Australian Shepherd or Beagle?

Question

My family and I are looking into fostering, but we aren't sure what breeds to do. I think we have it narrowed down between a beagle and an Aussie (though, other suggestions would be great.) Heres some information on our living style:

There are two kids in the house; 12 and 14. We also have a dog, a 9 year old Cockapoo who gets along with any breed. =]
Momma goes to a summer college class (10 am - 3 pm) while daddy works from 4 am - noon. The teenage daughter (14) occassionally babysits but is only gone for 3 hours at a time. 12 year old son is usually home; so the dog wouldn't ever really be all alone. We've got a 3600 square foot house and a 1/8 acre backyard with a swimming pool and grass. There is also a 7 foot brick fence surrounding it. Because we live in Arizona, the heat is something to consider... especially since its summer. A dog that doesn't mind water would also help.

So; all this info. Which breed is for us?

Best Answer will be chosen on thoroughness. =] Thanks!

Thank you for the answers so far; but, which breed do you think fits better with our lifestyle?

Answer 1

I just happen to have one of each. So this is what I know about each:

With other dogs:
- Our beagle loves other dogs... especially our dog (a Shiba Inu, not the Aussie). They have become best friends and usually keep each other occupied during the day when we are not home.
- Our Aussie isn't as social with other dogs. He tolerates our other two, but dogs he doesn't know, he doesn't like.

Independence:
- A beagle would love that your family is usually home. If given a choice our beagle will sit on top of you because he feels the need just to be near you. Beagles are terrible guard dogs.
- Our Aussie also is social. He loves attention as well. He is protective though, so he barks a strangers.

Backyard:
- Beagle: your smallish backyard shouldn't be a problem for a beagle. They spend most of their time sniffing the parameter, rather than running it.
- Aussie: a small backyard might be a problem for an Aussie. They need A TON of exercise. If you get an Aussie you need to be willing to take it on many walks and playing with it all throughout the day. Our Aussie would get destructive when he was bored.

Your Pool:
- Beagle: Not water dogs. Don't expect one to want to play in the pool. However, might play in one of those blow-up pools.
- Aussie: Terrified of the water. Our Aussie hated our pool at my old house.

The Heat:
- Both dogs shouldn't be left out when really hot. We live in Northern California where it doesn't get nearly as hot as where you live and we still have to shave our Aussie. And it gets expensive throughout the summer.

Other Info:
- Beagles don't shed nearly as much as Aussies do. Expect to vacuum at least every other day with an Aussie.
- Beagles do bark a lot. It's more of a howl than a bark... so be prepared for that.
- Our Aussie listens better than our beagle. We can take our Aussie on a walk without a leash, but the beagle has to be on one. Beagles follow their noses and tend to block out other things when they are onto something interesting.

Overall: I think a Beagle would be best for you. The heat and your small yard might be a problem for an Aussie. Either one would be a great dog, so you are winning no matter which one you choose.

Answer 2

My only experience with an Australian Shepherd was one my neighbor had years ago. The dog was a pain, it was always running off. It was not a friendly dog. It seemed to shy away from everyone.
The Beagle is a great dog. I have a mutant Beagle, I mean he is twice as bit as he should be, 25" and about 40 lbs. He loves everyone. He is a very mellow house dog. He is the least noisy of my dogs, he is the last one to bark. But when he gets into it is a hound bay. All my dogs get along great.
I live in a area that can get pretty warm, they are predicting 102 for the 4th. I have a dog door so they can go out to do their thing and come back into the air conditioned house.
You mentioned you were open to other suggestions for a dog. Well, I am going to my dog that is even better than a Beagle. An APBT. They are the most friendly family dog you can find. There is very good reason they have been called the "nanny dog". I have seen mine sit by my baby grandson for more then a hour when he was about 3 weeks old. Now that my grandson is about a year old and my daughter comes over she will sit with him on her lap and the Pit will come over and put her head in his hand to let him play with her nose and ears. She just sits there and licks his hands and feet.
Despite all the bad press the best family dog is the APBT.
To tell you the truth when my grandson brought home the Pit puppy I was afraid. I had bought into all the media hype. Well it turns that she is the best dog I have every had!
Find an American Pitbull Terrier, you will not be sorry.

Answer 3

Wow, those are two very different dogs! Beagles and Aussies are about as polar in temperament as you can get. Beagles follow their noses. Aussies follow you. Beagles are advised not to be let off leash because of their background (which was to sniff prey and not relent until the prey had been captured). If they get a whiff, they can easily ignore you and run wherever the smell is. That's why both scent and sighthound breeds are advised not to be let off-lead. Aussies, on the other hand, were bred to work off-leash and in close proximity of humans. Therefore, they love to please and are generally easy to train. Beagles, on the other hand, are notorious for their adorable stubbornness. You have to remember that Beagles were bred to work in packs with little to no human interference. That's not to say they're not intelligent (they are!), but as a result, pleasing you is not a typical Beagle's main priority.

Additionally, Beagles and Aussies have different exercise requirements. Aussies THRIVE on rigorous exercise and mind games. Beagles are content to two daily walks a day, and, in general, they're not too go-hung about training. Aussies, like BCs, however, need jobs. This is why there are so many incredibly Aussies excelling in agility and flyball. Not to mention the size difference and grooming differences. What exactly were you looking for in a dog? If you wanted a high-energy dog that thrives on exercise and constant training, an aussie may be for you. However, if you want a loving, smaller, more independant dog, a Beagle may be for you. These two breeds are vastly different in size, temperament, exercise needs, training needs, and even grooming. Try visiting a couple representatives of each breed before deciding =)

Answer 4

My family has a beagle(13 yr male) and an Aussie (4yr female). Both are complete opposites. Beagles are not so bright, but a great family dog, however they do howl at times which may be a challenge. Their demeanor is excellent around children and other dogs. The beagle is relatively easy to maintain as they do not require alot of exercise or running, especially in the heat. Ours was raised in Maryland and then Southern California.
Our Aussie is very intelligent and very athletic, raised in southern California. She gets bored very easily and requires alot of training/ exercise. The aussie does think it needs to bark at everything walking in view (being a herding dog; protective). Having an aussie is alot like having another kid that you need to spend half your day with doing chores, putting things away, playing frisbee, flyball, running, flippping, etc...they love to show off tricks that you might not have taught them. Being intelligent also means that their is a higher chance of getting into trouble if not being monitored, ours will sneak into things if no one is around. Also, the female thought she was the alpha female of the house, so she required alot of positive reinforcement training and supervision to get out of that habit. Her dad was a sheep herding aussie. However, the aussie is a wonderful dog that is a fun challenge and loves to do stunts with you.
low maintenance=beagle
high maintenance=aussie
Good luck on your choice.

Answer 5

This is a good one for me to answer because I have BOTH! well sorta. I have two beagles and one border collie/australian shepherd mix. He's gorgeous!
Beagles are great dogs, they can be barkers though! They are very sweet natures and love to be with people all the time. Aussies are really good dogs to. they LOVE their owners and would do anything to please them. If not socialized enough they can be extremely timid and very unsure with strangers.
It depends on how much you want to spend socializing and working with them. Of course both are going to be a lot of work but I think the Aussies will be a little more because of their timid nature.BUUUUT, With my collie/aussie mix he was extremely timid when we found him... he was a failed foster dog. hehe. He's ours now, we couldn't give him up. We had to work so hard with him, We brought him to parks, dog parks, parties, family outtings when they were outside, and EVERYWHERE! now we couldn't ask for a better dog. And as for my beagles... they love EVERYONE! haha. And they were both rescue dogs.

I think any dog would be great to foster. I don't know how people can do it... obviously I tried.. and it didn't work. But I got a GREAT dog out of it. GOOD LUCK! Every dog has a different personality even if they are the same breed! :)

Answer 6

Beagle, it meats most of the requirements except the weather, beagles originally came from england, where it is pretty cold, they love the water, and also get along with dog and humans. They make pretty good watchdogs, and love to be around people. Furthermore beagles are really cute and adorable. They tend to get really excited though.

Answer 7

The australian Shepards are high energy dogs, but would def. protect your kids. If your son likes to play, these dogs are great. Oh, and both my aussies absoulutely love the water. Hope all is good! Take care!

Rachar

Answer 8

A mixed breed will never be beat. Adopt from the shelter. Your dream dog is probobly waiting in the shelter for someone to save him from a horrid death.