When the topic of discussion turns to beagles, the names of some of the most famous beagles always come up. The best-known beagle puppy in the world is not even a real dog; it is Snoopy from the “Peanuts” cartoons. It is perhaps the popularity of this fun loving dog that has brought resurgence in the breed’s popularity, making it a sought-after pet for families, especially for those with children.
The beagle puppy has an even temper and docile nature making it an ideal companion for kids and its non-aggressive behavior can allow parents to feel more comfortable having it around youngsters. The early months are important in the development of its ability to quickly adapt to new families as learning to socialize with others can be done during its first months in the presence of other puppies. After proper social skills have been learned, a beagle can quickly meld into a family unit and become a true family member. Very few beagles will be kept outdoors, despite their heritage of being a hunting dog. Their small size and genuine appeal make them a great indoor pet, yet they will require room to run and jump to work off some of their natural energy. The highly developed sense of smell possessed by the breed makes them eager for a hunt, but if they cannot get outside to find a new scent, they can be equally happy to sniff out fun with other family members. Their ability to pick up scents, which is part of their natural breeding, can be a little bit of a problem during training exercises. Their attention span is considerably short and if they happen across a strange scent will abandon their training session and head out on the new trail. Their inbred desire to hunt makes them easily distracted in search of new smells and sights. Beagles are not only great as family pets, as their ability to track scents allows them to work with many agencies where larger dogs may not be as efficient. Airports often use the beagle for baggage inspection, as their small size does not intimidate children and most adults. Their use is property searches continues to grow with every successful mission. They are known for the work with law enforcement in routing into small areas in search of contraband in places where larger dogs will not fit. When originally trained as hunting dogs, their stamina was counted on for the longer hunts of the day as they could chase down and corner a rabbit, keeping up with it in the open and well as chasing it through areas other animals could not go. When a beagle puppy is not working for the government or out in the field hunting, they can be found playing games with the children of the family.