Are Beagles lazy or energetic

Beagle Behavior by Age (What Changes to Expect)

You might have seen beagles who are very calm and gentle, and obedient. On the other hand, your beagle puppy is naughty and mischievous.

Well, theres nothing to worry about. The behavior of beagles changes by their age. You can expect different behavior at different stages of their life:

Beagles are super energetic and playful in their puppyhood. Between their adolescent age of 6 to 12 months, their behavior can be unpredictable and less obedient. They are relatively calm in their adult age, and they become slow and lazy in their senior years.

Further, we will have a deeper understanding of the behavior changes of Beagles as per their age.

Beagle Behavior at 0-2 Weeks

Beagles at this age are a newborn. They wont be doing much apart from sleeping and eating.

The eyes of the newborns remain closed in the first two weeks. They wont be able to see anything. Apart from that, at this age, they are deaf too. They will hardly react to anything.

Beagle Behavior at 2-4 Weeks

They will finally open their eyes, and over the weeks, their vision will become clearer. They will also be able to hear you now.

They will stick around their mother and still spend most of their time sleeping. By the 4th week, they may crawl and try to explore their environment.

Beagle Behavior at 4-8 weeks

Over these weeks, all their senses of hearing, smelling, and seeing will develop. But make sure not to expose them to strong light and loud noises just yet.

They will be even more curious. They would want to explore their surroundings, smell things and listen to different sounds.

They will still spend most of the time sleeping. But while awake, expect them to be playful and mischievous with their siblings and mother.

The latter part of this stage is very important. This is the time when they will learn basic socialization skills from their mother and siblings. So make sure not to separate your pup from its family.

Beagle Behavior at 8-12 weeks

At this stage, beagle puppies are ready to go to their new home with their new family.

They will have a better sense of hearing and will be able to understand few commands. However, they are still fearful at this age, so do not expose them to loud music or sounds.

They will be much more curious to explore their new home. They may go to different rooms and smell things around the house.

They will sleep for more than 18 hours a day, but they will be curious and playful when they are awake.

Beagle Behavior at 3-6 months old

At this age, you will get to see your puppys true energy level. They will be running around all over the house, chewing on things, and even biting you.

They will test their boundaries to see how far they can push you. For instance, they may bark for a longer period until they get something. They may even bite you when things dont go their way.

When Groot was at this stage, I almost thought my beagle is aggressive and totally out of control. But, the Groot(2 years old) that we know now is a very well-behaved, gentle, and obedient dog.

This is the right time to start with your beagles obedient training. Consistent training using positive reinforcement will help you shape your beagle into a perfect companion.

Later in this stage, they may also attempt to dominate you and become alpha themselves. So make sure to teach them the proper hierarchy of your family. They need to understand that they are a part of your family, but they are at the bottom of the hierarchy.

Beagle Behavior at 6 to 12 months old

Its all uphill from here. Your beagle will start becoming calmer with every passing day. All their bad behaviors will start fading down. With consistent training and positive reinforcements, the pup will be much more obedient.

Your beagle will still try to test their boundaries now and then. You will often find them chewing on furniture or notice other destructive behaviors.

So it is crucial to train them regularly and correct their behaviors using positive reinforcements.

Nevertheless, they will still be hyperactive and equally curious about everything. They will still have a strong urge to explore new places and smell different scents.

Male beagles may get into a habit of humping things or even people. You can read more about why do beagle puppies hump here.

Beagle Behavior at 1-2 years old

Your beagle is no more a puppy now, he or she has become an adult. Their growth rate will slow down, but they will continue to grow until 18 months old.

They will be less curious and more mature at this age. At this stage, you will get to know the true personality of your beagle. You will be able to see their love and affection for you.

They will have slightly better control over their impulses and excitement. You will notice that your training has finally paid off.

Your beagle will be much more disciplined and well-behaved.However, you must continue with their training.

They may show destructive behavior if you dont provide them enough exercise. So take them out on long walks daily and play with them.

Beagle Behavior at 2-9 years old

Your beagle will become much calmer and obedient when they turn 2. They will be in the best form of their life.

You will get to see a totally different side of your dog, and you will love it.

There will be a deep connection between you two. You both will have a better understanding of each other.

Beagle Behavior at 9 15 years old

At this age, the senior years of your beagle start. They will still be loving and affectionate towards you and other family members. But they will be a lot calmer and inactive.

There will be a notable difference in their behavior too. They will act OLD.

They wont run around the house or jump on you to get your food anymore. They will be a lot more inactive and lazy. They will spend most of their time sleeping and lying in their bed.

Beagle Behavior by Age Chart

Beagle

The Beagle is an affectionate and easygoing dog that is the perfect companion for big families and new dog owners alike. Originally bred to live in packs as hunting dogs, Beagles do well in active homes where someone is always around.

Known for their soft floppy ears, big brown eyes, and loving nature it is no surprise that the Beagle has long been one of the most popular hound dogs around the world. Gentle and outgoing, these adorable dogs make a great addition to any family. Read on to learn more about the Beagle.

Description of the Beagle

The Beagle was originally bred as a scent hound and their noses are still used by many hunters today. Clever and energetic, this breed needs lots of activity to stay happy and healthy.

Their hound blood gives them a loyal and tenacious character. Sturdy and solid, Beagles are considered big for their small size. A square muzzle and broad nose are defining characteristics for this breed, along with their long hound ears and adorable pleading expressions.

The Beagle came into existence in the 11th century, when the Talbot Hound and Greyhound were bred together to create a dog with both speed and a strong nose. These are still favorable characteristics in Beagles today, and make them excellent companions for those with an active lifestyle.

The Beagle has a shorter coat that requires relatively low maintenance. They come in a variety of colors, from the classic tricolor of black, red, and white, to lemon.

Life Expectancy and Size

The Beagle can have some serious health problems that can drastically shorten his lifespan. The average lifespan is between 12 and 15 years, but hereditary problems like epilepsy can shorten this. That said, with proper care many of the breeds health problems can be controlled, and they can live well into their teens.

While it can help to work with a reputable breeder who is committed to breeding healthy dogs, it is still not a guarantee of having a dog without health issues.

There are two varieties of Beagles, those that stand 13 inches tall, and those that stand 13-15 inches. Despite this relatively small size for both types, the breed is well built, athletic, and much sturdier than its small size might indicate. The smaller variety should weigh under 20 pounds, while the taller should be between 20-30 pounds.

Protective Ability

This breed is known for their mild nature and love of human company, and they often bark when theyre lonely. While the Beagle can make a great watchdog and will often let you know when a stranger is near, their affectionate nature does not make them a good guard dog. Choose the Beagle for his loving and loyal personality, not his ability to offer protection.

Training

Having been bred to be independent thinkers, the Beagle will require some extra time and patience with training. They do best with rewards-based training. This should involve treats, rather than simply relying on praise. Your dog needs a paycheck, too!

While using food rewards is an excellent way to train your Beagle, be sure to feed in moderation. This breed is notorious for becoming overweight easily, which can exacerbate health issues and cause serious stress on your four-legged friend! Reduce the size of your dogs meals when youre training with treats regularly.

The Beagle is bred to chase anything that moves, so it is very important they learn the basic commands of sit, stay, and come to keep them out of trouble. By associating these commands with positive reinforcement (treats), your dog is much more likely to listen. Patience and consistent praise for good behavior will help speed along the training process. Beagles have a short attention span, so keeping your training sessions to around 10 minutes will make things more efficient and effective.

As hunting dogs, you may find your Beagle taking you for a walk instead of the other way around. Whenever you find your dog pulling too hard, call their name and reward them with their favorite treat and soon they will realize that staying next to you is a much better way to spend their walk than chasing after invisible prey.

Energy Level

The Beagle needs daily exercise to stay happy and healthy. This will not only help keep them from being overweight, but it will also keep them from getting into trouble out of boredom or excess energy.

This breed can do well in most environments, from New York apartments to big country ranches, as long as they get daily exercise. While they love and need to run around, they are also very cuddly dogs and take frequent naps throughout the day. The most important requirement for the Beagle is adequate family time. These dogs love their humans and do not like being left alone.

What Living with a Beagle is Like

This is an all-around nice dog that loves spending time with kids, and is generally friendly with other pets. These dogs are very sturdy for their smaller size and can take just about anything in stride. In more sedentary families, they will enjoy lounging in the sun and snuggling on the couch. However, they are great outdoor companions and love to be active with their humans.

Unfortunately, these sweet dogs can have some serious health concerns, which may either shorten their lives, or be costly to manage.

Care of the Beagle

Adaptability is the Beagles middle name. They can live in many households as long as one condition is met: adequate social interaction with the family.

Environmental Needs

These dogs do not have many specific environmental needs. They are hardy and athletic, able to flourish in many climates. Their shorter coats dont provide enough warmth in cold winter climates. In the extreme cold, they may need to wear a jacket or have their time outside limited. Like all dogs, they need adequate shade and water in hot temperatures.

Exercise Needs

This is one of the most important things besides social interaction that Beagles need. Provide at least 30 minutes of exercise for your Beagle everyday to keep your dog healthy and happy. An obese Beagle will have many more health problems and their personalities may be adversely affected.

Their hunting blood makes them great companions for the outdoor enthusiast, but no matter where they live as long as they get out everyday they will do well. Daily walks are usually enough to keep these dogs well-exercised. Ideally, these can be supplemented by time playing in the yard.

Beagles are avid chasers. It is important to keep them in a fenced yard or on leash, or they make take off to follow their nose or the nearest squirrel.

Shedding and Grooming

The Beagles short coat requires relatively little maintenance. They are light shedders and brushing them every few days is a good way to keep their hair on the brush and off of your couch. This breed does shed its winter coat in the spring so being more proactive with grooming that time of year will keep flying hairs to a minimum.

Baths only need to occur occasionally. Too many can even irritate this breeds sensitive skin.

It is important to check the Beagles ears for infection. Many dogs with floppy ears are prone to this problem, and it is one of the biggest health concerns for the breed.

Ideal Home Environment

These dogs are popular with families. Their sweet temperament and adaptive nature mean that they can flourish with a variety of people. They may enjoy playing with kids or keeping senior citizens company.

This breed is not a good choice for those that want a guard dog. However, for most other families that want a pup that gets along with everyone in sight, the Beagle is a good choice.

It is important to acknowledge that this breed has potential health issues, which are not cheap to deal with.

Health Concerns

One of the biggest concerns with Beagles is epilepsy. These seizures are often hereditary and can require daily medication if it becomes an issue. It may be an expensive problem to deal with and may also cut their lives short.

Other issues include dwarfism, ear infections, and allergies. Eye infections are also a very common problem in this breed. Some of these disorders can be screened for. That said, having a Beagle without at least one of these health problems at some point in its life would be very rare.

Behavior Problems

Bred as pack dogs, this breed can have serious separation anxiety. If they become lonely, they will likely begin to bark or whine, and maybe begin destructive behaviors like digging to keep busy. They should not be left home alone for extended periods of time.

Additionally, even a happy Beagle can be loud. The baying bark of a hound is something to keep in mind if you share walls with neighbors. While adequate mental enrichment may reduce barking, its also in this dogs nature to bay and bark. Look elsewhere if you need a quiet companion.

Their other big problem is chasing. Starting rewards-based training early can help them to listen more effectively while off leash. However, many Beagles still need to be on leash most of the time or remain in fenced yards.

Some of these dogs may become timid or aggressive if they are not properly socialized, so start your puppy off on the right foot by bringing him to puppy classes.