Dog lovers will defend that their pups are undoubtedly man's best friend. But, before we can appreciate all their qualities, we must ensure we train them the proper way.
Contrary to what people may think of dog training, this process does not only allow us to teach our dog and balance their character. It is one of the most powerful tools to strengthen the bond between pet and owner.
If you have decided or are considering to welcome a beagle into your home, know that while this dog is endearing, they can also be easily distracted. So, we will provide you with several tricks to train a beagle that will make the training process easier.
The beagle's temperament
The beagle is a popular breed, as it is characterized by gentleness, cheerfulness and affection. They enjoy the company of their family and are suitable for children. They are very patient dogs, however, because of the attachment they can develop, they are prone to anxiety separation.
Although they may bark at strangers, they also accept strangers easily. So they are not very useful as a watchdog!
The beagle needs exercise, especially to avoid being overweight. This is common in this breed, but they do not require intense exercise. It is not recommended to play with them to a state of exhaustion.
As for the training of the beagle, we must know that they are intelligent and obedient dogs, but can be
easily distracted by olfactory stimuli.
Positive reinforcement in beagle training
To train a beagle, as well as any other dog, we must know that physical and verbal punishment, is not at all effective. Instead, positive reinforcement is necessary.
This positive reinforcement consists of not punishing the dog for their mistakes, but rewarding them for their success. In this case, we suggest that you use a clicker and treats for dogs when using this method.
- Clicker: It is a tool that emits a distinct clicking noise when pressing a button. It is a method as fast as it is effective. It is recommended to use the clicker and immediately after, offer the treat.
- Dog treats: By using the clicker, we prevent the dog from becoming overexcited about the dog treat. Since the auditory stimulation allows the dog to have greater concentration.
We must be clear that dogs have the instinct to please their owners and that the key to learning lies in good communication. Do not forget to reward your dog when they behave well and do not communicate in a way that would confuse them.
Training a beagle puppy
From 8-14 weeks of life, our pet will be more easily influenced. But, if our puppy arrives before this age to our home, we should get them into a routine.
If we want these tricks to train a beagle to be effective, we must first be able to establish a routine. This will allow our pet to feel safe in their new home. Besides, the routine alone facilitates their understanding of the limits, which as leaders, we must impose.
The routine should involve: feeding the dog at the same time, avoiding giving food or treats between hours, allowing them to get used to their collar and later also marking your schedule of daily walks
.
How to train a beagle
From 8 weeks of life we can begin to teach them basic orders, but for this we will need our dog to respond to their name. The name of the pet is essential to capture their attention, and if we do not have their attention, obedience is out of reach. In order for your pet to learn their name, we recommend that you act as follows:
- Make sure that their training takes place in a quiet and distraction-free environment.
- Call your dog by name and when you capture their attention, press the clicker and offer a reward.
- When your pet has assimilated this information, you must move away so that when you call them and they come to you, use the clicker and reward them.
Once the dog has learned their name and responds to it, you can start teaching other basic commands such as sit, lie down, or sit still.
To help the training of a beagle as well as their obedience, we also recommend that you support the following actions:
- Over-excitation and calm: First you must encourage and play with your dog until they are overexcited. Be sure not to prolong this situation, since it can be stressful for your beagle. Then, you should encourage them to calm down. This will teach them when the game is over and will help them be able to respect the limits.
- Brushing: In the early stages of learning we recommend that you brush your beagle daily. Small actions like this strengthen the bond between dog and owner, and when we subject our pet to brushing, we are also disciplining.
Once the dog has assimilated the basic commands, we can introduce more complex commands, always using positive reinforcement
Problems with training your beagle?
Training a beagle is easy if the owner is able to communicate properly. However, sometimes we can find various difficulties. To help you overcome them, we provide you with more dog training tricks, and more information about the basic commands for dogs.
Finally, we want to remind you once more of the importance of positive reinforcement. Also, do not hesitate to visit a dog trainer if you see your pet is not responding well to the training.
If you want to read more articles like Tricks to train a beagle, we recommend you enter our Basic Education section.
If you want to read similar articles to Tricks to Train a Beagle, we recommend you visit our Basic education category.