Is the Beagle the right dog for you?
      



      So!  You're thinking about adding a beagle to your household?  If this 
      would be your very first beagle, you may be wondering--what are beagles 
      REALLY like?  What are the characteristics of the breed and will the 
      beagle "fit" in my family?   Are here health problems specifically 
      associated with this breed?  Those are all good questions and one should 
      actively seek information in those areas before deciding to acquire a 
      beagle.

      First, beagles are the BEST dogs in the world.... Well, maybe we are 
      just a bit prejudiced!  Beagles are a gregarious, friendly, outgoing breed 
      and should never be extremely shy, fearful, or aggressive to humans or 
      other animals.   Because of their small size and love of humans, they make 
      the best playmates for children.  However, children under two probably 
      would be better with an older (6 months to a year) puppy than an 8-9 week 
      old puppy as the little puppies like to "climb" up legs with sharp claws 
      and chew on fingers with sharp puppy teeth.  Also, a toddler can fall and 
      seriously injure a small beagle puppy unintentionally or squeeze it too 
      hard trying to "love" on it.  Little puppies are better for older children 
      who can recognize that the puppy is somewhat fragile and requires a gentle 
      hand. 
 
      Beagles are so tuned into human companionship that they don't do well as 
      outdoor dogs.  Left in the backyard all the time, beagles will respond to 
      the boredom that ensues by howling, digging, and trying to escape, at 
      which they can become experts.  A family companion can have "play time" 
      and "potty time" outdoors, but the dog's primary residence must be inside 
      with the family.  All pet puppies that we place with families MUST be 
      indoor dogs.  For a family that works and is away from home all day, there 
      are alternative solutions that work quite well, and we'll be happy to 
      share ideas with you and help you find what "works" for you and your 
      beagles.  

      
      Adding a beagle to your household could be compared to adding a child.  
      Beagles require firm but loving discipline to become well-integrated into 
      a family.  They're SOOO cute and look SOOOO sad when you correct bad 
      behavior that it's easy to "let it go, just this once."  I tell families 
      if you give a beagle an inch, they'll take three miles!  They have to know 
      what's expected of them and you must be consistent.  They're smart dogs 
      and learn quickly, but that also means they may try to get by with things 
      that they know are "off limits" just to see if you will let them.

      Beagles are food lovers like no other breed--they could eat until they 
      made themselves ill.  Therefore, their humans have to control portions and 
      snacks, especially for adult beagles, as they have a great tendency to 
      overeat and as a result, become obese.  Daily exercise is a big help as is 
      carefully monitoring the beagle's intake.  Obesity shortens a dog's life 
      and you have to be in charge of how much your beagle eats every day.

      Prospective owners frequently ask about beagles and family cats.  Many of 
      our beagles have gone to live with families with cats and all have gotten 
      along well with the feline family members (the beagle is usually VERY 
      interested in the cat--the interest is not usually returned and the cat 
      just stays "out of the way").  Introduce the beagle and the cat slowly and 
      always monitor initial interactions.  The same holds true when you add a 
      beagle to a household that already has another dog, whatever breed. 
 
      Beagles have relatively few health issues compared to many other breeds.  
      However, epilepsy is one of the major concerns and seems to be especially 
      prevalent in beagles from backyard breeders and puppy mills.  Show 
      breeders have a great interest in attempting to breed the healthiest dog 
      possible and have made great strides towards breeding away from this 
      debilitating condition.  We guarantee the health on our family companion 
      puppies and adult dogs and have been very fortunate in our twelve years 
      of breeding and showing to have produced extremely healthy dogs. As a 
      committed, responsible, breeder, I am always here to assist and guide 
      you everystep of the way.

      We provide all prospective puppy owners with a Puppy Packet which contains 
      great articles regarding crate training and housebreaking. It is our belief that all 
      family beagles should be crate trained, starting the minute they go to 
      their new home.  You will also find a sample contract on my puppy page. We 
      encourage families with our beagles to keep in touch over all the years of 
      their dog's life.  We have an annual Beagle Reunion and regularly post 
      pictures of our families and their wonderful beagles.



      Dara Boswell
      Kowtown Beagles