If you’re bringing a Beagle home for the first time, or if having a Beagle is also your very first dog, you probably have many questions about how to train this dog breed.

All dogs need training and the best way to train any type of dog is with consistent practice, patience, and rewards. Beagles, in particular, are working dogs who were bred in Great Britain to help hunt rabbits and hare.

They are highly scent driven, pack animals. They are also very docile, friendly, eager-to-please, and curious dogs. Remembering a Beagle’s history and basic elements of their temperament will make training a lot easier. Beagles love any opportunity to perform a task and to work, so keep that in mind during training.

Where to Begin?

The first step in training your Beagle is establishing yourself as the alpha dog. Again, Beagles are pack animals and they respond well to respecting a leader. Making sure that your dog sees you as being in charge will make him much more responsive to listening to you in the long run.

Additionally, having a calm and assertive energy is the first thing you should remember, then you should set boundaries.

Body language and eye contact work very well for this as you show your dog what is acceptable and what is not.

House Training

Housetraining is most effective when you keep a schedule. Only allowing your dog to eat and drink at certain times followed by scheduled bathroom breaks outside is very important for the first few weeks when your pup is at home.

Always praise your Beagle after he has gone to the bathroom in the right spot outside through affection, kind words, and maybe even a little treat.

Socializing

Beagles are pack animals and do very well with families, children, and other dogs. However, getting them used to other dogs and young children at a young age is important. You will find your Beagle will be much happier when around big groups as they love attention.

By socializing your pup with other dogs and to other people, you are giving your Beagle stimulation that he needs while making sure that he will get along with others throughout his life. 

Teaching Commands

When it comes to teaching commands to your dog, bringing him to a reputable trainer or training class might prove to be very beneficial.

If you have already established yourself as the alpha dog, this will make command training quite a bit easier.

Also, Beagles really do aim to please and love having a task or a job, so they will look at learning and training as a fun experience as long as you do.

Here are a few training tips:

• Keeping exercises short and sweet is a good idea for effectively training Beagles. Unfortunately, Beagles are not the easiest dogs to train. They can also be quite independent thinkers, which makes training difficult and treats very helpful.

• Make sure your Beagle has been exercised! If your Beagle is too hyper, he will not be able to focus on you and your training.

• Make sure everyone in the Beagles new pack, or the family, is involved in the training. If everyone is involved in the training everyone will use the same commands and in the same way. This, in turn, will make training easier for your Beagle.

• Never hit your Beagle for misbehaving. Beagles will not respond well to this, especially when learning respect. Instead, change the tone of your voice to indicate you are upset with your pup’s behavior.

Remember, it is essential to establish yourself as the alpha to receive respect from your Beagle. Positive praise when he performs something correctly is also a must to reward good behavior. Finally, remember to have fun, love your new furry friend, and be patient.