The American Beagler Forum

Do you keep your beagle inside or outside? Pros and cons either way?

Thanks
Brian

I keep my hounds in a well insulated building. It keeps them cool in the summer and in the winter when I turn the heater on it doesn't cost an arm and a leg. I keep the temp. around 60 in the winter. It's the lowest setting on my heater.

Out in the day (or in if at home) in at night. They stay accustomed to the cold if out regularly.
You'll have alot more pleasure with your hound all around if it's also a house dog. Much easier to take with you to other places, handle much better,smell alot better, bath more often. People don't think you bad for leaving your dogs out all the time. I could go on. They hunt just as well as long as you take them out.
I've done it both ways more than once and will have them inside if only a couple, and that's all I really need at one time. I just got # 2 last week and things are comming along fine. If I had more than 2 or 3 it would probably have to be outside though.

I am trying my first inside, she is kennel broke, sits, gives paw, downs and listens very well, then i open the door and all bets are off. She is 15 weeks old and maybe a little spoiled LOL. She is out of Fox Hill Dave's Tiger. A very intelligent hound, and is already interested in the Hare. Cannot wait for her to open up on the hare. I have 6 out side and any thing new will get house broken. I find they are easy to train in the bush.

If you hunt in extreme cold you may want to consider outside, as mention above they become accustomed to the cold if they are kenneled outside. Taking a dog from a 70 deg house and hunting it in -10 temps doesn't work so well.

If they are outside 8 hours or so a day in a dog house, insulated ,no heat added, but warm as the dog itself while you work or whatever all day they will have no problem with the cold. Been there, done that.

I go back and forth on this as well. I usually bring them in in the winter for a lot of different reasons. One easier and cheaper to feed. They are not burning as much energy to stay warm. It just seems nice to reward them after a long cold days hunt to come in and lay by the fireplace. I have three right now and it is a bit much to try and keep them all groomed and not sheadding and smelling good. It also gets a little crazy when you throw in two kids at 6 and 4 years of age. I don't like leaving them inside penned up in the crates all day though while I am at work. Used to take them out during the day and bring them in at night once I got home but the vet told me that it would be better to do one or the other. Might be easier for them to get sick or something. What do you all think? The vet said that if they are left out and is is cold they are going to spend most of their time sleeping in the box anyway so just as might as well leave them inside where they can sleep and be warm. Ohh yeah and then there is that whole house trainning thing.

Don't believe what every vet tells ya that's for sure. Like the vet did say though was that they will be in the dog house most of the time when it's cold any way, comming out to play etc., but returning to it to keep it cozy. Like PA. said more than 2 can be a bit too much for inside, but that depends on alot also. Keeping them clean is a priority, but it only takes about 10 minutes to bath a dog.
The house trianing thing I am going through right now and that's a hard part, fortuately the end result pays off for the hounds lifetime if re-enforced, BIG BONUS.
The pup learns very fast who is boss when being house trianed which is a head start for future field trianing.
Your family and many other will come to adore the beagle as a pet and be surprized that you actually take them to the cold dangereous woods to hunt
While the house dog will hunt etc. as well as the outside kenneled hound. The outsider does not have the full trianing of the house dog and does not match up to it on the same level. There is a very noticable difference, that I prefer after years of having both types. They handle much better also in all respects, the ones I've had/seen.

I killed 3 bunnies yesterday off my indoor patch hound. She hunts and handles great. Plus, as a bonus, you can take a nap on the couch with her after the hunt. We've always had indoor beagles and wouldn't have it any other way but I understand that if you have a kennel full, it would be tough to keep them all inside.

While the house dog will hunt etc. as well as the outside kenneled hound. The outsider does not have the full trianing of the house dog and does not match up to it on the same level. There is a very noticable difference, that I prefer after years of having both types. They handle much better also in all respects,


I agree. they seemed to be more willing to please/show loyalty to me more so than hounds that I have kenneled exclusivly outside. They follow me everywhere. My wife finds it amazing! Now if I can only get her to listen as well! I do enjoy having them inside.

One or two may be fine inside but not 14. I guess it depends on how many you have.

hounddog
Jim Umbarger

Our stays inside all the time. She is only 8 months old, and as some of you know she was lost for 4 days in 15 degree temps and was ok when she got home, So I think they can handle the temp. change from the house to hunt pretty good. Ours is very much a part of our family. We do put her in the create when we go away. If (when) we get another, it will stay inside also. It is a pain to house train them, but no different than any other dog IMO. I think they want to please you more being with you all the time.

Doug

i have seven in the house. three males four females. can be rough when one is in heat. i use crates.

Imho, keeping a hound inside the house is more for the owner's comfort than the hound's.
As was said, a hound lost in sub-freezing weather for 4 days w/ no readily available food source did fine.
Ours only stay outside, even when they're in the brooder house they want back out amongst their own kind...
Ours shed the undercoat in the summer, so I think being out doors brings in a good undercoat when temps fall. I have never given a hound a bath unless it was a pup with the "itch". I think the natural oils are needed for the skin and the hair to insulate. A bonding between the hound and yourself is necessary but that bond need only be as deep to maintain control, hounds are apt to become spoilt, soft and prefer their own way of doing things also, just as much as the reverse if left in kennels, so proves they are all individuals. Randall once said, "the more we take on, the more we create a job we can never finish". I don't want a hound that has to be raised in the same bed I sleep, to bond and want to please me, I want it to be in their "nature" already...
We are all free to do what we all feel is best and that is as it should be I guess...

I have 2 Labs and 5 Patch hounds in the house. All have their obedience and manners. All get bathed and nails clipped on a semi regular basis. There are times it gets crazy, when somebody new comes in the door. But even treat time is pretty organized, (all butts on the floor). The bonus of this always shows up in the field when we hunt with other people that kennel their dogs. They cant get over how well our dogs listen. We are never chasing them down at the end of the hunt. Beagles are awesome companion dogs and I always feel like the people that kennel theirs are missing out on some of the best qualities that make a beagle. And yes, even Willet let a hound or 2 sleep with him.