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Beagles/My beagle is showing aggression

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Expert: - 12/10/2009


Question
Hi there.My beagle is around 9 weeks old.Hes a male.The first two weeks I bought him,his behavior is still ok.He learns how to sit and comes when I call his name.He is also quite attentive.But last week starting,he starts showing aggression,I guess it is because I often lock him in the cage.Most of the time he spends his time in the cage because if I release him,he starts to ruin everything in my yard.But I often come out to talk wif him and play wif him when he's in the cage.But everyday I will let him out for an hour,and he likes to bite up my grass and eat it.And starting from last weeks,when I call him to me,he starting to "hug" my legs and scratch and bite (lightly not really bite until bleeding ,just little scratch),and he knows I'm angry and want to take him back to his cage,he starts to run run run to avoid me.What should I do?

Answer
In all honesty the best thing would be to find him another home. No dog, let alone a beagle should spend that much time in a cage, it is not healthy or emotionally good for him. I am sorry but this is not the way to treat your dog. At nine weeks he is a tiny little baby. He shouldnt have been released from his litter before a minimum of 8 weeks and preferable is 12 weeks so that he can be properly socialized within his litter. Lack of this can cause aggression and behavior problems and then locking him in a cage is even morre likely to cause agression and issues. This puppy needs constnat handling and love and affection. His eating things and biting at things is normal behavior. He will notlearn to do things right locked in a cage.

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Have4Paws

Expertise

I am happy to answer BEAGLE BREED SPECIFIC behavioral questions. Please DO NOT ask CRATE TRAINING OR MEDICAL questions! I am not a vet nor an expert in the use of crates.

Experience

I currently have one beagle, a male age 5, an 12 month old Pit Bull, and a 8 year old min. poodle. I have had to let go of three of my dogs, 2 beagles and 1 whippet/rat terrier mix in the past 5 years, most recently my whippet mix. The two beagles lived to 15 and the whippet mix to 13.5, it has been hard to say goodbye to them. I have done rescue work on and off for years as well as fund-raising for the local animal shelter. I worked for a dog magazine in the past (Southern California Dog Magazine). Being a psychotherapist has encouraged me to do in depth studying of animal behavior as well. I have worked with many people to help curb undesirable behaviors in their dogs (or them!) or to form good behaviors. My life is devoted to and surrounded by my dogs........The picture you see here is Zeppelin but we also call him the "miracle dog". He was hit by a car April 2010 while out with the dog walker and had very serious injuries... 4 surgeries and $17,000 later my boy is whole again and back to loving life. He is so special to me and he weathered a lot of pain and trauma yet is still the sweet boy he always was! I also work to stop Breed Specific Legislation and help to get pit bulls adopted.

Organizations
HSUS, PETA, SPCA DONT SHOP...ADOPT!!

Publications
Dog Fancy

Education/Credentials
I am a Marriage and Family Therapist licensed in the state of CA and am also credentialed as a Certified Addiction Treatment Specialist

Awards and Honors
Honored by the Agoura Animal Shelter for my volunteer work.

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