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Beagles/Noisy Little Fella

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Expert: - 2/26/2010


Question
Hi there.  I have a three year old beagle named Jake.  He is a great dog in most respects, well house trained, handles basic commands with ease and is nice and quiet in the house.  He goes to dog day care a few times a week on days when I work, and is really well adjusted with other doggies there.  BUT...when I take him out for walks and he sees another dog, he loses his MIND.  He just bays and bays and won't listen to any commands or react to me at all.  

Now I know being noisy is kind of a beagle thing, and I am ok with that.  He is such an awesome little dude, it is completely worth it.  But this is such a complete switch from his behavior at home and his behavior when he is with other dogs during the day.  And, even when we are walking away from the dog, Jake will look at me but keeps baying - honestly, his eyes almost seem to say "Sorry lady!  I can't help it - this noise keeps coming out of me!"

Is there anything I can do?  I can handle the mild social embarrassment associated with having a noisy dude, but he seems REALLY stressed out by the event, and I don't want that if I can help it.  Thanks for any tips!

Answer

Zeppelin
Well interesting that you should choose to ask ME this question, hahaha because I think I have Jake's brother!!. As I was reading this I wasn thinking How could this possibly be exactly about my Zeppelin. Mine is also three and we call him affectionately the "devil in the beagle suit" I have trained just about every bad thing out of the little stinker except that. I even got another trainer to come and work with me with him to no avail. I currently have a dog walker that comes several times a week while I am working and she says that the best thing she can do is that when they see another dog and they are on leash walking she goes to the other side of the street and starts running which takes his mind off it (somewhat) Maybe that will work for you as well. Besides the fact that I work, I had to get someone else to walk him because I have back problems and he weighs 35# and when he sees another dog he goes bezerk and has pulled my back out before. He is absolutely a charmer at the dog park and with his "cousins" when they come to visit but on a walk he is hell on wheels. People don't phase him, only dogs when he is on a leash walking just like Jake. So....... wish I had magical words of wisdom but I have the same issue with my boy!I have just come to accept that that is his one quirk I cannot fix....

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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