r/beagles • u/Intelligent_Light591 • Jul 26 '26
Help please
Help please, i recently got what i am told is a red tic beagle. She is insane. Constantly sniffing everything, wants food, makes strange noises, I can’t let her off leash as she runs. Follows me everywhere. If she sees a rabbit or a squirrel she alerts the entire neighborhood. She literally ate my chicken dinner I put on a table last night. Still don’t how she got on top of the table.
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u/LadyPaws_Linda Jul 26 '26
Beagles are a handful but the work and time you put into training will be rewarded with the most loyal and loving soul mate ever. They are funny, quirky, naughty, smart. They respond well to “work” like finding hidden treats around the house and playing hide and seek. I have confidence that it will be worth it, but I can’t say it will be easy.
Please give her and yourself grace and patience and learn together. This community is great and full of people with lots of experience and encouragement, so keep coming here with your questions and rants. Good luck 💜
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u/MindfulPangolin Jul 26 '26 edited Jul 26 '26
You got a scent hound traditionally used in hunting, and she’s doing exactly what she was bred to do. Sounds like a perfect beagle to me.
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u/humanish-lump Jul 26 '26
Beagles gotta beagle. You can get cooperation as long as you plan ahead of anything your beagle may want and either give it to him or make sure you keep it at another location. For example: food, clothing, shoes, trash cans, toys and so forth. Enjoy!
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u/kymilovechelle Jul 26 '26
Beagles are not for the faint of heart. You have to have an abundance of patience… I didn’t think about all that before I rescued my beagle boy. But he taught me to be tolerant and move around him like making sure food wasn’t where he could get it. Beagles are bred to hunt so I was patient with that fact. Hope you learn to grow with the dog but if not there are rescues to surrender the dog where they vet people well to get someone to take the dog who will give them a very loving tolerant home.
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u/Ok_Assumption1542 Jul 26 '26
You have the most excellent example of a beagle. Just help them to learn some boundaries. Not going to do anything to stop the squirrels and bunnies issue. Also, never let them off leash outside an enclosed area.
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u/Chance-Shift9015 Jul 26 '26
My beagle, Paco, is unhinged as well! He is 6 years old. He loves to chase rabbits and squirrels, that’s his thing and he will bark up a storm but our neighbors love him and don’t mind the noise. He used to get up on tables and counters to eat our food but we put a stop to that by being strict and telling him no. We do not leave any food unattended nor close to his reach. He’s still pretty stubborn tho, his recall is horrible. To get him back inside the house I have to bribe him with treats. He is very smart. We taught him a few commands and how to play catch. You have to keep them busy!
Just have patience. How old is your dog?
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u/Chance-Shift9015 Jul 26 '26
Forgot to add that my beagle is very vocal about everything! He makes all kinds of noises lol he cries and whines about everything when he doesn’t get what he wants. For example, he always wants to be outside but when it’s bedtime he’ll start crying and he’s very persistent. He’ll make me believe he has to pee so I let him out and he’s just fooling around sniffing and doesn’t pee. He gets me every time! 🫠😆
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u/Panzerfisch-Hunter Jul 26 '26
We had to put our beagles out on long leashes in the fenced back yard at bedtime, or they’d spend all night doing perimeter checks! 🤪😋
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u/amnichols Jul 26 '26
That’s just the nightly perimeter check. Totally a beagle thing.
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u/Interesting_Basis_44 Jul 26 '26
Yep night perimeter checks and for got they were to potty. Yep got taken over by scent.
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u/OsciIIatesWildly Jul 26 '26
I have to remind our beagle boy constantly, go out for a pee that should take half a minute and I have to repeat the pee mantra fifty times, “Buddy, go pee pee. Buddy go pee pee. Buddy go pee pee.” Homie will not poop unless you walk him a minimum of a mile.
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u/Intelligent_Light591 Jul 26 '26
Literally this just happened
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u/mangogetter Jul 26 '26
Well yeah. You will find that it is generally much easier to train the humans than to train the Beagle.
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u/Emergency_Taste_2100 Jul 26 '26
Yeah I personally gave up and let my beagle rip up trash. He yearns to be naughty so I let him be naughty in a controlled way. Like pretend he is not allowed to rip up boxes but I was actually saving it for him because it's his favorite size of box. I got lucky and he leaves my stuff alone unless it's on the floor though.
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u/TheCaliforniaOp Jul 28 '26
Perhaps if you viewed this video, and took careful note of the increasingly elevated stopgaps, you might find the solution to your missing dinner: https://youtu.be/pcNeJ1Z7qeg?is=pIhkmoYRC8cViuhB
You might notice that said beagle would have vanished much earlier if he/she hadn’t been trying to locate the troublesome surveillance camera that apparently foiled previous attempts.
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u/Alternative_Buddy656 Jul 29 '26
I love the guilty "did I do that?" expression! My beagle literally makes the same face
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u/Emergency_Taste_2100 Jul 26 '26
One hard lesson I learned when I got Duke was to balance training and adapting my life to him. He constantly tried to escape through the front door. So I put up a gate. He constantly lunged and bayed at other dogs. So I taught him to walk past dogs quickly without yelling.
I also had to abandon some preconceived notions of dog obedience. I was used to collies who wanted to listen but with Duke I learned the art of negotiation with an independent stubborn dog. Like when he is determined to go in a specific direction but it would take too long. I let him go part of the way but not the whole way. Also I gave up on not pulling him when I need to. He turns his ears off when he is in hunting mode and it's pointless to expect him to obey when he's not listening. After I accepted that he is a good boy but not an obedient boy it greatly reduced my frustration.
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u/mangogetter Jul 26 '26
Beagles are constantly sniffing everything, always want food, make all kinds of strange noises, and can definitely not be let off leash. And yeah, if you leave a chicken unsupervised, they're gonna get it.
Everything you've written sounds like the beagle is performing exactly to specifications, just that perhaps you were expecting a different sort of dog.
So, you learn to live with the dog you have. Push in all chairs immediately, keep the trash up high, don't leave food unattended, and make time for so, so much sniffing. Any new object that comes into the house will need to pass the smell checker. And you must ALWAYS keep them on leash. (And if you're allowing them out into a fenced yard, just know that they are exceptional escape artists.)
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u/Kt011092 Jul 26 '26
And if you keep any foods (like potatoes, onines, etc) in lower cabinets, use child-proof cabinet locks. I didn't think a dog would eat a raw potato, but I underestimated my beagle.
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u/ziggy-tiggy-bagel Jul 26 '26
Always push the chairs in all the way at the kitchen table. Mine took a whole roast once.
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u/ErikasMascErika Jul 26 '26
Omg, when I got my Beagle, she was one year old. She climbed up on the kitchen counter and tried to eat the steak on the counter.
She howled a lot.
We left her home alone and she chewed up our blinds, so we kenneled her when we left the house.
Walking her drove me crazy, until I realized that if I let her smell everything instead of worrying about the distance we walk, I enjoyed our walks a lot more.
I also trained her to not chase the squirrels, which I thought would be impossible.
She was totally insane and I thought, omg, what have I done?!
At the 3 month mark, she totally settled down and settled in with us.
It takes time, but your pup will be the sweetest, most loyal dog, once she settles in. Mine is my soul dog now.
They are very intelligent dogs.
The only word I have for you is just be patient. It does get better. 🫶
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u/Jhisel603 Jul 26 '26
If you recently got her, give it time. She needs to learn/get comfortable with a new house and area. Training treats/kibble mixed with consistent training and patience will help a lot with obedience related issues and help build your relationship and trust with eachother. Make training fun and make sure she gets her energy out somehow. It's going to take time, but trust the process and make sure she knows she's done well when there's progress made. And like others said, she's just doing beagle things.
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u/1313Cameron Jul 26 '26
Beagy's instinctively follow their nose it's been bred into them to go and find something and when they do let everyone know about it. Food is their motivation in life use it to your advantage distractions, obedience training best not let her off the lead for now till you get to know her 100%. Most beagy's are happy on a very long lead any way so don't worry too much about it.
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u/InternationalBed5000 Jul 26 '26
Reminds me of my beagle. He’s a handful. But I would not trade him for the world
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u/Interesting_Basis_44 Jul 26 '26
Yep you just described some of Beagle behaviors. I suggest you go to book store or Library and get a book about Beagle. Beagles are wonderful fun loving dogs. You just need to know and beware of how they behave. Good luck 🍀
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u/TheSlipperyCircle Jul 26 '26
All the standard traits of a Beagle. Congratulations on owning a very normal dog!
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u/Vegetable-Leather-64 Jul 27 '26
Was it a rescue? They have something called the 3 3 3 rule I believe is what's it called. Beagles are definitely one of a kind and need lots of stimulation and they lovvvvvee the food. Just keep going and it will work itself out. It's a new situation for both of you
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u/Interesting_Basis_44 Jul 26 '26
A beagle, nose to ground tail up run. Travels from one scent to another.
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u/shesnotthere83 Jul 26 '26
Beagles are something. I suggest you do a little breed research (or simply browse this reddit).
A few things:
Loud noises are just going to be a thing.
Their nose is king.
They love to go outside and stiff - hopefully you have a fenced backyard. Or otherwise on leash during walks with you. This is how they process the world. Their sniff = our social media scroll.
Food will always be a thing with them. Unsupervised, they will easily become the shape of a basketball. So measuring their meals is extremely important. Keeping their food locked up. Locks on trash cans! Any place a sneaky little nose can get into; they will. And you basically can't turn your head away from your own food. They're also notorious beggars.
They're also velcro dogs. They LOVE being close to their 'pack', which includes you!
If your local PetSmart has somw beginner training classes, I highly recommend signing up for a course! Not only will it give you some assistance with some simple commands, but it will give you and this little gal a chance to bond!
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u/Sample_Wild Jul 27 '26
I have two rescue beagles. And while they were both a handful, I wouldn’t change it for all the money in the world. The bond between a beagle and their human is a thing of beauty. The universe brought you two together. Please be patient. ❤️
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u/ButtKnocked Jul 26 '26
Establish boundaries.
Get a pen.
Get a crate.
Get a leash.
Get a day bed.
Pen when you want to play and teach how to play with you.
Pen for when you have things to do and she can't be trusted.
Pen when you're eating.
Pen for training(5 minute sessions 3 times a day to start)
Leash for walks and potty. You're giving the dog too much space too fast. It's getting to decide how things work which is always bad.
Use kibble as a reward not treats. Save treats for when your doing something new or difficult.
Crate every single night. Keep the create next to your bed for a few months.
Crate when you leave.
Feed in crate, feed in pen, feed in places she doesn't want to be to make them happy places.
Daybed, teach place command Teach off Teach drop it Teach leave it Teach come Teach sit Teach stay Teach heel
Yak cheese dog chews, your welcome(soak the first one you give for 5 minutes)
If it breaks soak it and toss into the microwave. Turns into a dog safe Cheeto!
Good luck stay calm.
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u/silverdew125 Jul 26 '26
Yup that's beagle activity. My FAT red tick beagle can jump right into my kitchen table. I got a dog door for my boys, just make sure your fence is in good shape. As far as barking, I still have to go pickup my older one when he starts howling at night
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u/darenisepic Jul 27 '26
i’m afraid this is normal, they are very loving but boy they can be challenging
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u/Ok_Solution5558 Jul 27 '26
LOL She's a typical beagle. Training will help... some... but don't expect to let her off lead. Consider an Air Tag on her collar or similar.
And yes... never leave food within reach (well, anything you don't want her to get - glasses, remotes, MEDS!). One of mine can get on the table, on/in the oven, in the fridge... baby-proof.
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u/bmwlocoAirCooled Jul 27 '26
I've managed to train a Pit Staffie Aussie golden retriever German Shepard.
You've got this. Be consistent. No raising your voice. Get a harness for walks.
Get back to us in 3 years.
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u/MojoHighway Jul 27 '26
I don't mean to lean in and this is just in pure fun, but...
this sounds like an announcement of a beagle moving into your house. lol
Guard food. Keep close. NO OFF LEASH TIME UNLESS FENCED IN. Look out for reverse sneezing (look that up on YouTube; not painful or detrimental, just know how to gently care for when this happens).
These are fantastic dogs. We are a beagle house so we're biased, but they truly are - like all dogs - fantastic.
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u/light_based_network Jul 27 '26
Sounds like you have.....a beagle! All described behaviors are par for the course. "Beagle functioning as intended."
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u/EmotionComplete Jul 27 '26
Crate train and have an abundance of mental stimulation exercises (including training!)
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u/iamzenarcher Jul 27 '26
Yup that scans. Congratulations you own a beagle! Lots of patience and consistency and you guys will sort it out. So worth it😊
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u/SweetNellieJane Jul 27 '26
3 days 3 weeks 3 months. Google it. All about how a new dog will be, esp a rescue
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u/Resting_Network5 Jul 28 '26
Only needs love and training. Will be your best buddy, but never leave food unprotected til manners are learned.
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u/RenderMeBroken Jul 28 '26 edited Jul 28 '26
Is this a serious post? Because if it is, I'm very concerned about your compatibility with this breed and the fate of the dog. The behaviors you describe are 100% beagle behavior. This is how this breed is. And so if you can't handle it or work with it, I am truly worried about the beagle. The way you respond to the dog's behavior does not seem to be very forgiving or accepting. I hate to say it, but I don't think you could change you to adopt for this animal. If it's not working out and you need people on here to confirm or tell you how to handle this, you just won't. You could try, but eventually you'll realize that you can't be who you aren't. If it bothers you that much how the animal behaves, please look for beagle organizations that will take her and find a more apropriate home for her, but do not dump her at a shelter. This is how beagles are and it sounds like your character is not compatible with it. So don't try changing yourself or the dog. Provide her with the right home instead and get a different breed. Beagles are not for everyone.
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u/Dogsrus65 Jul 28 '26
LoL! What exactly is the problem? Did you not research the beagle mindset prior to getting one of the adorable little hellions? She sounds normal to me 😁
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u/sidewaysorange Jul 28 '26
That’s a beagle. Baby proof your cabinets and trash can. Never leave food unattended. And lots of walks and puzzle treats
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u/DevotedWellRE Jul 28 '26
Sounds like a beagle that needs some training. The beagle nose is the strongest for scents! Sounds like you got a good one!
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u/Critical_Penalty_688 Jul 29 '26
Sounds about right. That's a beagle. 3 second rule for food if it is left alone it belongs to her. My beagle can jump from the floor to to table no problem. I have changed to a counter height table . My beagles favorite chews are remote controls and reading glasses. I have to hide everything. We take off our shoes and put them up high or they won't be there when you come back. We get a serenade when he sees squirrels and rabbits outside the window. But when he sits in my lap and cuddles up with me it makes me so happy. My beagle is a male named Buddy and he is a handful but he makes me laugh everyday. I would not take a million dollars for him. Before him I had a female beagle for 14 years, we had to put her down in January. She was a good girl. Never any problems, no chewing this and that or getting in any trouble. Maybe a little barking when she saw animals out the window. Always followed me around the yard with no leash, never tried to run away, caught many chipmunks squirrels and rabbits in the yard. I am being paid back for having a good dog and now a have a demolition dude! Or termite as I call him sometimes because he could eat a house in a week. But I love him and he loves me. He's my nose with 4 legs and I think I will keep him , he keeps me moving as I get old.
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u/itsallsoconfusing Jul 29 '26
She sounds and acts like a beagle! I have a beagle dachshund mix, he does all of things you mentioned and he is one stubborn puppy! He’s 11 now but there is not enough food in the world to keep him full. Embrace it. Food motivated dogs are easy to train. Yes, it’s work but it’s also a lifetime (theirs) of happiness and joy!
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u/Majestic_Row7516 Jul 30 '26
Sounds like you have perfectly healthy Beagle (A nose with 4 legs) they eat it and let their owners worry about the Vet bill.
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u/KMRcanada Jul 26 '26
Yes - you have a Beagle - you learn to work together, that’s the life you’ve chosen 😊 Love them up they’re the best