Beagle Behavior: Destructive Beagle

As with some of their other undesirable behaviors, destructiveness in beagles results from their boundless energy. The beagle breed was created as a hunting dog, and therefore need to be energetic and headstrong. Unlike other breeds, beagles generally do not like to spend their days curled up on the floor sleeping. They need to run, wander, and explore, often landing them in lots of trouble. Beagles need to be given some sort of outlet for their natural energy.

Prevent chewing and Biting

The key to avoiding destructive behavior in your dog is prevention. If you spend plenty of time walking and exercising your dog, he will not have the extra energy needed to tear up the couch, carpet, or whatever else grabs his attention at the moment. Try making the interaction with your beagle part of your daily routine. Take him with you when you go for a light jog or walk. Try taking him to a dog park, where both you and your beagle are sure to have fun with all of the other dogs around. Dog parks are a great solution because by definition they are built for dogs and they often provide toys and yards for differing sizes of dogs.

Toys are a good solution as long as you know the correct kind of toy. Pet stores sell a plethora of stuffed toys for your beagle, but keep in mind that he doesn’t know the difference between the stuffed toy you bought for him and the stuffed toy you bought for your child, or even worse the difference between his stuffed toy and your pillow or couch cushion! To the beagle, both are soft things that are fun to tear the stuffing out of. Stick with natural chew toys such as rawhides, or go for plastic squeaky toys.

Don't let your dog chew your old shoes and socks

A common mistake many make is to give your beagle an old shoe or sock to chew on and destroy. The belief is that by giving him an old one, he won’t chew on the new ones. The dog doesn’t know the difference. All he knows is that they both smell like feet, and unlike humans, that smells really good to a beagle. Pet stores are also guilty of selling toy shoes or other toys that look like common household items that dogs like to chew on – although they lack the smell as mentioned before, you should avoid these as well.

All in all, just remember that your beagle does have a mind of his own, and he needs stimulation just as you do. That being said, remember that he uses his other senses in ways that are hard for us to understand, and sometimes that may cause him to be confused as to what is okay and what is not. A little patience and understanding on your part is all it takes.