The Incredible, Lovable Beagle

In This Chapter

• Discovering the Beagle’s origins
• Building the perfect Beagle
• Appreciating the Beagle’s qualities and talents
• Performing a Beagle reality check

No question about it: If we were to rate the various dog breeds for cuteness and adorability on a scale of 1 to 10, the Beagle would probably score a 15. The dog’s huge and winsome eyes, soft and floppy ears, and snuggle-able size appeal enormously to humans of all ages.

But the Beagle is much more than a saucer-eyed canine love object. Like so many other breeds, the Beagle originated to work with people to perform one or more specific tasks for the benefit of human beings. In this chapter, I discuss what those tasks were, how the Beagle helped to accomplish them, and how the Beagle’s history affects the breed today.

Mommy, Where Do Beagles Come From?

Determining the Beagle’s origins is a tricky proposition — mainly because historians don’t agree as to when the very first Beagles appeared. Some claim that the ancient Greeks bred small hounds for the purpose of hunting rabbits many hundreds of years before the birth of Christ. Others maintain that the breed’s ancestry dates from around 200 A.D.

What’s in the name? The origin of the term Beagle is as mysterious as the origin of the breed itself. Some dictionaries credit the French with coining the term be’guele to denote an open mouth — perhaps a reference to the breed’s ability to howl. Other sources suggest that the breed’s name derived from the French term begle, Celtic term beag, or the Old English begele. All three terms mean small — which is appropriate, considering the breed’s small size.

But while scholars may disagree as to when the little hound first appeared on the scene, those who study Beagle history do seem to agree that the ancestors of the Beagles we know today developed in England as early as the 1300s to hunt hares. In fact, in the prologue to The Canterbury Tales, the 13th century author Geoffrey Chaucer describes a prioress, or nun, who had “small houndes . . . that she fed with roasted flesh, and milk, and wastel bread.”

However, the breed name didn’t appear in print until at least a century later. The known debut of the name Beagle in the English language was in 1475, in a story called The Squire of Low Degree. The author, who is unknown, wrote, “With theyr begles in that place and seven-score raches [small French hounds] at his rechase . . .”

By the time Elizabeth I ascended the British throne in 1558, many British nobles liked to hunt rabbits with the help of pocket Beagles: very small hunting hounds that measured only 9 inches tall at the shoulder. (By comparison, today’s Beagles are supposed to measure between 13 and 15 inches.)

Although these diminutive hounds pursued their long-eared quarry with great enthusiasm, the rise of fox hunting — which most nobles found far more exciting than hunting rabbits or hares — required hounds that were bigger and faster than the pocket Beagle. Consequently, by the mid-1700s, the popularity of Beagles among the English nobility declined in favor of a dog that is the ancestor of today’s Foxhound, a dog that is considerably larger than any Beagle, pocket-sized or otherwise.

But in the 1800s, the British began to regain their interest in hunting with Beagles. Under the leadership of the Reverend Philip Honeywood, among others, the British began to develop fine hunting packs of Beagles. At the same time, many dog fanciers in England began to show their canine stock in events designed to build interest in breeding the dogs being shown. These events were the first conformation dog shows, which live today in such well-known gatherings as England’s Crufts show and the American Westminster Kennel Club dog show. To provide a vehicle for showing Beagles, a group of British enthusiasts formed The Beagle Club in 1890.

Meanwhile, across the Atlantic Ocean, Beagles were earning their keep in American households by hunting game and thus helping to put food on American tables. But by the mid-19th century,

Americans were becoming just as interested in dog shows as their counterparts on the other side of the pond.

Some Americans began importing high-quality British Beagles, and by 1884 — the same year that the American Kennel Club (AKC) formed (see the “Just what is the AKC, anyway?” sidebar) — these enthusiasts had formed the American-English Beagle Club to exhibit their dogs in conformation shows. At the same time, though, another group of enthusiasts formed the National Beagle Club (NBC) of America to not only improve the Beagle’s looks but also its ability to hunt game. By the end of the 19th century, the two clubs had merged into one organization dedicated to improving the breed’s performance in the show ring and in the field.

Although some of today’s Beagles have earned accolades as both conformation champions and field champions, many continue to excel in either one venue or the other. As I explain in Chapter Choosing Your Beagle Soul Mate, these differences are crucial considerations in what sort of Beagle companion you should search for and select.

Just what is the AKC, anyway? The American Kennel Club (AKC), headquartered in New York City and Raleigh, North Carolina, records data and statistics for the 154 dog breeds — including the Beagle — that the club considers to be purebred. Among the info the club gathers are births of litters, registrations of individual dogs, and titles that dogs earn in events such as dog shows, agility trials, and competitive obedience. But the AKC is more than just a registry. The organization also sponsors all kinds of events at which dogs earn those titles. These events include not only the three types listed above, but also such varied activities as tracking competitions, herding tests, and hunting trials. Although the AKC serves as a sponsor, the actual events are held by clubs that belong to the AKC, such as the National Beagle Club of America. The AKC also tries to promote responsible dog breeding and ownership through education programs targeted to breeders and owners. The organization tries to spread the word on good breeding practices, but it doesn’t have any enforcement or endorsement powers. A puppy with AKC papers is simply a puppy registered with the AKC. The papers don’t guarantee a dog’s health or temperament.

The Official Beagle Blueprint

Although Beagles have been around in one form or another for quite awhile, the Snoopy-dog that most people are familiar with is  only a little more than a century old. That dog’s adorable face,tenacious personality, awesome scent-sniffing ability, and obsession with bunnies didn’t happen by accident — trust me, no hot doggy love and subsequent surprise puppies occurred here! Today’s best Beagles, like all high-quality purebred dogs, result from breedings that are carefully planned by human beings.

Why all the care in planning? Because human beings want Beagles to have a certain look and temperament. In fact, the National Beagle Club of America developed a multipage set of specifications that describe in precise detail what a perfect Beagle should look and act like. (Likewise, all other national breed clubs produce similar specifications for their respective breeds.) This blueprint for a Beagle, which is called the breed standard, outlines what reputable breeders should try to produce in their Beagle puppies and what judges should look for when they assess Beagles in the conformation show ring. The breed standard puts into words what a picture such as Figure 2-1 shows: the ideal Beagle.

Figure 2-1: Highlights of the Beagle breed standard.

The following sections describe the breed standard developed by the National Beagle Club and recognized by the AKC.

General appearance

The AKC standard specifies that a Beagle should resemble a miniature Foxhound that is solid and big for his inches, with the wearand-tear look of a hound that can last in the chase and follow his quarry to the death. In other words, the ideal Beagle can look cute, but he shouldn’t look frail or delicate. He should embody the look of a solid dog who will chase a rabbit or other quarry until the quarry gives up, wears out, and/or gets caught.

The standard also notes that Beagles come in two sizes: the 13-inch Beagle and the 15-inch Beagle. The 13-incher is supposed to be no taller than 13 inches at the front shoulder. Similarly, the 15-inch Beagle should not exceed 15 inches in height at the front shoulder.

Specific parts

Of course, the standard does much more than offer a big-picture description of what a Beagle should look like. The standard places far more emphasis on exactly how specific parts of the Beagle’s body should appear.

Decoding the breed standard If you decide to read the actual breed standard approved by the National Beagle Club of America, you may encounter some puzzling terms. Here are definitions of the terms that are most likely to cause confusion: - Cow hocks: A condition in which the hind legs turn in on each other. Cow hocks and the opposite condition, divergent hocks, may affect the dog’s ability to move properly. - Forelegs: The front legs. - Loin: The area on each side of the backbone between the ribs and the hips. - Occipital: The bone at the back of the top of the skull. In some dogs, this bone is quite prominent, even triangular-looking. - Rib spring: The width of the chest. - Stop: An indentation at the midpoint of the face. A definite stop refers to a clear, distinct indentation between the top half and bottom half of the face. - Withers: The shoulders. Most measurements of a dog’s height are from the floor to the top of the withers.

If you plan on showing your Beagle, log onto the AKC Web site at www.akc.org/breeds/beagle, where you can find a copy of the actual breed standard.

Head

A Beagle’s skull should be fairly long, with a slight dome at the back part of the head. The skull as a whole should be relatively broad and full, not elongated. Those long, silky ears should reach almost to the end of the nose if drawn out straight, and they should be rounded at the tips. The eyes should be hazel or brown in color and should be large, set far apart, and have a gentle, pleading expression. The muzzle should have a square shape, and the profile should show a clear distinction between the bottom of the face and top of the face.

Body

Wrinkles are OK for Chinese Shar-pei but not for Beagles! The standard stipulates that the neck and throat should not exhibit any skin folds. The shoulders should not be upright; rather, they should slope downward. The dog’s chest should be deep and broad but not out of proportion to the rest of the body. The Beagle’s back should be relatively short (no channeling of Dachshunds here!).

Legs, feet, and tail

The wiener dog takes another hit when the Beagle breed standard addresses legs, feet, and tails. The standard stipulates that a Beagle’s front legs should be straight, not crooked or — yes, the standard gets this specific — resembling the front legs of a Dachshund. The hips and thighs should be strong and muscular. The tail needs to be fairly high on the rump and carried in a jaunty fashion, but it should not curve over the back.

Coat and color

The Beagle should have a medium-length, easy-to-groom coat that lies close to the body and is hard to the touch. Silky tresses are a definite no-no.

As for coat color, the standard is vague, saying only that any recognized hound color is OK. The most common color is the black, white, and tan tri-color, but other colors common to hounds such as red and white, chocolate tri-color (solid chocolate brown instead of black), and shaded tri-color (varied shades of brown instead of black) are OK, too. So, too, is ticking: tiny spots of brown or black in white fur.

Defects

The standard also discusses how judges should rate the less-thanperfect Beagle. Among the defects that would cause a judge to disqualify a dog from or deduct points in the show ring are the following:

• Height exceeding 15 inches
• A narrow skull
• A cranium that’s too high
• Small eyes
• Protruding eyes
• Excessively short ears
• Ears set too high on the head
• Ears that rise from their point of origin before falling
• Excessive skin folding at the throat
• Straight shoulders
• Excessively deep or shallow chest
• Swayed or excessively long back
• Cow hocks
• Excessively long tail
• A tail curved forward or over the dog’s back
• Lack of feathering at the end of the tail
• Soft coat
• Thin coat

Few, if any, Beagles meet all the standard’s criteria for perfection. Some deficiencies are no big deal in the show ring, while others are considered so serious that the dog can’t be shown. Still, disqualification from the show ring certainly doesn’t mean that the affected Beagle won’t be a wonderful, healthy pet or participant in other dog activities. Plenty of Beagles who don’t make the grade in conformation can earn straight A’s as lively, loving companions — and more. Chapter Gonna Find Me a Beagle describes in greater detail how wannabe pet owners can find the Beagle of their dreams by buying or adopting the Snoopy-dog who would never make Westminster.

Fashion tips for the owner The Beagle breed standard, unlike many other standards, also describes proper attire for the fashion-conscious owner. The recommended ensemble applies only to those owners who participate in formal hunts with packs of Beagles. Among the suggested clothes are green coats and white breeches or knickerbockers for men. Women should substitute white skirts for the breeches. Both sexes should accessorize their ensembles with a black velvet cap, white tie, green or black stockings, white spats, and black or dark brown shoes. Vest and gloves are optional.

Why the World Loves Beagles

Every year, the AKC tallies up the number of dogs registered for each of the breeds the organization currently recognizes — and each year, Beagles pups and litters are among the breeds that garner the most registrations. For example, in 2005 — the last year for which registration stats were available at the time I was writing this book — the Beagle bagged the number 5 position out of 154 breeds. Only Yorkshire Terriers, German Shepherd Dogs, Golden Retrievers, and Labrador Retrievers drew more registrations. That’s not a fluke, either; the Beagle has held its own among the big dogs (and the Yorkie, too) for many years.

And it’s easy to see why. Beagles offer something for almost everyone, including the following:

- They’re adorable. Few people can resist the winsome eyes, soft muzzle, and all-around cuteness of a Beagle. Just one soulful gaze from this sweet-looking little hound is enough to render almost any dog lover totally smitten. And just one day with this happy-go-lucky little dog (the eyes may look sad, but the rest of the dog is happy, happy, happy) may well hook you for life.

- They’re low-maintenance. With a Beagle, you don’t have to worry about untangling the coat, creating a canine top-knot, or booking an appointment with the local groomer. Beagles do need bathing and brushing, as well as ear tending, puppy pedicures, and tooth care, but you can easily perform all those functions yourself — especially with the help of the tips included in Chapter Sprucing Up Your Beagle.

- They’re small. The pocket Beagle may have been a Renaissance fad, but today’s Beagle is still pretty compact. That small size makes this breed ideal for people who can’t or don’t want to deal with the logistics of caring for larger dogs. (Believe me: Getting an 80-pound canine to get into the bathtub or out of the car when that dog would rather do something else can be, um, challenging.) And if your leashed Beagle decides to make like a sled dog and pull you down the street while the two of you are walking, your size advantage can put a quick stop to such behavior. That said, Chapter Schooling Your Beagle includes pointers on teaching your Beagle good walking manners, and using brute strength isn’t one of my recommendations.

- They’re versatile. Beagles are truly multitalented individuals. As Chapter Getting Physical: Exercising Your Beagle shows, they not only can excel in the conformation ring but also in activities such as competitive obedience, agility, and flyball. Their superb noses make them natural trackers — and of course, they can write the book on hunting small game. But the Beagle’s potential doesn’t stop with these traditional dog activities. Hop on over to Chapter Ten Unique Beagle Occupations and Activities to discover how Beagles serve on the front lines of the war on terror and also are first-class detectors of hidden mold and termites.

- They’re sociable. Simply put, Beagles enjoy the company of human beings. They relish meeting and greeting just about any person. Beagles not only fit well into human families but also can employ their friendliness in another pursuit: as therapy dogs. These canine healers visit sick people in hospitals and elderly people who are confined to nursing homes. In fact, one of the best known therapy dogs of recent years was a Beagle. Her name was Dani, and she not only gave lots of canine TLC to pediatric cancer patients but also provided a lesson in courage to those patients when she was diagnosed with cancer herself. Fortunately, Dani survived her bout with the big C and continued her therapy duties. You may not want to perform therapy work with your dog, but Chapter Beginning a Beautiful Friendship offers tips for bringing out the extrovert in any Beagle.

- They’re kid-friendly. Some breeds do better with children than others — and the Beagle is among those canines that can be wonderful companions for kids. The Beagle is small enough to be able to romp with children without knocking them over, but large and sturdy enough to interact with sometimesclumsy kids with relative safety. Still, to minimize the likelihood of either kid or canine getting hurt when getting together, Chapter Beginning a Beautiful Friendship provides information on how to help Beagles and children live happily ever after.

A place just for Beagles Unlike many American breed clubs, the National Beagle Club (NBC) of America has its very own farm: a 508-acre tract called The Institute Farm in Aldie, Virginia, which is south of Washington, DC. Five members of the club formed a corporation dubbed The Institute Corporation for the express purpose of buying the land and administering the property for the NBC. In 1916, the group bought the land — although the name of the seller remains an open question. Records indicate that the corporation bought the land from the estate of one Isabella Skinner Turner. However, one of the corporation’s founders said that the land had been part of the estate of a gentleman who’d planned to use the tract for a hunt club. The gentleman, whose name is not known, sailed to England to buy a pack of hounds. To his great misfortune and that of the hounds, they sailed back to America on the RMS Titanic and perished when that ship struck an iceberg and sank in April 1912. Historians speculate that the gentleman had contracted to buy the property but had not completed the purchase before he and his hounds met their deaths. Today, The Institute Farm serves not only as the site for NBC-sponsored events to test Beagles’ hunting prowess (called field trials by show folk) and specialty shows, but it also has hosted seminars and events for other dog-related organizations. Among the non-Beagle events held at the farm in recent years has been a seminar for a “Bloodhound Training School” for law enforcement officers who work with Bloodhounds in search-and-rescue.

. . . But Nobody’s Perfect

Alas, as wonderful and appealing as the Beagle can be, the breed also has its dark side. Consider the following possible disadvantages of living with Snoopy-dogs:

- They are vocal. All dogs bark, but the Beagle adds a little something extra to his vocal repertoire: the howl. A Snoopydog who lifts his head in Beagle-song will certainly get the attention of the people around him — and, if he lives in an apartment, will almost certainly draw the ire of his human neighbors. Chapter Rehabbing the Delinquent Beagle addresses ways to alleviate a clash between a vocal Beagle and human sanity.

- They may have bathroom issues. The Beagle has a reputation for being more difficult to housetrain than other breeds. Some experts theorize that Beagle bathroom issues arise because the dog’s nose is so sensitive that he can smell the tiniest vestige of left-behind accidents. Patience, consistency, and a commitment to total cleanup of bathroom indiscretions are the keys to teaching your Beagle proper potty protocol. Chapter Housetraining Your Beagle gives you the scoop on how to housetrain your four-legged friend.

- They follow their noses. Humorist Dave Barry makes his living by being funny — but when he described the Beagle as a nose with four legs, he wasn’t kidding. A dog with a nose sensitive enough to detect one piece of contraband fruit in a pile of luggage is likely to be far more tuned in to the world of smells than a human being would be. Such is the case with the Beagle, who — like the hound that he is — lives to follow the scent. This devotion to odor can get the Beagle into trouble — such as going through the garbage can indoors, wandering off the owner’s property outdoors and not looking back, and attempting to eat anything and everything, whether an item is meant to be eaten or not — if his owner isn’t vigilant. Chapter Preparing for Your Beagle’s Arrivaldescribes ways that owners can make their homes impervious to Beagle explorations, and Chapter Schooling Your Beagle lists steps owners can take to keep their odor-driven companions from wandering away from hearth and home.

- They won’t help your hay fever. No one can guarantee that any breed of dog will never trigger allergic reactions in people. However, some curly-coated dogs such as the Standard Poodle or Portuguese Water Dogs are less likely than most breeds to prompt the people in their lives to sneeze, sniffle, or suffer from watery eyes. On the other hand, the relatively short, straight hairs on the Beagle’s coat could make an allergy-prone person’s life a living hell — particularly during seasons when the dog sheds. And it’s not just the hair that can trigger allergy attacks: The Beagle’s love of the outdoors means he’s likely to carry other allergens, such as dirt, grass, and leaves, into your home.

_ They have their own agendas. Beagles are very intelligent dogs, but they’re not necessarily as eager to please their people as some other breeds such as Shetland Sheepdogs or Golden Retrievers are. The apparent result may be a dog who seems difficult to school in basic canine good manners, much less teach advanced maneuvers to. Chapter Beginning a Beautiful Friendshipoutlines ways to build the bond between you and your Beagle from your very first days together, and Chapters Schooling Your Beagle and Rehabbing the Delinquent Beagle outline strategies for countering any stubbornness you encounter when you try to train your four-legged friend.

These less-than-sterling qualities should give you pause if you’re still debating whether to add a Beagle to your life. That said, none of these apparent deficiencies has to mean that the Beagle makes a bad pet. No dog is perfect — but a Beagle could well be your dream dog despite any physical and behavioral challenges he might pose. The keys to success are knowing what you’re getting into and having the patience to raise and train your new friend to be the best, not the worst, he can be.

by Susan McCullough

Beagles and You: Made for Each Other?

In This Chapter

• Appreciating the Beagle’s nature
• Discovering what Beagles need from their people
• Comparing Beagle pluses and minuses
• Making the decision

Who can resist a Beagle? Those floppy ears, soulful eyes, and irrepressible good spirits can melt the heart of the most stone-cold human being on the planet. Even better, they’re low maintenance — as least when you compare them to long-haired breeds, such as Afghan Hounds, Golden Retrievers, and Collies. But despite their many great qualities, Beagles aren’t necessarily for everyone. To determine whether the Beagle is your dream dog, you need to know much more about the breed. This chapter summarizes the many advantages that Beagles offer to the wannabe dog owner, and also describes what Beagles need to live happily ever after with you.

Ain’t Nothin’ but a Hound Dog

The American Kennel Club (AKC), which is the number-one arbiter of dog breeds in the United States, recognizes more than 150 breeds. To make more sense of these various manifestations of Canis familiaris, the AKC has developed seven breed classifications, or groups. The breeds within each group generally have similar origins and talents, although they may not all look very much like each other.

The Beagle belongs to the AKC Hound Group. That’s because although any dog of any breed has a far better sense of smell than any human, the hound breeds have the best sniffers of all. Those noses enable hounds to be excellent hunters, and they can do their hunting without getting very much direction from their human partners. Many hounds, such as Greyhounds and Scottish Deerhounds, have great eyesight, too.

Physically and temperamentally, hounds are a pretty diverse group. Some breeds are sweet and mellow, others are feisty, and still others are somewhat aloof. Some, like the Afghan Hound, are quite large. Others, like the Dachshund, are notably short in stature. Coat types range from short and hard to long and soft, with a lot of variation in between. Still, most hounds are happy to curl up with you and share the love if they’ve had sufficient exercise and attention. And unlike some breeds that act as though they’re the canine embodiments of Velcro, hounds are relatively independent. Occasionally they need their space — and if you sometimes need your space, they understand and give it to you.

Within the Hound kingdom, the Beagle is the court jester. He’s a merry little dog who keeps everyone in stitches. He’s a sociable fellow who enjoys company without getting neurotic. And he can be plenty mischievous, not to mention sufficiently independent to get into that mischief from beyond your immediate purview.

Other hound breeds
Beagles have plenty of company in the Hound group. Other breeds lumped into this category include:
Afghan Hound American Foxhound Basenji Basset Hound Black and Tan Coonhound Bloodhound Borzoi Dachshund English Foxhound Greyhound Harrier	Ibizan Hound Irish Wolfhound Norwegian Elkhound Otterhound Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen Pharaoh Hound Rhodesian Ridgeback Saluki Scottish Deerhound Whippet

The Beagle’s Bill of Rights

Just like the American colonists back at the time of the Revolutionary War, every Beagle has certain inalienable rights — needs that must be fulfilled in order to have a happy life with you. Most of these needs are pretty basic, and no less than what you’d want for yourself. In other words, a little empathy from you should result in a lot of comfort and joy for your Snoopy-dog. That empathy should help you realize that Beagles and all other dogs need and deserve the things described in the following sections.

Lots of love

Beagles are relatively independent dogs, but they’re also very social creatures. That means that a Beagle may have his own agenda, but that agenda almost always includes hanging out with his people as often as possible. He’s not necessarily a stick-to-yourside dog, but he certainly wants to be part of any action that’s going on within his household. If you’re looking for an aloof pooch who prefers solitude to companionship, the Beagle is not for you.

Safe shelter

As Chapter The Incredible, Lovable Beagle explains, Beagles were originally bred to hunt rabbits, but the typical pet Beagle doesn’t get much opportunity to chase down bunnies (probably much to the bunnies’ relief!). For that reason, today’s Beagle isn’t meant to live a life in a yard, a doghouse, or an outdoor kennel. He should live in your house with you, and be part of your family.

That said, keeping your Beagle in your house can be a challenging enterprise. The little hound’s sense of humor may not always be to your liking; he has an uncanny ability to ferret out stuff that you don’t want him to have (lingerie, anyone?). Chapter Preparing for Your Beagle’s Arrival contains lots of suggestions on how to make your home a great place for a Beagle and also limit his ability to make mischief.

Food, glorious food

Beagles are relatively small, so you don’t need to worry about your canine companion running up a humongous food bill. Still your little hound does need enough nutritious food to keep his skin pink, his coat healthy, and his physique sleek. Chapter Feeding Your Beagle explains not only what to feed your Beagle, but also how to feed him so he reaps the maximum possible benefit from every meal.

Room to run (preferably with you)

Like other dogs that were bred to hunt, the Beagle has a prodigious amount of energy — even though he’s pretty small for a hunting dog. Unless you’re giving your dog regular chances to chase down rabbits, you need to provide him with other opportunities to exercise. A couple of brisk, 20-minute walks each day can keep his muscles toned (not to mention what such strolls may do for your own health!), but don’t limit yourself to twice-daily turns around your block. Head on over to Chapter Getting Physical: Exercising Your Beagle to find ways to be active that both you and your little hound will love.

A touch of class(es)

All dogs need some training, and the Beagle is no exception. For one thing, the trained Beagle is probably a lot happier than his untrained counterpart. The unschooled dog makes lots of mistakes, such as messing in the house, jumping up on people, and trashing household goods, but doesn’t understand why his people are always angry at him. How would you feel if someone you depended on was angry at you, and you had no idea why? Probably pretty miserable. The same is true of the clueless, untrained Beagle.

By contrast, the trained Beagle has a much better time of fitting in with his family. Because he knows that he’s not supposed to take a whiz on the white Berber carpet in the living room, he’ll never get scolded for doing so. Because he understands that he’s not supposed to become a canine pogo stick and jump all over his people, those people are happy to get down to his level and interact with him. The Beagle is a born extrovert, so all this positive interaction can’t help but make him happy.

And he’s not the only one who’s happy — the people in the trained Beagle’s life are happy, too. They have a family member who’s a pleasure to be around and who doesn’t cause undue stress. They don’t have to worry about their Snoopy-dog growling at strangers, snapping at anyone who comes near his favorite toy, or finding an unwelcome little deposit atop their favorite easy chair. People with trained dogs are free to truly enjoy their dogs. A trained dog is a true companion, a friend in the best sense of the word.

Finally, the trained Beagle also is more likely to be safe than his untrained counterpart. That’s because a Beagle with basic obedience training will know how to come when he’s called, stop doing something when told to do so, and perform other maneuvers that can help keep him out of trouble.

Part IV gives you the scoop on how to transform your clueless little hound into a well-mannered Beagle, and how to deal with a dog who’s got one or more challenging behavioral issues. Also included is information not only on how to train your Beagle yourself, but also on how to choose an obedience instructor and to choose among training options.

Great health care

Beagles generally are very healthy dogs — but like all dogs (and, for that matter, people), they need good medical care to stay that way. Providing such care is a two-pronged effort that consists of:

- Preventing illness: You and your veterinarian work together to keep all of your Beagle’s systems functioning at optimal levels. Such care includes regular checkups, immunizations when necessary, determining your Beagle’s reproductive future, and getting a handle on how your Beagle looks and acts when he’s healthy. Chapter Managing Your Beagle’s Day-to-Day Health addresses all these issues and more.

- Treating illness or injury: You and your vet work in partnership to help your Beagle recover from any illness or injury he sustains. Chapter Dealing with Health Issues outlines symptoms that require an emergency visit to your veterinarian or emergency clinic, those that require a phone call to your vet, and which ones shouldn’t cause you any worry. Chapter Managing Your Beagle’s Day-to-Day Health gives you the lowdown on how to care for your dog after the visit to the vet, including a primer on dispensing any medication the vet prescribes.

Although Beagles generally enjoy good health, they are more vulnerable to certain conditions than other dogs are. Chapter Dealing with Health Issues outlines those conditions and describes how you and your vet can resolve them.

Good grooming

Unlike other dogs, especially those with long hair, Beagles need relatively little grooming. However, “little grooming” does not mean the same thing as “no grooming”! The Beagle does require certain sprucing-up rituals to look and feel his best. Among those rituals: daily tooth brushing, weekly coat brushing, a monthly bath, periodic ear cleaning and nail trims, and ongoing efforts to keep his coat free from parasites such as fleas and ticks. Chapter Sprucing Up Your Beagle offers a primer on how to groom your Beagle.

Why Beagles Are Wonderful

Beagles don’t win the breed popularity contest, but they come darn close. The American Kennel Club reports that in 2005, the most recent year for which figures are available, Beagles were the fifth-most popular of the AKC’s 154 recognized breeds. Only Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, Yorkshire Terriers, and German Shepherd Dogs drew more registrations than the Beagle did. The little hound has been consistently popular over several decades — in fact, the breed was number one in registrations from 1953 through 1959.

What’s behind the Beagle’s appeal? Probably several factors: For starters, they’re cute; they’re small; and they’re easy to groom. Other pluses are that most Beagles are multitalented, supersociable, and get along well with children.

Hop on over to Chapter The Incredible, Lovable Beagle to get more info on why so many people choose to share their lives with one or more Beagles. You’ll also discover the Beagle’s European ancestry and get the lowdown on what a Snoopy-dog is supposed to look like.

Buyer’s Remorse: Why a Beagle May Not Be Your Dream Dog

As wonderful as Beagles are, they’re not for everybody. In the interest of objectivity, it’s only fair that I outline some of the challenges of trying to live happily ever after with one of these little hounds.

Among the Beagle’s less-than-sterling attributes is his occasional stubbornness — in fact, without training, the Beagle can be downright ornery if his priorities conflict with yours. Part IV helps you counteract this independence — or at least channel it in another direction — by giving you detailed suggestions on how to civilize your little hound. I pay special attention to a frequent complaint from Beagle owners — that their dogs frequently flunk potty training — by devoting an entire chapter (Chapter Housetraining Your Beagle) to housetraining.

Another possible problem that Beagle ownership may pose is that the dog’s short, hard coat is practically guaranteed to worsen any airborne allergies that a person has. If dog hair makes you sneeze, a Beagle’s presence may turn you into a sneezing machine.

Another possible downside is the breed’s, well, mouthiness. Beagles are vocal creatures, and are not shy about expressing themselves in a regular dog bark or in that unique form of song known as howling. They are hounds, after all, and hounds do howl.

Chapter The Incredible, Lovable Beagle explains what you may not like about Beagles, so you can make an objective decision about whether this breed is the right one for you and your family.

What to Ask Yourself

The best way to determine whether you’re ready to welcome a Beagle into your life is to ask yourself questions that help you assess your needs and the dog’s needs, and determine whether those two sets of priorities are compatible. This section offers points to ponder as you make this crucial decision.

Why do I want a Beagle?

Be sure that the reasons you want a Beagle result from your knowledge of the breed and yourself, not from misconceptions or will-othe-wisp whims. Think about the issues in the following sections.

What do I like about Beagles?

Maybe you’re interested in Snoopy-dogs because you grew up with one, and your memories of that dog are warm, fuzzy, and softfocus. But it’s important to remember that childhood memories don’t tell the whole story of life with an individual dog.

That Beagle you loved also may have driven your mother crazy, perhaps because the dog never learned basic bathroom manners. And even if that Beagle was housetrained (to your mom’s understandable relief), that dog was a unique individual. You probably will never find a Beagle who’s quite like him — nor should you try to. Or maybe you’ve met your neighbor’s Beagle and adore that dog’s friendly, outgoing personality. However, that dog not only has his own one-of-a-kind temperament, but also probably has had more than a little training and positive exposure to people. To help your Beagle be as sociable as your neighbor’s, you’ll need to put in lots of time to teach him basic manners and help him learn that the world can be a friendly place.

Chapter The Incredible, Lovable Beagle tells you more about Beagle traits, and Chapter Beginning a Beautiful Friendship explains how to socialize your Beagle. Part IV discusses how to make your Beagle a good canine citizen.

Who is this dog for?

Only two answers to this question are okay: “for me” or “for me and my family.” In other words, no Beagle or other dog should be a gift — and please don’t bestow a Beagle on another person as a surprise. Chances are, that surprise or gift will not be welcome. Unless you know that the recipient is dying to have a dog and is prepared to care for one, give an inanimate gift, such as a plush Beagle or other stuffed animal, instead.

And please don’t get a Beagle “for the kids” unless you, the parent, are prepared to take full responsibility for the dog’s care. Little kids generally are too young and irresponsible to care for a dog properly. Older kids and teens may have the necessary maturity, but they don’t have the necessary time. I’m lucky if my own teenage daughter has the time to walk our dog one night a week. Fortunately, I adore our dog and am his main caregiver — so my daughter’s lack of time to help out isn’t an issue.

Have I recently lost a dog?

Living with a dog, no matter how wonderful he is, carries a major downside: He will probably die before you do. And when he does, the loss leaves a huge hole in your life — and in your heart. The same is true if your dog is simply lost and hasn’t returned, or if you had to relinquish the dog to a shelter or somewhere else because you could no longer live with the dog. At such times, it’s natural to want to fill those holes with a new canine companion. By doing so, you hope to staunch the flow of grief that’s flowing from your soul.

But unless you’ve come to terms with your loss, hold off on adding a new dog to your life. If you’re still angry or grieving over the dog who’s no longer here, you’ll have a hard time forming a bond with the dog who’s arrived. Any dog deserves to have a person who loves him without qualification. If you’re still coping with the loss of an earlier canine companion, bonding with a new dog can be all but impossible.

No animal can replace another. Each dog, whether he’s a Beagle or any other breed, is a unique individual and deserves to be appreciated as such. If you’re still processing the loss of your previous pooch, you’re not going to appreciate the special qualities a new dog will bring to your life. For both your sake and the new dog’s, hold off on bringing that dog into your life until your sadness and anger over the loss of the previous dog give way to happy memories. I promise you that change will happen — in time.

Tip

If you had to relinquish a dog to a shelter or rescue group because the dog had behavioral problems, or if you had problems that made dog ownership impossible, make sure all such issues are resolved before you bring a new dog into your life. Otherwise, the issues that doomed your relationship with Dog No. 1 are likely to recur with Dog No. 2.

Do I have commitment issues?

A Beagle has a pretty good life expectancy for a dog: 10 to 14 years on average, and in some cases, even longer. If you add a puppy to your household, you’re looking at more than a decade of care; with an older dog, your time together will be shorter, but the care you need to give will be the same. A Beagle from a shelter or rescue group may need even more care. Such dogs may have behavioral problems because they were mistreated or abandoned.

In any case, before you take any dog into your heart and home, you need to be sure that you can commit yourself to the animal for his entire lifetime. Consider the following questions:

 
Have I been thinking about getting a dog for a while?

You shouldn’t add a dog to your life on impulse. If you’ve suddenly seen a dog whom you want to adopt immediately, slow down. Unless you’ve pondered whether you’re ready for a dog and whether you can care for that dog properly, you need to wait. No dog deserves to be stuck with a person who’s made a hasty decision that she regrets — or, worse, to be abandoned or relinquished to a shelter because that impulsive person decided that she didn’t want a dog after all.

Have I thought about how a dog will change my life?

When you welcome a dog into your home, your life changes. Gone are the days when you can leave the office at 5 or later and head over to the local watering hole to schmooze with friends or colleagues — not when you have a dog who’s sitting at home waiting to be fed, taken out, and played with after being home alone all day. Gone, too, are the days when you can sleep in on Saturday morning or stay inside on a rainy evening — not when you have a pooch who needs to potty outside at those times.

Your dog will need your care and attention every single day of his life — if not from you directly, then from someone trustworthy when you can’t be there. From now on, any plans you make must take into account not just what you want, but also what your dog needs.

Am I willing to put a dog’s needs ahead of my own desires?

A dog depends on you not only for basic care, but also for love and companionship — and you need to put that dependent individual’s needs ahead of what you may want. Ignore those needs and you’re likely to have a very neurotic dog.

I learned this lesson one long-ago summer when, as a single, dogowning woman living in a city, I rented a share in a beach house that was located several hours’ drive from my home. Every other weekend, I’d head to the beach house and board my dog in a local kennel. Within a month or so, Molly had become very skittish and would start freaking out whenever I was out of her sight, even when I went to the bathroom. (She’d cry outside the closed bathroom door.) I realized that between my being at work all day and being away on the weekends, Molly was literally crying for my attention. Her need for me was clear, so I ended my beach weekends. Molly was much happier — and, in the end, so was I.

Is my home good for a Beagle?

The Beagle is a highly adaptable fellow, but not even a Snoopydog is suitable for each and every home. To determine whether your home is Beagle-friendly or even Beagle-neutral, consider the following:

Do I already have a dog?

Neither a “yes” nor a “no” automatically means that your domicile isn’t suitable for a Beagle. But if you do have a dog, and that dog is large, you may have a problem. That’s because in the inevitable jockeying for top-dog position that will ensue when your Beagle hits the scene — a jockeying that could include growls, snarls, and wrestling matches that rival the WWE’s SmackDown — a larger dog is likely to win, no matter how feisty your Beagle is. The best your Beagle can hope for is to escape uninjured.

In general, you’re better off if both dogs are of the same approximate size and of opposite genders. Even then, however, you need to supervise the introductions and make sure the two dogs learn to get along. Chapter Welcoming Your Beagle Home describes how to introduce your new Beagle to any other canine members of your household.

What about my kids?

Beagles usually get along well with kids, assuming that the kids know how to treat a dog properly. But in too many families, that isn’t the case. If your children are under the age of 6, think twice about getting a Beagle or any other dog. Hop on over to Chapter Welcoming Your Beagle Home for suggestions on how to help your Beagle and your kids become best friends.

Do I live in an apartment?

A Beagle will not endear you to your neighbors if he gives in to his urge to howl. Think twice about bringing a Beagle into such close quarters. Your neighbors will be grateful.

Do I spend much time at home?

No one says that your Beagle needs to have you around 24/7, but this very social pooch will be much happier if you or someone else is around for at least part of the day. If you’re the sort who’s on the go outside your home from the break of dawn until the dead of night, you may have a hard time fitting a Beagle — or any other dog — into your life.

Can I afford a Beagle?

Dog ownership doesn’t come cheap. Beyond the upfront cost of buying or adopting the dog, you take on plenty of other expenses when you welcome a dog into your family. Here’s what you can expect to pay for over your Beagle’s lifetime:

- The dog: No matter where you get your Beagle — from a shelter, a rescue group, or a reputable breeder — you’ll have to part with some cash to bring that dog home. In mid-2006, the Beagle rescue group in my area charged a $200 adoption fee to cover the cost of that Beagle’s care in a foster home, spaying or neutering, and a microchip implant, among other expenses. A nearby animal shelter charged $100 to $300 to adopt a dog, depending on the animal’s size. A reputable breeder is likely to charge several hundred dollars for a puppy, particularly if the pup is a show prospect. Chapter Gonna Find Me a Beagle outlines where you should look for the Beagle of your dreams — and where you shouldn’t look, too.

- Supplies: You’ll need to lay in some Beagle equipment before you acquire your Beagle: for starters, a crate, dishes, grooming gear, collar, leash, food, and toys. Chapter Preparing for Your Beagle’s Arrival tells you everything you need to buy for Beagle before he comes home.

- Medical care: Every Beagle needs a yearly wellness exam, as well as periodic immunizations against various diseases. And unless you plan to breed your Beagle, you’ll also have to pay for the dog to be spayed or neutered — unless you adopt a rescue or shelter dog who’s already been fixed. Additional expenses will result when your Beagle gets sick and needs expert attention. Chapters Beginning a Beautiful Friendship and Chapter Managing Your Beagle’s Day-to-Day Health describe how you can work with your vet to keep your Beagle in the pink, and Chapter Dealing with Health Issues discusses how to cope if your dog becomes ill or injured.

- Travel expenses: If you travel, you need to consider the costs of taking your Beagle with you or leaving him home. Chapter Traveling (or Not) with Your Beagle covers the pro’s and con’s of either option.

A Final Thought

If you’ve thought carefully about why you want a Beagle, concluded that your domicile would be perfect for a little hound, determined that you will be a great parent and companion to a Snoopy-dog, and know that you can deal with the challenges this breed presents, congratulations! You’ve decided to add a wonderful dog to your life.

However, your decision-making is far from over. Now you need to determine whether you want a male or female Beagle; whether you want a puppy, young adult, or senior pooch; and where you want to start looking for your future companion. You also need to arm yourself with info on what to look for when evaluating the Beagles you meet. The rest of Part I will give you the scoop on how to find the Beagle who’s just right for you.

by Susan McCullough

Ten Ways to Become Your Dog’s Leader

In This Chapter

• Discovering how a good leader communicates
• Understanding why every dog needs a trusted leader

Leaders do more than boss their underling around; they set an example of good behavior and maintain a sense of calm authority, even in the face of excitement. If you’re eager for more respect, try the simple steps in this chapter.

Control the Resources

In any group of dogs, the leader controls the resources, from food, to choice resting areas, to drinking locations. Because your dog views your relationship as though you (and your family) were other dogs, emphasize this authority by organizing structured feeding times, even hand-feeding a portion of your dog’s meal to accentuate your authority.

Teach Your Dog to Mind Her Manners

Ordering anyone about, whether you’re a dog or person, is poor form. “Get this, do that, scratch my back, over here!” — a person who made these epithets would be quickly put in their place, and yet many dogs get away with saying as much with their behavior.

Tip

Assess how your dog demands your attention: pawing you, whining, scratching your arm, or staring. You must stop these unruly interactions must stop; you’re enabling your dog’s incivility.

Before offering your dog anything she would consider a treat (food, your attention, toys), instruct her to sit. If she ignores you, position her calmly and then continue your interaction.

Each time she requests your attention, instruct her to sit until her manners improve to the level that she’ll automatically sit whenever she wants something.

Reserve High Places for Humans

Woe is the temptation to invite your dog into your bed. An extra warm body on a cold wintery night — they didn’t call them “three dog nights” up north for nothing! That said, however, your dog may read a lot into your resting positions. Young dogs and those who are showing aggression should be level trained. This formula highlights that you rest on higher sleeping ground — a bed or couch, in essence, being equivalent to a mound or hill. Your elevated level commands respect.

As your dog matures, and her respect for your direction improves, you may invite her to join you on permission. (Any sign of aggression would preclude this honor.) Teach your dog to “Sit and wait” and then encourage her to lie in one space by tapping that spot and saying “Up, up.”

Warning!

Your dog may inch her way up to your pillow or the back edge of the couch. Don’t allow her to do so. Designate one area ahead of time. If she excites or rearranges herself, tell her “Off” and direct her back to her own bed on the floor.

Emphasize Your Right of Way

The most common and passive way dogs organize a hierarchy is through spatial definition. If you catch yourself stepping over or around your dog, or changing direction as not to avoid her, you’re paying homage to her presence. Leadership (at this point) isn’t within your grasp.

To reclaim your authority, teach your dog the definition of “Excuse me.” Every time your dog crosses your path (on a walk, stairway, or about the house), calmly but clearly say, “Excuse me” and knudge her out of your way. You may need to bump your dog with your knees or scotch your feet under her body until she moves.

So be it. One of you must move about the other: If your goal is leadership, don’t defer. As long as your dog cooperates, you don’t need to do anything else other than just move along nonchalantly.

If your dog’s chosen resting spots are blocking your footpath, the same rules apply. If you walk around her, you’re saying that you are more aware of her than she needs to be of you. The result? Your dog will consistently place herself in your pathway in order to get attention and redefine your spatial respect. In this case, it’s far easier to teach your dog to lie at the specified location or along the edge of the room.

Tip

Does your dog trip you on the stairs, slide in front of you during a walk, or position himself in front of the TV or the stove? These actions are as rude as a loved one stretching out to work or exercise in the middle of your stairway or kitchen floor. You owe it to your dog to teach her better manners!

Use Time-Outs to Control Unruly Behavior

Bringing your dog to her crate, small room, or station calmly isn’t punishment unless your inappropriate behavior makes it so. The calm act of escorting your dog to her kennel, station, or quiet room is a very acceptable way to handle normal frustrations. Losing your temper is far worse than to separate and regroup.

If you feel your frustration coming on, with no improvement in your dog’s behavior, don’t hesitate to put your dog in a time-out. Grab a favorite toy for your dog, direct him by voice or collar, and simply say, “Time out, my love,” as you seclude him. Your authority to make these decisions and isolate your dog when she’s unruly is both respectable and required. The duration of time out will be determined by how long it takes you to calm down, and whether your dog naps or is restless. These quiet times should not be more than 30 minutes, unless your dog is resting.

Tip

You can also use time-outs to help children control their impulses around the dog/puppy, too. In this case, simply remind the children that when a situation gets out of hand, the dog will need to go to her quiet space (which in truth, she’ll probably welcome), but that if they cooperate, you’ll reward them with a sticker or other prize.

Here are several times when a time-out can help ease the situation:

• If your dog/puppy is getting overly excited with a situation. Isolate her with a displacement bone or toy.
• If an outdoor situation is overstimulating your dog, causing frantic barking, pacing or patrolling.
• When children interactions are getting out of hand.
• If you suspect that her inattention or poor behavior may be due to exhaustion. Puppies nip the hardest when they’re overtired.

Empathize

Your dog wants to be understood and, above all, be respected for her life experience. An ounce of empathy can give you a special rapport with your dog. Once you can imagine life from her perspective, you can tailor your direction and become the leader you’d want to have if you were in the same situation.

Consider life from your dog’s perspective. Why does your dog jump, for example? If jumping occurs during greeting, she’s trying to get closer to your face, as is a normal canine ritual. Shouting or kneeing her introduces confrontational energy between you. Don’t go there. Instead, consider your dog’s reaction and what she may be trying to communicate and then comprise a direction that satisfies her needs while maintaining a structured home life. See Table 18-1 for examples of possible redirections.

Organize Space and Activities

A good leader, like a good team captain or parent, organizes the space and activities of those she’s responsible for. Organization leaves little to question and provides a tremendous sense of security and calm.

Help your dog organize where to go and what to do in every situation, from family time activities, to meals, to a visitor’s arrival. Consider your life’s flow and organize a game plan for each situation. What should your dog do, for example, when you come in from errands? Where should she go, and what should she do when you’re watching TV, or playing with the children on the swings? Consider Table 18-2 and copy it or add to it.

Practice Full Body Handling

It’s the leader’s prerogative and responsibility to physically check her group members. Other dogs know this fact and will allow a dominant dog to thoroughly examine their body. In your vigil to assume authority, physically touch your dog each day, from head to toe.

Tip

Your daily attention to your dog’s body allows you to note any growths, parasites, or skin alterations. Bring anything suspect to your veterinarian’s attention.

Restore Predictability

Dogs enjoy predictability: Connecting to an experience when their role is defined. Your dog feels most safe in your home when predictability reigns, distractions are low, and your mood is stable. Though you may enjoy a more spontaneous schedule, your dog will not. Like a young child, he enjoys eating, toileting, and playing at similar intervals.

Tip

If you work during the day and your dog is left alone, hire a dog walker who you can call in case an emergency precludes you from getting home at your usual hour. Though your dog can’t read the time, his biological clock highlights your arrival time. If you don’t make it home, your dog may soil or become destructive.

Highlight the Positive

Consider playing on a team. Would you choose a captain that belittled your weakness or exalted your strengths? A benevolent leader plays a similar role: Emphasize your dog’s good qualities and cooperative behavior, and she’ll be a cheerful member of your family circle. For each negative behavior you encounter, establish a positive alternative.

by Stanley Coren and Sarah Hodgson

Ten Common Misunderstandings

In This Chapter

• Knowing what hugs, kisses, and tail wags mean to dogs
• Understanding the expression of guilt and spite in dogs
• Exploring what leadership and control mean in the dog’s eyes
• Recognizing how your stress affects your dog

It seems that everyone believes that they understand dogs and dog behaviors — at least well enough to get along with their own pet. They base this belief on “facts” that they may have heard from their parents, friends, and acquaintances.

Unfortunately, acting on such misinformation can result in bad outcomes, a sharp deterioration in trust, and possibly increased aggression. In this chapter, we replace folk tales with fact.

Just For Fun

True or false? In North America, one out of every four families lives with a dog! True, true, true!

Every Dog Wants to Be Leader of the Pack

Dogs don’t have humanlike ambitions: Being No. 1 dog in their family pack is more of a burden than an honor. The truth is that dogs simply want their human pack members to assign them a rank number and to make the decisions. With someone else making the decisions, the dog doesn’t have to ever be on guard and can now tend to the other matters on his agenda, such as an afternoon nap or a game of fetch.

The rank in the pack doesn’t have to be earned by physical force. A strong pack leader controls access to food, resting spots, and water and has a stable mood. In fact, the only return this leader expects is attention and respect from his group.

Tip

The simple act of making a dog work for everything he wants, such as obeying a simple command like “Sit” before being given dinner, or even being given a pat, tells him that you’re in charge.

Remember

Without an authority figure and adequate pack structure, your dog will become quite stressed. This stress is the source of many dog behavior problems. These problems come about because the dog thinks, “If no one in my pack is in charge, then someone must make the decisions, and the only one left is me.” Thus, the unwilling dog is forced into a position of leadership. He must then be ever vigilant and becomes pushy, dominant, and even aggressive.

A Wagging Tail Means a Happy and Friendly Dog

A wagging tail signifying a friendly dog is one of the most common misunderstandings about dog behavior. Actually, the wag of a dog’s tail can signal many things, depending upon its speed and the way the tail is carried.

A happy tail wag is actually a submissive gesture and one that is often paired with a lower rump, which seems to drag the hips with each swing. Translated, it says, “You have my respect, and I know that you won’t hurt me.” A dog giving this signal is quite approachable.

Contrast that broad tail wag with one where the dog’s tail is held high over his back and the tail movements involve very short side to side swings at a high speed. This is the tail wag of a dominant dog who is saying, “Back off! Give me space!”

For a more thorough description of tail interpretation, refer to Communicating with Your Dog.

Dogs Understand Human Language

How many patient pets have listened to the constant diatribes of their well-meaning owners: “How many times have I told you not to get on the sofa? Behavior like that is simply not acceptable, and you’re making me very angry. I don’t want you to do that again.”

Ask the person, and he may claim that his dog knows well and good what he’s talking about. Ask the dog, but she’ll likely be snoring.

Dogs can learn specific words that humans speak, with the average dog capable of learning around 165 words and/or signals. In addition, dogs are very attuned to tone of voice and instinctively pair it to an emotional state, thus people with deep voices are often given reverence, whereas doting, placating family members are often ignored.

Remember

A dog, no matter how intelligent, can’t process full grammatical sentences.

A Fearful Dog Won’t Bite

A dog cringing in fear is a sorry sight. The average person may feel drawn to the scene and eager to help, but few consider this frightened animal a threat. Approaching this dog, however, is a bad move. This dog fears for his life and will likely bite without warning or hesitation. When fear biters bite, they bite hard.

Warning!

Fearful animals are, in fact, more likely to bite than dominant animals.

Panic drives fearful dogs to do anything to reduce the presence of a threat. Further, when you retreat from a dominant dog, he’ll stop any further threat of aggression: In essence, you did what he asked. When you retreat from a fearful dog, however, he may still rush and snap as your presence is still a potential threat. He’s afraid that you may still return to hurt him, so his emotions may well swamp any logical thinking about the situation.

Warning!

You should view all frightened animals as potentially aggressive.

Dogs Know When They’ve Done Wrong

Here’s the scene. You enter your home, and Rover looks at you, glances toward the kitchen, and then runs and hides. You walk into the kitchen, and trash is strewn all over the place — evidence that once again, your pet has been looking for edibles in the garbage. Your conclusion is obvious: Rover was feeling guilty because he messed with the trash can, and he knew that he’d done something bad, which is why he is hiding from you.

Unfortunately, your obvious conclusion is wrong. Remember, dogs have the mind equivalent of a 2- to 21/2 -year-old human.

Feelings of guilt don’t appear until around 4 years of age in humans, and notions of right and wrong may not be fully formed even in adults.

So what’s going on here? Your dog has learned that when trash is on the floor and you enter the house, bad things happen to dogs. He has no notion that he has any responsibility for the connection. He’s simply showing fear for the punishment that he anticipates may occur.

Tip

If your dog has such a trash problem and you still believe that your dog feels guilt, strew some trash on the kitchen floor yourself, let Rover see it, and then leave the house for five minutes. When you return, you’ll see your dog cringing in the same manner that you call guilt, even though he knows that he’s not responsible.

Dogs Sometimes Behave Out of Spite

Maggie has been out running errands all day while her dog Buddy was home alone. When she finally comes home, she finds the sofa cushions chewed to shreds. When her husband comes in from work, she explains, “Buddy was so upset that I left him for so long that out of spite and revenge, he destroyed our furniture.”

It’s a nice story, but wrong. Spite is another late developing emotion, like guilt, and the minds of dogs (equivalent to a human 2 year old) never reach that stage. Buddy chewed the cushions out of boredom. If he’d had something more interesting to chew on, like a beef shank bone or a peanut butter–filled chew toy, Maggie’s sofa would still be intact.

Tip

Another reason dogs choose to destroy or carry objects is that they may have your scent. Objects with the strongest scent are apt to be objects that you use frequently, so you naturally believe that the dog has deliberately chosen that object to distress or annoy you. However, this behavior is driven by a longing for your company, not a spiteful reaction to your departure.

Dogs Hate Cats

Dogs naturally chase cats, but this reaction isn’t motivated by hatred. Dogs evolved from predators that chased, killed, and ate a lot of small animals, although their ready access to the food that we provide has diminished their killing instinct. Term it call of the wild or simple fun, dogs naturally chase any animal that runs from them — including cats. Sighthounds and terriers are the breeds most likely to chase cats.

Unlike other wild prey, however, when trapped, a cat will turn and fight. Such a confrontation is noisy and dangerous for both animals, and if you’ve experienced such an event, you’d certainly remember it. However, if you look at the statistics, you’ll note 56 percent of dog owners also own cats, and they happily coexist, meaning that harmony between the species is within your reach.

Dogs Like It When You Hug Them

Most dogs don’t enjoy being hugged. It’s nothing personal, but as part of their wild heritage, dogs interpret any restriction of motion as threatening because running from trouble is their first line of defense. Though most dogs will tolerate a strong pat or quick arm hold, a full hug may be too restraining.

Tip

Teach your children how to interact with dogs properly. Encourage your children to reach out their hands to allow a dog to sniff it. If the dog turns away, your children should, too. If the dog sniffs their hand calmly, show your children the appropriate way to stroke and pet them, but enforce absolutely no hugs!

Your Stress Has No Effect on Your Dog

Most people believe that their stress level has no effect on their pet’s well-being and look to their pets as potential sources of stress relief for their human family. Though scientific data has confirmed that petting a dog does relieve stress, studies also show that your state of tension and anxiety can affect your dog as well.

When you’re anxious, you emit scents called pheromones that signal your current psychological state to your dog. When stress scents are emitted, your dog will search for the source of danger that is causing your agitated state. His activity level may rise, as he becomes anxious and ill at ease. He may even think that your stress has been caused by something that he did. Your tension thus becomes your dog’s tension, too.

Dogs are masters at reading body language, too. They can detect your mood by looking at your posture and the way that you move.

Tip

Avoid working with your dog when you’re stressed. Use this time to relax or play games that may lighten your mood before you train or do other work with your pet.

Dogs’ Licks Are Kisses

Probably one of the most enduring and widespread myths about dog behavior is that a dog’s lick is the equivalent of a kiss. Actually, a dog’s lick can have many meanings, and affection and greeting are only two.

Perhaps the most common meaning comes from a dog’s early evolutionary history. In the wild, when a mother wolf returns from hunting, she has already fed herself. When she enters the den, the puppies gather around her and begin to lick her face. To a romantic, this gesture may look like expressions of love — with all the puppies overjoyed at mother’s return. The actual purpose of this face licking, however, is much more functional.

Wild canines have a well-developed regurgitation reflex. Young puppies who are no longer nursing lick their mother’s face and lips to cause her to vomit up food. This partially digested material is easy for the mother to transport and makes ideal dining for young puppies.

So the next time your dog is licking your face, ask yourself whether he’s hungry. Perhaps he’s simply asking for something to eat. Of course, humans, being easily flattered, often reward what they perceive as loving attention with a snack. And so it comes full circle.

by Stanley Coren and Sarah Hodgson