How to Take Care of a Beagle Puppy

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Beagle dogs can be delightful pets but they do require a lot of training and care. Beagles are descended from working dogs, whose purpose was to hunt. This means they have a hard-wired instinct to run, sniff, and generally be active all day. Before you adopt a beagle puppy you need to be sure you can deal with their high level of energy. [1] Taking good care of a beagle puppy means you must commit to the giving the pup the exercise, attention, and mental stimulation that a beagle needs, in addition to the basic care every puppy needs.

Part 1
Part 1 of 7:

Preparing to Bring a Puppy Home

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  1. Keep in mind that a beagle is a hunting dog. When you understand how a beagle's mind works you can then make sure you put everything in place to satisfy your puppy's needs (mental and physical) so they grow up into a well-adjusted, content, and fulfilled adult dog. [2]
    • For example, a beagle's hunting instincts means they are hugely inquisitive and will have their nose into everything whether it's their business or not.
  2. Before bringing your puppy home, you should always make sure your house is "puppy proof." Pick up any garbage on the floor, personal items, food that is not for puppies or dogs, and other object that your puppy can swallow and/or choke on. Basically, it's essential to puppy proof the house because anything that isn't tidied away out of reach will be explored by the puppy's mouth and teeth.
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  3. If you can't bring the puppy home right away, visit it often so that it will become comfortable around you. Many breeders will allow this, as it is good to get the puppy acclimated to you.
    • Clearly this depends greatly on where and who you are adopting the puppy from. If you are adopting a puppy from a pound, for example, you should take it home as soon as the animal shelter allows. If, on the other hand, you are adopting the puppy from a purpose breeder, you should pick up the puppy once the breeder recommends.
  4. 4
    Set up a vet. Find a vet near you with good reviews who treats household pets (as opposed to exotics or livestock) and call them to set up an appointment for its vaccinations and to be microchipped if the breeder or rescue did not do this already.
  5. Before bringing home a puppy you will need to get a lot of supplies. Here is a list to get you started:
    • Food and water bowls: Bowls should preferably be stainless steel or ceramic, as these can be put in a dishwasher and the surface is easy to keep hygienically clean.
    • A dog bed: The bed should be soft and snuggly, to help puppy feel safe. Choose one with a washable cover and consider getting two beds, so you can have one in the wash and one for puppy.
    • Puppy pads: These are disposable absorbable pads that are useful for the inevitable toilet training accidents.
    • Disinfectant and household gloves: These can be used for cleaning up after accidents. Choose an enzymatic cleaner and avoid those containing bleach or ammonia as this can amplify the scent of urine and inadvertently attract puppy back to that spot [3]
    • A crate: Choose a crate that allows the beagle to stand up and lie with its legs outstretched. If the adult-sized crate is too big, devise a barrier to partition the crate to make it the correct size for the puppy. Make sure the crate will be big enough for the beagle to grow into as an adult. [4]
    • A collar and tag. Get a nylon collar and metal tag. If possible, get the tag engraved with the dog's name and your phone number(s) in case the dog gets lost. Start using a collar at 6 months of age at the latest. Remember when sizing the collar that puppies will grow, but don't be afraid to get new collars over time. Buy a flat-buckle collar to wear all the time. Many other types of collar are unsafe for a puppy to wear all the time.
    • Harness and leash: It is great to get your puppy used to these from the start. They also help control the dog in the yard, so it doesn't run off when you are trying to toilet train it.
    • Toys: Beagle puppies are avid chewers, so make sure all toys are certified as safe. Check toys regularly to see if they are damaged and discard if necessary. Remember stuffing, a toy's eye or nose, or even the squeaker inside could potentially cause a bowel obstruction if swallowed, so make sure to monitor your pup around toys with these things. Stuffed toys for your dog should never have plastic components (except a squeaker).
    • Puppy treats: Make sure you get some soft and some crunchy treats. Different dogs and people like using different types of treats while grooming, training, or walking.
    • Puppy food: Make sure you get the food it has already been eating if at all possible. Ask the breeder or shelter the exact food. If they give you a bag of food with your puppy, use that brand.
    • Dental chews: These are specialized to clean dog's teeth without brushing. They come in enticing flavors for a dog. Monitor your dog when you give them dental chews until they finish them. Do not try to take away dental chews unless you have to.
    • Basic grooming tools: Get a bristle brush, comb, rubber gloves, nail clippers, dog shampoo, dog conditioner, dog toothpaste, toothbrush, and towels. Watch videos online or talk to a friend who owns a dog to learn to properly use each tool.
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Part 2
Part 2 of 7:

Bringing Your Puppy Home

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  1. This is the place where you want it go to the bathroom. Pop the pup on the toilet spot and if it happens to squat down. If it does, give it lots of praise and a treat so that the puppy begins to associate that spot with the right place to go to the toilet. [5] [6]
    • Walk your puppy around its new yard, and neighborhood before going inside. This will get it associated with the area and define its new territory. [7]
  2. Don't go crazy and shower it will love just yet. You need to give it time to adjust to its new home. Have any kids sit quietly and let the puppy go to them, so that it doesn't feel overwhelmed. Remember to keep a close eye on the puppy and at the first sign of it sniffing to toilet pop it outside on the toilet spot, and reward it for going. [8]
  3. Many puppies will not walk nicely on a leash, and this is okay for day one. Show it around the areas of the house it will be allowed in. This way the puppy will feel more comfortable knowing where everything is. [9]
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Part 3
Part 3 of 7:

Feeding Your Beagle Puppy

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  1. This is so it can eat something familiar that its system is used to digesting. Make a gradual change over to the food you select, once the puppy has had one or two days to get used to its new home. [10]
    • To make this change add in a little of the new food (say ¼) and cut down on its previous diet (to ¾). Over 2 - 3 days further increase the amount of new food as you wean the puppy off the original diet. This gives the bugs in its tummy a chance to change over so that it doesn't get diarrhea because of a sudden change of food.
  2. Examine the label on the food packaging and check that a named meat, such as chicken, beef, or lamb, heads the list. This means the main ingredient is that named meat and is an indication of quality. Avoid foods which list cereals as the main ingredient.
    • Once puppy is a year old switch it onto adult food.
    • Do not change your puppy's food without consulting a vet if she's showing signs of stomach problems such as diarrhea, vomiting, loose stools, bloody stools, not eating, or general discomfort. This can make the problem worse.
  3. For a puppy under 12 weeks of age feed the recommended quantity of food (as per the pack instructions) divided into 4 meals spaced over the day. For a puppy aged 3 - 6 months divide his daily allowance into 3 meals. For six months or over feed 2 meals a day.
    • Once the puppy is one year old you have the option of feeding it just once a day.
  4. Remember that beagles are exceptionally greedy. The beagle has no concept of when it is full, so don't give into that appealing expression and give it extra food. Only use one treat when rewarding your beagle because one treat is equal to a handful for them.
    • Obesity in dogs can decrease their lifespan by 1-2 years. Make a plan with your vet if your beagle starts to gain weight.
    • Make sure all food is kept out of reach and in a sealed container, because your puppy will relish the challenge of finding a way to break into a food bin. [11]
    • However, the good news is that beagles are highly motivated by food which gives you an excellent training tool.
  5. Be aware that after your puppy has eaten, approximately 10 - 20 minutes later, it will get the urge to "get busy." [12] Put the puppy outside after a meal and remember to stay with it so that you are there to praise it when it goes.
  6. Wash your puppy's food bowls daily with warm water and a little dish soap, or throw them in the dishwasher if they're stainless steel. Wash them every month or so. Washing food bowls prevents illness, keeps harmful bacteria from growing, and makes each mealtime more enjoyable.
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Part 4
Part 4 of 7:

Exercising your Beagle Puppy

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  1. Beagles are energetic dogs that need plenty of exercise but be gentle with your growing dog's joints. The growing joint is more vulnerable to injury. To avoid this, much like an athlete warms up before a race, walk your puppy for 5 minutes before playing games of chase or fetch with it. [13]
  2. A good rule of thumb is never to exercise your puppy past the point where it drags itself along, or when you can see drool on it tongue. If its muscles are tired, the puppy will stop supporting the joints. This is when it is most likely to injure its joints. If the puppy still has a spring in its step then you are OK.
    • Be wary of overexerting your beagle until the puppy has reached its adult size, at 12 - 18 months of age.
  3. Any more will make it too tired and may hurt its joints. Exercise the puppy additionally by playing fetch or tugging on toys.
    • Spend as much time as you can with your puppy. It won't be little for long, so take advantage of this time by playing and exercising with the puppy on a regular basis.
  4. Your beagle puppy will not exercise itself as well as if you get involved with it. Also, beagles love to wander and explore by themselves. This means that an unattended beagle in the yard may worm its way through or under a fence and go exploring. They are first class diggers and climbers so never assume your fence is secure. [14]
    • If your puppy truly can't escape be aware that frustration may cause the pup to bay or howl. Your best bet to prevent this is plenty of exercise and mental stimulation so that it is contentedly tired and doesn't feel bored or frustrated.
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Part 5
Part 5 of 7:

Training Your Beagle Puppy

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  1. The beagle's temperament makes it important to start training early so that it learns to listen to you. Incorporate training into everyday activities, such as getting the puppy to sit before putting its food down or putting its leash on. Keep actual training sessions short when puppy is very young, just 5 - 10 minutes when it is less than four months old.
  2. Don't punish your puppy. It will only associate the punishment with you (and become wary of you) rather than what it did wrong. Instead, give rewards when the puppy does something right. Be sure to give your puppy lots of love, attention and gentle guidance about good behavior.
  3. This will make your dog more enjoyable to be around in the long term. Begin by teaching your dog to sit. Then begin training the puppy to come when called and to stay on command. You will also want to start potty training the puppy the day you get it.
  4. Otherwise, every time you get in the car it might think it is going to the vet. Then, the puppy will start whining and you will get frustrated. A puppy who is not used to the car may also get carsick.
  5. Bring it to a postive-reinforcement puppy obedience class once a week. This will help the dog learn how to act around unfamiliar dogs and people.
    • However, don't expose your puppy to other dogs before it receives its vaccinations.
    • Be sure to expose your dog to people with beards, hats, umbrellas, babies, wheelchairs, ect. This will make it more friendly to people you meet in the future.
  6. The puppy with have a natural instinct to feel safe in a den and the crate becomes its go-to place to take time out and feel safe. Start by putting a blanket in the crate that smells of the puppy's mother, and hide treats in the crate so that the puppy willingly goes and associates it with good things.
    • Feed the puppy in the crate, especially if you have other dogs who might steal the beagle's food. At first feed with the door open. Once the pup goes in of its own accord, shut the door for a few seconds, open the door, and then praise the pup afterwards for being so good. Gradually build up the amount of time the door stays shut until you can leave the puppy for up to four hours at a time and it won't get distressed. [15]
    • Leave a radio or the TV on for your puppy when not at home. This will make him feel safer.
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Part 6
Part 6 of 7:

Caring For Your Puppy's Health

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  1. Schedule vet appointments for the proper vaccinations starting at 6-8 weeks of age. Your veterinarian will advise you about specific disease risks in your area and which diseases to vaccinate puppy against.
    • Discuss desexing (spaying or neutering) with your vet so you can decide on what's best for your dog.
  2. It's important to take your puppy to the vet regularly so that any problems can be spotted early. Caring for your puppy also means giving regular preventative healthcare treatments, such as heartworm, flea, and tick medications.
  3. Bring treats with you so you can give them to the puppy while you are there. If you take your puppy to the vet from an early age, it will get more used to the situation. If the vet in running late, you can walk into the vet office, praise with a happy voice, giving your puppy a treat, then walk back out several times.
  4. This is a quick injection that inserts a small microchip into the skin. Each chip has a unique ID number which is registered against your details and is proof of ownership. This is especially appropriate for a beagle because if he escapes and goes walkabout, when he is handed into a dog pound they can scan the chip, find out who he belongs to and reunite you.
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Part 7
Part 7 of 7:

Grooming Your Beagle Puppy

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  1. Use a bristle brush to remove shed hair and make its coat shine. Include a dog-toothbrush and toothpaste in your grooming tools so that you can get the pup used to having its teeth brushed right away.
  2. Clean its eyes daily to prevent infections and tear stains. Even breeds without white coats can get tear stains and inflammation of the skin around the eye. Clean ears bi-weekly to prevent wax and stink.
  3. Be careful to keep water temperature not too warm, and do not bathe your puppy too frequently. Frequent bathing will dry out its skin. Bathe in a bathtub or with a shower wand, as water from a hose can often be stagnant and breed bacteria.
    • Use a mild shampoo, such as a moisturizing oatmeal shampoo. Never use products designed for human use, as the pH of dog skin differs and the human shampoo will have an excessively drying effect.
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    How do I clean a puppy's ears?
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    Go to your local pet store and ask for ear cleaning solutions. It is best to use them to clean your puppy's ears, so as to make sure that what you are using is harmless.
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    How energetic is a puppy beagle?
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    All puppies are energetic, but beagles are known for having an extreme amount of energy. Whenever they calm down, use the time to teach them to sit, look, and come.
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    How do I clean a beagle's eyes?
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    Use a paper towel with a little lukewarm water added, then softly wipe the eye "boogers."
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      • Don't feed your puppy/dog chicken bones (or any kind of raw bone) because it may break and the dog will choke. Only buy bones from your local pet shop, which are designed not to be a choking hazard.
      • Spend as much time as possible with your puppy so they do not become lonely and restless. Otherwise, they might act in a bad way to gain attention.
      • Make sure you don't overfeed them because they might think you're making them eat all of it. Puppies don't know when to stop eating.
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      Warnings

      • Do not leave anything lying around that your puppy could choke on.
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      • Do not train your puppy too late. It may become a HUGE problem if trained later. Start earlier!
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      • You should not buy a puppy younger than seven weeks old, as it should not be separated from its mother before that age.
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      References

      1. ↑ http://www.yourpurebredpuppy.com/reviews/beagles.html
      2. ↑ http://www.yourpurebredpuppy.com/reviews/beagles.html
      3. ↑ David Levin. Professional Dog Walker & Trainer. Expert Interview. 19 December 2019.
      4. ↑ David Levin. Professional Dog Walker & Trainer. Expert Interview. 19 December 2019.
      5. ↑ David Levin. Professional Dog Walker & Trainer. Expert Interview. 19 December 2019.
      6. ↑ The Happy Puppy Handbook. Pippa Mattinson. Ebury Press
      7. ↑ https://www.cesarsway.com/cesar-millan/cesars-blog/8-essential-steps
      8. ↑ The Happy Puppy Handbook. Pippa Mattinson. Ebury Press
      9. ↑ https://www.cesarsway.com/cesar-millan/cesars-blog/8-essential-steps
      1. ↑ The Happy Puppy Handbook. Pippa Mattinson. Ebury Press
      2. ↑ https://www.beaglepro.com/beagle-temperament
      3. ↑ David Levin. Professional Dog Walker & Trainer. Expert Interview. 19 December 2019.
      4. ↑ https://www.beaglepro.com/beagle-temperament
      5. ↑ http://www.yourpurebredpuppy.com/reviews/beagles.html
      6. ↑ The Happy Puppy Handbook. Pippa Mattinson. Ebury Press

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      To take care of a beagle puppy, feed it a dog food that’s labeled either “Growth” or “Puppy” to ensure your new beagle gets the calcium and protein it needs to grow. When the puppy is under 12 weeks of age, divide its food into 4 meals a day, then reduce this to 3 meals from 3 to 6 months, and 2 meals after that. Beagles are very energetic dogs, so walk your puppy for at least 5 minutes once or twice a day, and increase this as it gets older. For tips from our veterinary reviewer on training your beagle, read on!

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