The Beagle breed is one of the most popular dogs worldwide. Everybody loves the beagle, at least before they hear that loud voice. You can identify them by the combination of colors – white, black, and brown. Being originally bred for chasing rabbits, it is a true hound.
Centuries of breeding were put into work to craft this perfect hound. Their name possibly came from the French word ‘Betul’. It means gaped throat, which pretty much causes all the loud barking.
Do Beagles Bark A Lot?
Yes, their barking gets atrocious and quite often, out of hand. These vocal dogs have not just loud barking but howling too. Their amazing vocal cords vibrate when air passes through them. It allows these cute dogs to make a range of sounds.
Beagles vocalize in three different ways. The standard bark is reserved for when they are alerted or want something. Their ball bark when you take them out to the park. Their three-pitch sound alert, which alerts the pack and the hunter about the catch.
Like it or not, this hound has mastered the art of howling too. It howls in boredom, sadness, and even in camaraderie. It is not a dog you take to your apartment, where the neighbors prefer sleeping peacefully.
Why Does My Beagle Barks So Much?
You might have recently got a beagle and wondering why they are barking so much. Or you will at least question this when you get one. But why do beagles bark so much?
For starters, beagles are more vocally expressive than other breeds. Barking and howling is their mode of expression. It does not mean your beagle is stressed, afraid, or lonely.
Barking and howling are just in their nature. They bark out of excitement, for attention, out of stress, and sometimes in anger too.
- Barking out of excitement
While seeing you returning home from a long day of work, expect your beagle to bark out of joy and excitement. This is quite natural in this breed. It is their way of greeting you, ‘Hello’.
They also bark out of excitement on other occasions. You may notice it when you take out their lead or while bringing his food.
- Barking for attention
Beagles bark the loudest to gain your attention. They bark at the top of their lungs to just get attention. Maybe you are busy with office work, TV, or a game, whereas your beagle is bored.
They are going to bark continuously till you stop what you are doing. They will not stop till you get down and play with him. This is the most problematic behaviors with this irresistible breed.
- Barking when they want something
Beagle barks when they want something done. When they want to go out, they just stand at the door and bark. This time, it is more of a whining rather than out loud barking. Beagles bark and whine whenever they are under leash or put in another room.
- Barking out of hunger
Just like any living organism, beagles do not like being hungry. They are quite intelligent to remember their lunchtime. They bark just to notify their owner of the pending meal.
- Barking out of fear
When in fear, the dog barks in a high-pitched voice. It will be more matured and different than their usual barking. It is quite easy to distinguish amongst all the other noises. Loud noises, strangers, and possible intruders trigger your beagle to bark this way.
- Barking out of stress
Beagles do bark when they are stressed out. Finding the reason for stress is never easy. It is more common in the case of rescue dogs. Unpleasant past experiences also play a role in beagles getting stressed out.
- Barking due to separation anxiety
This breed is prone to separation anxiety. They barely survive when left alone. They get anxious when left for longer periods. It causes him to bark excessively. This is the type of barking that brings the complaining neighbors to your doorsteps.
- Poor socialization
Socialization should start right from a young age for dogs. When it is not done, beagles bark at people, animals, and anything that moves. They get anxious even in a room with plenty of people. Make sure to socialize your beagle right from their puppyhood.
How To Get Your Dog To Not Bark?
It is completely natural for your dog to bark. However, when it barks too much, it becomes an issue. Your dog turns into a real pest for the entire neighborhood. Dog owners ponder over how to stop their dogs from barking and driving them mad.
There are numerous techniques to do that. All it takes is a bit of your time and patience. The key is to figure out why your dog is barking excessively. Dogs bark for umpteen reasons, which is hard to list.
They may bark just to get attention from the owner. Sometimes, they bark to notify owners of a possible intruder. In some cases, they may bark just because of separation anxiety or just because of loneliness.
In most cases, they may want to go outside for a walk or poop. Besides, dogs bark when they hear other dogs barking nearby. Boredom or lack of motivation drives a dog to bark among many other reasons.
It is your responsibility to find out why your furry friend is barking excessively. Some breeds are born to bark, just as the case with beagles. It will certainly be challenging to change their inherent behavior. Below we have listed some techniques that can help with your dogs barking.
Stay calm
If you yell at your dog when he is barking, he will think you are barking too. It only makes your dog bark louder. Your body language and high pitch voice get your dog agitated.
Hence, it will only bark more and louder. Instead, maintain a low tone and a calming voice to talk to your dog. When he is barking, turn your back on him to pay no attention.
When your dog stops barking, give a treat and praise later. Ensure you are rewarding your dog for stopping its bark. Consistency is the key here.
DogTime mention the below about Beagles and their barking. If you take anything from this article, please let it be you need to stay calm and have patience when raising a dog. You need to make sure you are prepared to raise a dog and look after them.
The most common reason Beagles are turned over to rescue groups is because either their owners or their owners’ neighbors got tired of their baying. Be sure that you are prepared to work with your dog to control excessive barking and howling.
Read the original article – Beagles From Dog Time
Go in the opposite direction
When taking your dog for a walk, something may trigger him to bark. More often than not it is another dog in the neighborhood. Going in the opposite direction is the immediate solution.
When other dogs approach you and your dog reacts by barking, sharply turn, and go in the other direction. You have to be consistent in practicing it every time your dog starts barking.
Your dog will learn that his barking means he gets to not go forward. Before you know it, there will be no more barking when meeting other dogs.
Stop on command
If your dog frequently runs and barks at visitors, it is time to teach him to stop and come back. Call your dog to come within six feet from you. When he does that say stop and signal your dog to stay and stop what they are doing.
When your dog has stopped, walk up to it, and give him a treat. Praise him for stopping from barking. Once he has mastered stopping on command, move on to the next phase of obedience training.
Stop your dog and use the ‘back’ command to get your dog to move back. Rinse and repeat until your dog has mastered the ‘back’ command.
Keep treats handy to reward your dog for good behavior. Now when a visitor approached your door, the command will come in handy to control your dog.
Kill loneliness
Provide your dog with an ample amount of exercise and stimulation. Breeds like beagle demand plenty of exercises. It is something their body and profile demands naturally. A long walk with plenty of new sights, sounds, and smells once a week is a good start.
If there are plenty of pet-friendly parks and beaches near where you live this is a bonus. Socializing with other people and dogs can be a bonus. Spend time with your dog and exercise with your loyal companion.
A healthy dog that gets plenty of exercise will sleep all day, while you are away at work. At the least, your neighbors will thank you for it.
Conclusion
We hope these tricks help you with getting your beagle not to bark. We suggest you start with basic commands like sit, drop and stay. You can then progress to advanced commands like roll over and jumping. Patience and time are a big factor in training your beagle.
The key is to provide your beagle with entertainment and simulation. At the end of the day, your beagle will be able to curl up and enjoy a sound sleep. A healthy and obedient dog is much easier to manage than you would expect.