BEAGLE TEMPERAMENT AND PERSONALITY

What are the Pros of the Beagle's Temperament?

The Beagle is full of undeniably excellent qualities. If you’re looking for a specific quality in your dog, ask your breeder for advice. They should know all their puppies well and be able to direct you to the one that’s best for you. Also, keep in mind that the advice here is general to the breed and that every dog is unique! 

Gentle

One of the great strengths of the Beagle’s temperament is their extreme gentleness. Despite their boundless energy, these dogs are never aggressive and know how to channel their energy around fragile people or young children, with whom they get along wonderfully. This is one of the reasons Beagles make such amazing family pets.

Affectionate

The Beagle is an affectionate dog who seeks the presence and attention of its master. These doggies really love cuddles and kisses, and will never hesitate to come and show you affection.

Very Sociable

Beagles are never aggressive, not even with other dogs. These dogs love to play and exert themselves, and will never object to the presence of another playmate. Beagles are even sociable with strangers, although they have a keen sense of danger. Although, not the size for a great watchdog, this pooch is quite capable of barking to sound the alarm.

Athletic

Despite their small size, Beagles have plenty of energy and can run for hours on end without tiring. They enjoy all kinds of activities, such as canicross and bike-joring, and will gladly accompany you on jogs and hikes. You can also take your Beagle to participate in canine activities, such as agility or tracking, which is very popular with hunters.

Intelligent

Beagles are known for being very intelligent, with good reason. As hunting and working dogs, Beagles are very versatile. They are fairly obedient, although they do have a tendency to run ahead without listening. Beagles are also great at learning tricks thanks to their high intellectual capacity. This is another very useful quality for hunting.

What are the Cons of the Beagle's Temperament?

Like all dogs, Beagles also have a few flaws.

Barks a Lot

Beagles tend to bark a lot, which is very characteristic of the breed. As such, they make good alarm dogs, while not particularly suited to being watchdogs. However, this tendency to bark can be very problematic if you live in an apartment with your dog.

Hunting Instinct

The Beagle excels as a hunting dog and, more specifically, as a scent hound and pack dog. Thanks to their resilience and keen sense of smell, these doggies can stalk prey for hours. But this hunting instinct can make cohabitation with other pets more complicated, especially smaller exotic pets. Cats can also arouse your Beagle’s predatory instinct. Care must therefore be taken to socialise your dog to accept other companions.

Dependent

Beagles like to be close to their masters and don’t cope well with being alone. They need lots of attention and cuddles, without which they could quickly sink into depression. If you’re away from home regularly and can’t even come home on your lunch break, for example, this breed may not be suitable for you.

Stubborn

Beneath their friendly exterior, this little dog with a beautiful tricolour coat hides a strong will. Even as puppies, these dogs are particularly stubborn and, once they’ve set their mind to something, it can be difficult to get them to deviate from their path. This is more or less true for all hunting dogs. Beagles rely heavily on their acute sense of smell. Once they’ve sniffed a trail, they can follow it for hours without tiring and completely ignore their surroundings, including calls to come back from their master. So, you have to be firm with your pooch and not be fooled by their charming and sometimes sad puppy-dog eyes. Training your Beagle properly is essential for handling this flaw in their character.

Runaway

This follows on from the previous point. Because they hunt so efficiently, because they are very athletic and resilient, and because they are stubborn, Beagles will not hesitate to run off on a trail if the opportunity presents itself. Unfortunately, this situation can be particularly dangerous, because there is always the risk of an accident occurring, in particular a traffic accident. If you leave your Beagle alone in the garden, make sure it’s securely fenced. Also, avoid letting your pooch off the lead during walks, unless you’re in a secure area, like a dog park. This particular character flaw can seriously affect your Beagle’s life expectancy, as it makes them more vulnerable than most to accidents.

Greedy

Beagles are very greedy dogs ​​that will gobble up anything in their path. You must therefore be very careful not to spoil your dog too much at the risk of causing health issues. Beagles are prone to hypothyroidism, which promotes obesity.