Important considerations when thinking of adding a Beagle to your household
Is a Beagle the right breed for you?
The first things to consider when thinking of taking on any dog;
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The commitment required for the life of the dog - A Beagle can live upwards of 14 years - is your lifestyle, living environment or financial situation likely to change during this time? Please remember, a dog is for life and not just for Christmas / birthday / anniversary / the summer holidays etc.!
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The lifestyle changes and financial impact involved - Beagles are a pack animal by nature, they love company (be it human, canine or even feline!) and will suffer if left alone for long periods of time. Consider the arrangements you will need to make for your dog to be looked after while you are at work etc. and how much this will cost.
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Selecting the right breed for your home environment and exercise levels - the Beagle was bred to hunt, and as such they require a moderate amount of exercise - at least one hour per day - and will need a secure, escape-proof garden to roam in at home.
*** It is essential to thoroughly research the breed and be certain that you can offer a Beagle a home for life ***
The following web pages contain a wealth of information regarding the breed, please use these pages as a starting point for your research into the breed.
In addition to your online and offline research, there is a Facebook group where local Beagle owners chat about the breed - North East and Border Beagles - please feel free to join this group and you will be able to see first-hand the pros and cons that come from sharing your life with a Beagle!
Finding a Beagle
If you are confident that a Beagle is the right breed for your lifestyle, and that your home will be a suitable environment for a Beagle, you need to decide if you would like to give a home to a puppy, juvenile, adult or senior hound.
This decision is also one that will take a great deal of research and thought, and will again depend on your lifestyle and home environment.
Puppies
If you decide on giving a home to a puppy, you can visit our 'Puppies available' page for details of current litters bred by members of the Four Counties Beagle Club.
*** It is very important that you buy your puppy from a reputable breeder! ***
We cannot stress this strongly enough. Puppy farmers and backyard breeders do exist and are active in our area - they commonly advertise online on "selling" websites and via social media. These people do not care about the health, pedigree or temperament of their dogs and puppies, and only care about making money.
Please see the below web pages for sound advice on how to make sure that your breeder is not a puppy farmer or backyard breeder. It is very important to ask questions about the breed and the litter. A good breeder will be more than happy to answer and allow you to visit multiple times, and make sure you see the puppies with mum!
If you are unsure about the reputation of a breeder you are in contact with or are considering using, please do Contact us and we will do our best to help answer any queries you have.
Juveniles, adults and senior Beagles
There are often juvenile, adult (and sometimes senior) Beagles available via reputable breeders, so if you think that you would prefer to give a home to a juvenile or adult, please do make enquiries with breeders using much of the same advice as given for prospective puppy owners above. You can see available juveniles, adults and senior Beagles here.
Rehoming a Beagle
Beagle Welfare is the national breed rescue & advice organisation. They have a rehoming list on their website and dogs of all ages are commonly available. The dogs at Beagle Welfare come from a variety of different backgrounds and have different stories, but all of them want to be loved and feel secure in a forever home.
Our friends at Beagle Welfare are a friendly and supportive group who will assign a local area officer to guide you through the adoption process. Please read more about the Beagle Welfare rehoming process here.
