Alaska Beagle Ranch Podcast E2

Alaska Beagle Ranch

Podcast E2

 

Hi guys, it’s Dave at the Alaska Beagle Ranch. In this podcast and ones in the future, we are going to talk about beagles, beagle history, beagles in Alaska, caretaking your beagle, beagle health and much more. We will also talk about present and past beagles at the ranch. The beagles at the ranch are house pets but keep following for beagles that will be looking for an awesome furever home in the future. Our goal is for every beagle, especially in Alaska, to have a happy home. We will also be talking about hunting with beagles, working beagles, service beagles and comfort beagles. A little later on will have guest with us to talk everything about beagles. Lots of exciting beagle stuff, so stay tune and don’t forget to like and subscribe.

This podcast is dedicated to Cooper, head of security at the Alaska Beagle Ranch.

***Music***

Good morning, everyone and welcome to the Alaska Beagle Ranch’s podcast. My name is Dave Dorsey and I manage the ranch located in Wasilla, Alaska. Presently there are twelve beagles and one basset living at the ranch. We do have one young beagle being fostered right now and once he’s all vetted he will be available for adoption to the right home. You can go to our blog at akbeagleranch.blogspot.com to download an adoption application. We are also looking for some wonderful fosters. Sorry, you must live in the Matsu Valley area. We can be contacted at akbeagleranch@gmail.com for more information.

 

So, let’s see. Is a beagle right for you and are you right for a beagle?

         

Beagles as Pets

Do beagles make good pets?

Beagles make great pets, and I am not saying that because I have twelve beagles. The ultimate question is are you right for a beagle.

1. Sociable

While most dogs are considered pack animals, beagles are bred to live and work in packs. This contributes to making them very sociable dogs and thus great pets to have as part of a family.

2. Friendly

Beagles are friendly dogs and enjoy making new friends. This goes for humans, canines and maybe even a cat. If you are looking for a dog that does not just keep to itself a beagle might be the right dog for you.

3. Minimal maintenance

Beagles tend to be healthy. They do not have long coats that require complicated or expensive trips to the groomer. Remember that minimal maintenance does not mean no maintenance. You need to ensure that your dog’s ears are clean, nails are trimmed and that they’re regularly bathed. You should check their ears weekly to make sure they are clean and free from infection. You will also want to brush their teeth regularly. Most pups only need annual wellness visits once they are finished with the puppy vaccinations. Consult your vet about your dog’s medical needs and make sure to keep all recommended appointments and vaccines.

After listening to this podcast, go visit our friends at alaskadogworks.com and listen to their podcast 10 Questions Your Vet Wishes You Would Ask.

4. Small

Some beagles are under thirteen inches whereas others range from thirteen -15 inches. For dogs under thirteen inches most clock in at under twenty pounds. Dogs in the 13 - 15-inch range weigh about 20- 30 pounds.

5. Versatile

Beagles can thrive in a variety of living conditions. This ranges from life in more rural areas to big cities. Beagles are adaptable. While they may prefer to have a big yard to play in, for many beagles the dog park can be an acceptable alternative.

3 Cons of owning a beagle

1. Loud

Beagles can be loud and bark more than some other breeds. If you live in a city or have neighbors close by this is something to consider. You also just might prefer a quieter breed of dog.

2. Love to dig

As beagles are used for fox hunting, they can be diggers. Your dog might think he is trying to dig a fox out of a hole but what he is really doing is tearing up your backyard.

3. Stubborn

Beagles can be on the stubborn side. This may make training a challenge. If your dog does what they want to do, you might just have to go along with it (and keep them safe)! Beagles are scent hounds and will follow their noses. This means that if your dog is off lead, they need to be in a fenced in area. Otherwise, to keep your pup from following his nose, make sure to keep his leash on for all walks.

Is a Beagle the right choice for a first-time dog owner?

It depends. Consider your lifestyle overall first - especially these three factors.

Do you have very young children or are you planning to have kids soon? You have already figured out that beagles are great with children. However, if you have young children, a beagle puppy may not be the right choice for now. Raising any puppy properly is a lot of work. You need to be available to train and socialize your young dog. It can be overwhelming to meet the needs and demands of young children and a new puppy at the same time. For a lot of families with young children, adopting a young adult beagle might be a better idea.

What do you do all day and what will your dog do all day? Do you work outside the home? Will your beagle spend eight to ten hours home alone between your job, a partner’s job (assuming you have a partner to help care for the pup) and your commutes? If so, a beagle will not be the best choice for your family. Beagles were bred to live and work in packs. They thrive when they can be an active part of their family's lives. Beagles that spend too much time alone are beagles that develop behavior issues such as anxiety, excessive barking, or destructive tendencies. An ideal home for a beagle is one in which they spend no more than four or five hours alone each day.

Would it bother you if your dog barked, chewed on your shoes or furniture, or dug holes in your yard (or worse, the couch)? While not all puppies will develop behavior issues, but you will play a key role in the development of your puppy and prevention of these issues.

Do you have the time and patience to raise the puppy properly and be consistent with house training? Will you attend puppy kindergarten or obedience classes? What will happen if you do have issues? Can you consult a trainer or behavioral specialist to help you and your dog?

This is a lot of information to digest. While it is not meant to scare you out of getting a dog, it is meant to make you stop and think. Before you bring a beagle into your home, you want to make sure the dog will thrive in your environment. If you have concerns, consider other dog breeds or other options like short term fostering. If you go that route, you will be extra prepared to be the best pet parent when the time is right.

Let’s take a short break here. Did you know that Snoopy, Charlie Browns beagle is known as the world’s most famous beagle? The beagle ranch had a Snoopy visit for a few months a year ago while its golden retriever sister Copper was being trained as a service dog. Snoopy was just a pup. He came for a weekend visit a couple of weeks ago to visit with his old friends and meet some new ones at the Alaska Beagle Ranch.

Beagle Puppies

Beagles are wonderful pet dogs to have for all the right reasons. They are friendly, curious, loyal, and of course, affectionate. But before bringing one home, you may want to understand how Beagles respond to training, and whether they are easy to train. 

Compared to other dog breeds, Beagles are difficult to train. This is because they can get easily distracted due to their inquisitive nature, stubbornness, and sharp sense of smell. With many odors distracting them all the time, it can be difficult for them to focus. But with some patience, you can still train your Beagle like any other dog. 

Beagles are well-known to be rowdy, destructive, and even stubborn canines.

Beagles were originally bred to be scent hounds. As scent hounds, they rely on their noses for everything, especially to track small prey like rabbits. They will gladly follow their noses as soon as they pick up an interesting scent.

Regardless of how often or how loud you call out to them, beagles will not always listen to you.

Instead, they will always follow scents out of curiosity and rely on their noses to guide them.

This inborn disobedience makes beagles excellent hunting dogs. With their persistence and stamina, you can be confident that beagles will bring home their prey.

Although it is an advantage if you are taking your beagle out hunting, this single-minded resolve also makes them extremely challenging to control.

Once your beagle picks up a scent, ignoring that scent is almost impossible.

Beagles are full of energy. The only way to burn their energy is to keep them physically active and busy.

If a beagle does not get enough exercise or does not partake in adequate physical activities, it tends to remedy its boredom by chewing all things within its reach, running around, and being a total nuisance.

If you like this podcast, please take the time to like a subscribe.

Beagle Spotlight

Cooper was the second beagle to come to the ranch. He had a very rough life prior to his arrival. He was left behind in an apartment when his humans skipped put. They left him in a kennel with no food or water and the managers did not find him for about 5 days. When I got him, he was extremely food aggressive and who could blame him. Macy, our other beagle, and Cooper were fed in separate rooms. As time went by, his aggression diminished.

Cooper became the head of security at the ranch. Though beagles usually are not aggressive, Cooper sounded the warning alarm. Macy learned to help with Coopers duties.

Cooper and Macy got to travel to lots of places that most people would love to go to. From Seward to Fairbanks, to Tok to Palmer, Wasilla and Trapper Creek. They camped out along the Denali Highway and saw the best view of the northern lights.

When it was walk time, Cooper was the first to the door and he would be dancing ready to go. He loved walks, but you had to be careful because he could be aggressive towards other dogs and moose. One time when we were walking by flashlight in the early winter morning, I saw a small shadow in the road ahead. Cooper got to it first and found out it was an ermine, a small weasel. Though small, they can be extremely aggressive. It bit Cooper on the face and Cooper bit back. After a few seconds Coop was able to sling it off into a yard. The ermine hightailed it away. Cooper got off with a small cut and a heavily rapid heart rate. For the longest time afterwards, he would look for that ermine when we reached that part of the road.

Cooper loved living at the ranch. I have accidently left the gate open several times and he would never go out on his own. He would chase squirrels and would wait for them to come down out of the trees.

He had the softest hair. He was very good with children. He would tell anyone or thing going past the ranch that it was his domain and do not enter.

We lost Cooper to cancer on September 23 of this year. Macy and I cried for many days and he is missed every day.

Thank you for listening to the Alaska Beagle Ranch podcast. You can find our notes on our blog at akbeagleranch.blogspot.com . If you know someone who is looking to get a beagle, please share our podcast with them. If you have any questions about beagles and if they are right for you, email me at akbeagleranch@gmail.com  Our goal is for every beagle, especially in Alaska, to have a happy home. Be sure to like and subscribe.