# Leaving a beagle puppy alone?



## Machiavelli (Nov 29, 2007)

I do not yet have a puppy, though I will be getting one very soon, possibly saturday. Right now, I'm just doing research to know what I will need, and how to take care of it.

Due to work and school, the beagle would be left alone from 8 to 4, I feel bad enough as it is, So my question is, what measures should i take to make sure this isn't a problem for the dog, I imagine i should use gates and confine it to a single room, or some sort of large pen.
 

Any help and input would be truly appreciated


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## Shaina (Oct 28, 2007)

Normally the best thing to do is crate train your puppy...helps with housebreaking and limiting destructive behavior: http://www.dogforums.com/19-first-time-dog-owner/3048-housetraining-how.html

I would be most concerned with the amount of time your puppy is going to be home alone. How old is it going to be? Is there any way you can get someone to let him out for a restroom break and a little play during the day? Puppies (depending on age) should really be fed three times a day, and will likely need to be taken out *at least* every 2 hours until he/she gains bladder control and understands house training. If possible get someone to look in on him, and come home for lunch or something. If that's not possible I would really recommend getting an older dog. Otherwise there is a very good chance you are going to come home to many many puppy accidents, which aside from being unsanitary and just gross, will make house training even more difficult (your dog will learn to go in the house and think its okay).

You'll also want to get a Kong (durable rubber chew toys you can stuff treats in) to give it something to do. They are practically indestructible if you get an appropriately sized one.

Just out of curiosity, why a Beagle? They are by no means a low-maintenance dog.


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## Machiavelli (Nov 29, 2007)

Well, a family friend had a litter, and offered one to us, it would be our first pet, is there another breed you would recommend that is low(er) maintenance?

I haven't a problem showering it with attention after the said time frame, its just hard to work around.


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## banjosteve (Nov 27, 2007)

Beagles are a beautiful breed, but they do have a few downsides. Most notably their energy. I got my parents a beagle 2yrs. ago to replace the dachshund they had lost a year before. He's now finally settling down, and they got lucky because he doesn't do the usual beagle howl. As to their energy though, my parents are about 60 and go to work from 8 - 4 so it seems to be about the same schedule. Looking back, the beagle was maybe a little too high energy for them  but they absolutely adore him and he's settling down now. So I'd say, if you've got the energy, a beagle is a wonderful breed to go with because they are a soft breed like labs unlike hard breeds like most spitzes.


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## Shaina (Oct 28, 2007)

The breed of choice would depend more on what you plan to do with the dog when you _are _there, and how much time you are willing to commit in the mornings, evenings, and weekends.

If you have a lot of time outside of that time frame to spend on a dog, I would really recommend going for an older dog that would be okay alone all day right off the bat. Even then I would crate him/her during the day until you are very confident the dog would behave itself while you are gone. If there's a shelter in your area you might want to visit...there are many amazing 1-3 year old dogs in shelters that were surrendered for reasons not at all their fault (divorce or owners having kids seems to be common). The best part about getting a dog that age is you know exactly how big its going to be, what its personality is like, and may have basic obedience skills...and you still will have many many years together and can further train it yourself.

I'm sorry to dash your puppy hopes, but it's really not a good situation for a very young dog.


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## briteday (Feb 10, 2007)

Not only for a very young beagle, not a good idea to leave alone that long, but any beagle without tons of obedience training...then "maybe."

I have fostered 4-5 beagles, mostly adults and my sister had one for many years. My fosters could never be left uncrated when they were alone. I had one pry open a sliding window, tear out the screen, jump to the ground, and scale a 6' fence to escape. Another one "tried" to escape through our cat door into the garage, but sadly got stuck. It took us a couple of hours and a hacksaw to free him. Another routinely destroyed anything in it's path to get to the food bag. She had kitchen cabinet doors ripped off the hinges and chewed through, a door to the basement clawed through, and she more than once dug under a chain link fence that was buried one foot under the dirt.

Beagles are very smart and very active. They are hounds and follow their noses. They require a human that has plenty of time to spend with exercising and training. And if you love the unique howling it is pretty easy to teach them to "sing" on command! 

Suffice to say that a beagle is not the easiest breed to start with. If you are looking for a good starter breed I would look to the retired racing greyhounds, whippets, Italian greyhounds. They can be couch potatoes most of the day (but must be kept inside especially during the cold weather) as long as they get a really good 30 minute run in 1-2 times / day.


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## KumoES (Nov 20, 2007)

Another reason to not get a very young dog with your schedule is the potty-training issue. The only reason my puppy worked out for me, when I have a similar schedule, is that my brother puppysits while I'm at school and work. Thus, Kumo gets lots of exercise all day, lots of people interaction, and lots of training. If you pup is going to be alone for the majority of the waking day, he's going to learn that going to the bathroom inside your house is a-o-kay and you will have a nightmare trying to break him from that.


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## Dieselsmama (Apr 1, 2007)

From 8-4 is just way way too long to leave any puppy. If you can't find another option for that time period, be it a dogwalker, relative, doggie daycare etc. to spend some of that time exercising them and feeding a noon time meal, I would hope you'd reconsider getting a puppy. An adult dog sounds more suited to your lifestyle at this time.


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## Anela (Sep 8, 2007)

Unless you are prepared to care for what is essentially a child with fur, and meet all of those potential needs, you are in for some real problems. If you try to alter the needs of the dog, you will be going against what is natural. 

You need a cat. Cat's are for busy people.

Anela


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## RonE (Feb 3, 2007)

Anela said:


> You need a cat.


Or an adult dog who is already housebroken.

We've had the discussion multiple times about whether working adults can own a dog. For the most part, unless you've won the lottery or have invested very wisely, who HAVE to be working to own a dog.

But a puppy is a special challenge and beagles, in particular, are not very forgiving if you are not diligent about training.


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## rosemaryninja (Sep 28, 2007)

Machiavelli said:


> I imagine i should use gates and confine it to a single room, or some sort of large pen.


You will very quickly regret this. A beagle puppy left to its own devices is a thing to be feared. Prepare to have cabinets chewed off their hinges, any food inside consumed and many puddles. Not to mention a lonely beagle will cry - and, if you haven't heard a beagle's cry - they can really bawl long and loud. It's a very unusual howl/bark that may be music to your ears, but plain ruckus to your neighbours'. Further, beagles can make great escape artists if they feel impassioned enough to get out and explore (which, you must remember, they were bred to do). 

I understand that while you are off work you can shower him with attention, but eight hours is a long time to be left completely alone. The pup needs to be played with, fed and allowed to go potty outside. Each time your pup goes inside and isn't told off during the actual act, is a lesson to him that going inside is okay. Each time your pup chews some furniture and isn't corrected is a lesson to him that chewing furniture is okay. As RonE said, beagles can be very unforgiving when it comes to lack of training.

Will there be anyone else at home while you are at work? Eight hours is far too long to leave a puppy. Housetraining will be a huge problem - you can't expect a puppy to hold it for eight hours - not to mention the pup will have little chance to play, learn and socialise. 

You might want to reconsider this decision. Beagles look cute, but they aren't the breed for everyone, and a recent litter from a family friend doesn't make it the breed for you. They are noisy, very destructive if not well-exercised and rather difficult to train. It also doesn't sound like a puppy is right for your lifestyle right now. Have you considered a retired racing greyhound? They tend to be more laid-back and are much less rambunctious, and you won't face the training problems you would have with a pup.


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## hattrickinc (Nov 23, 2007)

I have a beagle, and if they are all the same, then you DEFF need to take some time to dog proof where he will be... lol I leave mine home alone from 10-5 and he has so much energy that by the time I get home his potty pads are ripped up , and he is BUZZING lol... a good run around the block tires him (and me) down 


if u need anything else PM me


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