by Kris Kraeuter
First, let us congratulate you on the decision to make the addition to your family of an
adorable, loving beagle companion. While this is an exciting time for you, we hope you
will keep in mind that it can be a rather frightening time of adjustment for your new
puppy. He will be leaving the security of his dam and littermates, and all else familiar
for the first time, and experiencing a multitude of new sights, sounds, and smells. For
these reasons, we recommend that you pick up your puppy on a quiet weekend, when you will
have plenty of time to help him adjust to his new surroundings and he can be the center of
your attentions.
There are numerous items which you should have on hand before bringing a new beagle companion into your home. The two most important of these are the "crate" and lead. Your hound's crate is his place of security: a safe enclosure when home alone or at those times when you can not provide supervision, a den in which to eat and sleep, and the safest place for him to ride when traveling. We ask that you please bring a travel crate with you and place your puppy in it for his ride home.
We also feel very strongly about the use of leashes. Our beagles are never
permitted off lead outdoors, except when in a securely fenced yard or out hunting rabbits.
Remember that the beagle has been bred for hundreds of years for the purpose of hunting
the rabbit or hare in thick cover, and as a result they tend to be rather independent and
inclined roam. "Slip" style leads are wonderful for younger puppies, but you
will also soon need a collar (complete with ID tag) and a snap lead.
If you are planning to purchase a new beagle companion in the near
future, please feel free to visit these pages on
"beagle-proofing" your home, feeding guidelines and health care; vaccinations &
wormings.
The following is a list of items you should aquire prior to
bringing a new beagle companion into your home.
Crate - Vari-Kennel, plastic airline type crates are
light weight and easy to clean. The more open, epoxy coated wire crates with a removable
tray may be nice for females - - but are ineffective for housebreaking male dogs (they leg
lift and piddle out through the wires); metal crates are also rather heavy for travel use.
Airline type crates also provide the dog more privacy and more of a den-like
environment.
Whichever you choose, the intermediate size, 32"l x 22"h x 23"w, for
daily use; the medium size, 27"l x 20"h x 19"w is a nice size for traveling
with your beagle, fitting conveniently into the back seat of the average car.
Leash - A slip lead is adequate for young puppies, and will
help prevent a frightened pup from "backing out of his collar" and escaping.
Snap leads are best for attaching to the collar of your more mature hound. We prefer the
nylon leashes, which can be purchased in a variety of colors to match the adjustable dog
collars. Chain leashes are not recommended as they are very hard on the hands and not
really any stronger than a good leather or nylon lead.
Collar - The newer nylon adjustable collars that
"grow" with the puppy are great. The 10" to 16" size is a good
fit for the typical beagle throughout his lifetime. Collars may also be purchased that
have the dog's or your name and phone number directly printed on them.
Brass ID Tag - These tags can be obtained pre-engraved with the
dog's ID and your contact information. Those that attach directly to the collar and lie
flat, rather than dangling from an "S" hook, might be preferred (Anything that
dangles is at risk for becoming snagged and could result in a choking incident, as well as
rubbing off and leaving black smudges on their chests)
Food and Water Bowls - Stainless steel works well, and is light
weight for ease of cleaning and travel. We find the 1 qt. size works nicely for beagles.
Ceramic bowls are wonderful for home use, especially for water, but too heavy for travel
convenience. Plastic bowls have been known to result in "snow nose" for some
reason, the reaction between the plastic and the food causing depigmentation.
Dry Kibble (dog food) - Any high quality dry kibble is acceptable for the family companion beagle. Just remember to make any changes in diet gradually to avoid digestive upsets, and feed a puppy/growth formula until your hound reaches maturity. Avoid Generic brands as they are usually not nutritionally complete.
For guidelines on feeding your new beagle companion, please
click here.
Safe "Chew" Items - Nylabone, gumabone and nylafloss
products are excellent, safe outlets for your puppy's need to chew, as are smoked cow or
lamb ears, and cow hooves in moderation. Heavy knotted or pressed rawhide chews will also
keep your hound entertained for hours; however, rawhide products must be used with
caution, as some dogs will try to swallow large pieces and could choke or experience
digestive problems. Pig ears and related items; these can cause upsets due to the
excessive grease, and recently have been shown to carry salmonella bacteria.
Hound Glove, Zoom Groom or Soft Brush - For regular grooming of
these medium coated hounds.
Nail Clippers - Toe nails need to be clipped every one to two
weeks, depending on the individual and how much they naturaly wear them down during daily
activity. Available in either a pliers or guillotine sytle. Make sure the blade remains
sharp, and discard or change blades when dull, as a dull blade will pinch the nail and not
cut as cleanly..
Kwik-stop Styptic Powder - Used to control bleeding , should you accidentally cut the "quick" when trimming nails.
The following items are ones which you may not immediately need, but
may find helpful:
Dog Shampoo - Any tearless puppy shampoo is good to
start with. And the "dry", no rinse blue shampoos for quick cleanups are also
good. Most beagles will not require a bath that often unless they roll in something
objectionable or roll and play in dirt.
Bitter Apple - discourages chewing of inappropriate items.
Steel or Nylon Slip Collars - For show dogs in the ring or for
obedience training. A fine chain, 16" size, fits most adult beagles well. Please,
please, never leave a choke/slip collar on your dog when not in use.
Flexi-leash - (retractable lead) This is a nice luxury item for
exercising your beagle in wide open areas. Dogs love them, but flexi's must be used
responsibly, as they do not provide a high level of control. Always keep the dog on a
short lead in crowded areas.
Tooth Scaler - for occassional tartar removal. Brushing of the teeth is also helpful, if you have the patience for it.
Recommended Books - We highly recommend the following books as
excellent reading and reference material relating to selecting, caring for, training, and
living with your ideal beagle companion.
"The Guide to Owning a Beagle", Andrew Vallilla - A great
basic breed book for the owner of a beagle as a family companion.
"The Beagle: An Owner's Guide", Richard Roth - Another wonderful basic
guide, written by NBC President, Rick Roth.
"The New Beagle", Judith Musladin - An indepth breed book for the more
serious fancier. Includes more informative chapters regarding genetics, breeding and show
activities.
"Surviving Your Dog's Adolescence", Carol Lea Benjamin - We highly
recommend this title! Carol presents a positive, "basic manners" training
program, and also a thorough guide to dealing with every imaginable type of problem
behavior. This book should be on the shelf of every dog owner.
"AKC Dog Care and Training" - Guide to selecting, training and caring
for the ideal dog for your family.
"The Dog Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook", Carlson & Giffin -
Excellent source of basic health care and veterinary information. Turning to this book
will help the average dog owner know when it is time to call the vet, and when home care
is an option.
"The Joy of Breeding Your Own Show Dog", Ann Serrane - My personal
favorite book on breeding dogs. Explains genetics, selection, whelping and care of dam and
puppies through weaning. (By following Ann's advice, we have experienced a phenominal 98+%
survival rate for pups whelped at Brushy Run!)
"AKC Complete Dog Book" - The official AKC publication documenting all
of the recognized breeds, their histories and conformation standards, plus much, much
more.
"The Winning Edge", Alston & Vanacore - A very good guide to selecting, training and successfully exhibiting your own show dog.