagle. My experience with them has been wonderful They are friendly, playful and loyal. They do need excecise, so be sure to set aside some time every day for play as well as training. That way you will have a healthy well balanced dog in mind as well as body, and that is so important. I have a small dog too, and they need to run and play. They also need good nutrition. I feed Merrick canned and Wellness dry food. The Wellness has small kibbles and the nutrition is made for smaller more active dogs. Merrick wet food is top quality. I mix a small amount in with the dry for protien balance. Do some research and I bet you will find all kinds of cool info on beagles, what they need and like, and how to change the barking habit.

Remember, that poor animal spent most of her life in solitary confinement without all the things a dog needs... they are pack animals. They need interaction and exercise. Make sure you can give her a better quality life. She deserves it, and in return, she will give you everything she has. Good luck!

Answer 6

Oh how wonderful of you to adopt an adult dog! Beagles are so funny.

I've never had a beagle, but I do know some people that had them, and have been to obedience classes with some other owner's of beagles.

They yodel when they bark. It can be very loud. There is no way to really stop it while you are gone. If she's not normally a barker, it could have been because she was bored, it felt good because there was nothing else to do. Also she could have been guarding her territory in a busy area.

You can distract her with a kong toy filled with dog food, or mixed with cheese wiz, or yogurt. When she likes playing with the kong and she can get the food out too easily....try freezing it before giving it to her.

When one of my dogs is outside and starts barking, I say "quiet". As soon as she stops barking and looks at me, I give her a little treat. Then I tell her to "sit" or "down" , and give her another little piece of treat. It interrupts the barking and gives them something else to do.

Yes you can crate train beagles....it's a good idea. That way you can have her someplace secure when traveling in a car, need to run to the store (maybe she destroy's houses), or can't watch her all the time (like for housetraining). Never use it for punnishment. You can feed her in it to get her used to it, and gently shut the door for a few seconds, working up to a few minutes. Try to let her out when she's calm (at least not making lots of noise).

Good luck and have fun!

Answer 7

After a while she'll realize you are not like her former owners. Her barking may be a call of boredom. Once she sees you are there 90% of the day her boredom will no longer be!
I personally do not think a crate is necessary...a simple collar & leash will do. Just bring a blanket she can be on in the car (in case she tinkles).
I do not think dogs are in heat that long....not sure on that one. I'm sure the shelter will know.
And I know for sure a daycare is not needed for 30 minutes! Sometimes they enjoy being home alone for a short time (resting time).
It sounds like you'll be great owners. Just remember patience, patience, patience.
Tip: Make sure your beagle gets to be out in fields, parks, anywhere she can run free & satisfy her nose with the many outdoor odors of things hunting dogs so thouroughly enjoy!
Best wishes! :)

Answer 8

Beagles will bark constantly for no reason and most times won't stop. They are really annoying for that reason. Also, if it has never been crated, then it would be a bad idea. She could turn mean or unsocial. And most females stay in heat for 4-6 weeks. Good luck on picking the right choice.

Answer 9

Well my dog barked all the time when he was alone so i got him chew toys and it worked for a little bit but then he got bored so this is what i did i GOT ANOTHER DOG then he stopped barking he seemed to like the other dog a lot so now he stops barking. You may want to get another dog soon since it is used to barking so much.

Answer 10

I've heard of dogs that were afraid to be left alone who become very anxious, whine & bark a lot when the new owners leave it behind, even with other animals. They purposely would leave, just for a minute at first. Each successive time they left, it was for a bit longer, until they could be gone for prolonged periods of time without the dog becoming unduly worried. It had become conditioned to feel secure that they would be coming back! You could do that. Another ploy may be to leave a radio on with human voices, within ear-shot of the dog. My dogs don't like when I leave, & won't eat what I've given them (as a 'parting gift') until I return. But, at least they have each other's company, while we're gone. Using the radio -- or perhaps a recording of your own voices -- may be even more important in your case.

Beagles are often good with other animals as well, including cats.
My beagle-mix years ago found a vigorous playmate in the kitten i took in when he was already several years old. I got them used to each other gradually, by waiting untill they were asleep, them placing them on the couch tog, first at opposite ends, but eventually back-to-back. That last time, they woke up & stared at each other for awhile, then began chasing each other in fun!
A companion that can't leave your dogs side, may or may not help with its seperation anxiety.

You may also like to consider ...

Pets--How Do You View Them? :
~ Animals--A Gift From God
~ Pets--Keeping a Balanced View of Them
~ Animals--A Pleasure Forever!
http://watchtower.org/library/g/2004/2/22a/article_01.htm

(This URL will likely change soon, whereafter the on-site Advanced Search at http://watchtower.org/search/search_e.htm will find the new URL.)