Expert: Have4Paws - 9/14/2009

Question
Hi! My sister recently found a stray beagle (I now find out that they are notorious for wandering off!)After days of trying to find the owner, she brought him to me since she already has one! I was reluctant at first, but Waff (as my 4 yr old has named him) is Surprisngly well behaved! He does not go to bathroom inside, and he is great with the kids. I have a fairly large back "patio" it's cemented,and has no grass, and that is where I set up a "house" for him. The problem is that EVERY night when we take him out he Whines and Howls for the longest time! I don't know if it is possible to get this to stop? I usually allow him indoors during the day when we are around, but again....any time we take him out the howling and whining starts! He scratches on the door, and once when it wasn't closed right he got inside during the night and was on the couch in the morning!
I understand that beagles require LOTS of attention, but we just can't give him undivided 24/7 attention which seems to be what he wants!
One other question...I try to walk him every day....but sometimes I am unable to. Is is unhealthy or confusing if I take him out sometimes and sometimes not? (he has alot of space to run around in the back AND front!)
Thanks for any help!


Answer
First kudos to you for taking Waff in, he is a lucky boy!

Since he is stray we have no history on how he lived before. But he obviously was housebroken well and therefore must have been cared for fairly well It sounds like he was an inside dog as well. In addition to that beagles are pack animals, they are not loners. If they don't have other dogs to keep them company they will easily adapt the pack mentality to their humans. Your boy wants to be with you guys! and he probably isnt used to being outside, especially to sleep. Unless you have some major issue with it, can he not sleep in the house at night? This will most likely be the easiest way to ease the howling. Additionally I see you are in Mexico, don't know what area or what the terrain is like but I am in So Cal and there are coyotes who would love to eat mine for a snack. I don't leave them out at night without supervision and beagles are the type who would bark and tempt a coyote as opposed to other breeds that might run away... Beagles are high alert dogs as they are gentically wired to be vocal due to the desired need for them to vocalize when they are chasing prey so the hunters know where they are. This is not a quiet breed and is very active. When left alone too much or when bored they tend to become destructive or try to find ways to escape... walking him as often as you can is great, it isnt going to be a problem if he gets if one day and not another but on the days you cant try to find other ways for him to get exercise by throwing a ball or running in the back yard. As I said this is a very active breed.
Hope this helps! Good luck