Dog Owners and Lovers, Breed Question

Everyone I know who has a Beagle says they will never own one again. Well one keeps buying them but complains constantly about the destruction, the noise, and just pretty much how high strung they are.

She is a Peanuts fan, yeah I get that, Snoopy is cute but then Snoopy is not a Beagle he is a cartoon.

I know nothing about Corgis.

I loved my Golden, so obedient, so good with kids.

Have you considered a Beagle mix? They are less likely to have the health problems that Beagles are prone to, and are often smarter. Corgis can be wonderful or little terrors - a lot depends on the personality of the individual dog, and how old it is when you get it (with a herding breed like that, I personally feel the older the better because then you can get a feel for the dog's personality in advance). Good luck.

beagles are adorable & complete pain in the .......

I've had 4 in my lifetime. Adorable when in the house, but not cuddly. The need to hunt/roam is very much a part of their makeup. Without a fence, it will be a nightmare. With a fence, it's still a nightmare. We had to place boards, rocks, etc along the base of our fenceline....& then the digging started!

Beagles are high energy. Beagles can be aggressive. We had 2 which would try to attack over food.

But, boy, aren't they cute!

We have a Beagle. I will never own another.
While she is a sweet dog she is beyond stupid. She has been trainable to an extent but nothing like my Shepherds or Labs.
On the Intelligent dog website, Beagles are the 9th most stupid dpg. I believe it.

They bark, dig, run, bring you anything they can find dead. THey have such a developed nose that at times when they are in the hunt they will not hear you.
They drool and slobber when drinking, they are not clean animals.
THey are prone to skin irritations.

So choose carefully. Personally I'd go with the Corgi, or something you find at the SPCA that says good with families.

Beagles can be very sweet but can also be very hyper. You really need to do your homework and then hope you end up with a relatively mellow one. Their baying bark can get really annoying really fast. Biologically, a beagle is a nose with feet.

Corgis are a herding breed, and while very smart, they need a lot of exercise (as do beagles) and sometimes try to be "in charge", as many herding breeds tend to do. Maybe one would help keep your kids rounded up. :)

My personal favorite are pugs. I have 2, so admittedly I am rather biased, but they are just awesome family dogs and love everyone and are great with kids. They are small, but very sturdy, and not at all as high-strung and yippy-yappy as many other toy breeds. You do have to be careful with their eyes, and also they can't tolerate extreme hot weather because of their breathing, but normally their breathing isn't that much of an issue. They do snore (not as badly as bulldogs) and can shed quite a bit. But they love to play, and the love to snuggle.

Usually I recommend attending a dog show if one comes to town, where you can see a number of different breeds up close and sometimes talk with breeders about whether a particular dog is one they would recommend for families with kids. You can also look into breed rescues if you decide on a breed, since they often have adult dogs that need good homes. Or simply make some visits to your local animal shelter until you find a good match.

As much as you want to get a dog now, sometimes it's good to wait until your youngest is at least 4 or 5, for many reasons - in my experience.

Beagles are morons. I know several people here in mid-Missouri who've had beagles for rabbit hunting and had them get hit by a car. They run right out into traffic. They're also noisy (the bark and bay) and hard to train. They're seriously cute...but that's about all they have going for them. They're related to the American Foxhound...which scores at about a 46 on the dog intelligence list for trainablity.

Corgis are smart little dogs. They're an 11 on the list. Very trainable dogs and very good family dogs. I'd go with the Corgi.

Here's the list of dogs by intelligence (based on trainability).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Intelligence_of_Dogs

we have a beagle. I did not know when we got him but beagles are stubborn. We can deal with it but its so true and we had no idea. They also have super smelling power. I joke that when our beagle smells something his nose kicks into overdrive and his other senses like his ears not so much. He is really sweet but he will probably howl when you are gone. They do love affection. But mine does not give kisses (dont know if it is a breed thing or just mine) but i dont mind not having dog spit all over me.

We have a Corgi. She is our second one. They are very intelligent and make wonderful pets. I have NEVER had a Corgi nip at our kids! Yes they are herding dogs and it was funny to watch her "herd" the kids in the back yard. Again, NO NIPPING EVER!!!

We got our first Corgi, Fergi, when our DD was two. Fergi grew up with Shannon and then when we had DS, she again was wonderful with a little one. Never any issues at all.

The major downside with Corgis is that they can get hip dysplashia (sp). We ended up putting Fergie down when she was 11 years old because she couldn't move from the waist dog. She was a terrific dog.

Bella, is our second. She is so very smart and an Alpha. She and I had a bit of a "time" because we are both alphas! But I'm to boss!!! :) Bella is 10 now and is slowing down. But I wouldn't trade our Corgis for anything. Matter of fact, I was on the Corgi site the other day, they are soooo cute but then so are babies!!!

There are two breeds of Corgis. Welsh Pembrook (no tail) or the Cardigan (tails) We have the "no tail" welsh pembrook. Good luck!!!

We rescued our last two dogs from the dog pound or dog shelter. Both have been very loving and adorable. They were both small dogs, slightly smaller than a beagle. Both of them had some terrier and or poodle in them and they didn't shed. They were both very active and loved my kids.

One of the nicest things about getting a full grown dog from a shelter is that the shelter house breaks them. Both the dogs we got knew to "go" ourside and it took just a few minutes to teach them to go in and out of the doggie door.

The second nice thing about getting a dog from a shelter is they have a play yard where you can take the dog and see how the dog reacts and plays with the family, especially the kids.

When the dog leaves the shelter it will have all its shots and can be spayed or nuetered. Sometimes the spaying/nuetering is your choice. Sometimes its mandatory.

The possible negative thing is that sometimes dogs get to the shelter because they were abused by their former owners. Both of our shelter dogs were abused by men, or at least I assume that's what happened by their reactions to me. Both dogs played wonderfully with the kids, but wouldn't go near me. I solved that problem with kindness and positive reinforcement. How did I overcome their fear of men, or at least me? I had a traveling job that took me away from home. I'd leave home most weeks Monday morning and return Friday afternoon. I'd call my wife Thursday night and tell her not to feed the dog until I got home Friday. When I got home on Friday, I'd take a hot dog and slice it up and fry it in a skillet. The fragrance of the cooking hotdogs would bring the dog to the kitchen. I would then put the hot dog slices in a bowl and let them cool off. I'd then toss the hot dog slices to the dog. (I couldn't get within 15 feet of either dog when I started.) Then I was the only one to feed the dog over the weekend. In about 6 weeks I had them eating out of my hand. Both dogs eventually became "dad's dog" in that when dad and the family called the dogs, they would both come to dad first.

When you get a dog from a shelter or pound, you save a dogs life. I've had AKC dogs and mutt's. I prefer mutts. When you get a mutt, the dumb dogs, the weak dogs (Bad hips, bad backs, mental problems), the mean disposition dogs are weeded out. They don't survive to breed with other dogs, therefore you have a better chance of getting the dog you really want.

BTW, the best kid dogs are either small or are herding breed dogs. I went to some sheep herding trials. One of the women showing off her sheep herding dogs said that her dog would "herd the kids" when they were toddlers and kept the toddlers from straying too far.

Good luck to you and yours.

I would fence in a little portion of the yard for him to play in durring the day also a dog house incase there is a shower. our neighbors had a beagle they loved it. i found the dog to be annoying. i love schnausers, boxers, and golden retrievers or labs. i hate small scurring dogs they remind me of rats!!! lol beagles would be a great first dog.

my friend has a corgi and he bit her father's foot! i know they're cute and very smart but yes, they are nippers (and apparently biters if not well trained). i love beagles but they howl (youtube videos of them howling to see if you can put up with the noise level). do a LOT of research before picking a breed - don't just get one b/c they available or cheap or whatever - you want to look at how trainable they are, how much exercise they need, how much attention they need, etc. to find a good match for your family so that your daughters aren't heartbroken again by a puppy not working out. good luck!

Beagles are stubborn. They also bay and bark (can be a nuisance to neighbors) and if are fenced in will routinely dig their way out to follow their nose after something else. We had friends that had a beagle mix, and it escaped often and had to be re-rescued from the pound. It also was horribly stubborn to the point of pigheadedness. It wouldn't care if was "caught" doing something wrong at all. You had to physically remove it EVERY time.

Corgis are herding dogs. And their method is by nipping, not circling. So keep that in mind since you have fairly small children.

FWIW, we got a GSD (German Shepherd Dog) when our youngest was about to turn 3. The first several months were filled with puppyteeth nipping as the kids ran up and down the hallway with the pup right at their elbows. No damage or broken skin or bleeding or anything like that. Just instinctual behavior on the part of the puppy (combined with sharp needle like puppy teeth) and me having to constantly stay on her to get her to herd without using her teeth. So if you are willing to put in the effort and know in advance that this is something you will see and have to train against, then you will be ok. Corgis are supposed to be good family pets and around children. I'm not sure about the "energy" levels and how that might play out since you have a small home and are gone much of the day.

With our GSD, when we are sitting (or aren't home) she sleeps. Very quiet--almost wouldn't know she is here, really. But when we are active, she has all the energy in the world to be right next to us all day long. She loves to play with the kiddos outside, and loves to search for treats/toys inside (we make it into a mental game for her). She will even "help" me dig when I am planting stuff. But doesn't dig otherwise--at all. Ever.
With any dog, the smart breeds in particular, you have to keep them mentally active as well, not just the daily walks and physical exercise. A mentally bored dog can become very destructive. Our girl has never destroyed a single piece of furniture, clothing or anything else like that (she does shred tissue if she finds any, lol). And they are notorious for shedding. But even with all the shedding, I wouldn't trade her for anything.
GSDs are fabulous. :)

We have a corgi now, and I have had in the past. Corgis are VOCAL dogs. They bark at every little thing. (Seriously, everything.) They shed A LOT. They DO nip. Some people have had luck and didn't get a nipper, but every single corgi I've had and worked with...are nippers. Not in a mean way, at all. They are herders, they nip at the legs, heels, and ankles. He has broken skin before, just when we were playing. (And, he is well trained.) People look at a Corgi and think they are a small dog, but they aren't. They are VERY high energy. They are VERY smart. They need to be trained. They need a lot of exercise. A backyard really isn't enough for a corgi. You may get lucky with yours, but most corgis need a great walk every single day, and family play. All of my corgis have had hip problems. Unfortunately, there aren't a ton of corgi breeders, so the problems are very hereditary. My corgi now is 6 years old, and has hip problems since he was 1 years old. (More commonly, corgis have hip problems later in life.) I don't think you can get away with cheap dog food with corgis. Because of their body structure, even just a few pounds over weight can really effect their health. Keeping a corgi at an ideal weight through food, exercise, and stimulation is VERY important. With all that said, they are good with people and children. (For little kids, you want to watch the nipping, of course.) They are great family dogs, and they are very sweet and loyal. Their vet bills can get very expensive as they age, but I would say they are worth it. Our current corgi will likely be our last, unfortunately. I prefer the Cardigan corgis to Penbrook. Cardigans are more laid back and bark less.

As for beagles, I have nothing really great to say. I'm not a fan. They are stupid, runners, howlers, hyper, I HATE training...among other bad traits. I"m sure you can get positives from others.

We have a beagle - bassett mix that we adopted from a shelter at 6 yo (as well as a shephard/boxer female who is totally our princess!). Mr B is adorable and has become a part of our family more than we expected. As much as I love him and am thrilled we have him, a few things come to mind:
- yeah, he's ALL nose. Well, except for the part of him that's belly. Not a huge deal, but when his nose is engaged, his brain is definitely not!
- he's not stupid, but he's not the brightest dog I've ever had either. I think it's more stubborness than anything else. Using food as a motivator has worked really, really well. He is truly stubborn, though.
- he defintely needs to know the hierarchy of things. When we first got him he didn't quite understand that two legs always overrule four in our house -- no matter who, no matter how old. We train our dogs that people come first and dogs come later. It took a while (and a little staring down his growling self) to get it across. Now that things are established, he's totally fine with anyone including visiting little kids. At first, I didn't trust him with young ones (though I think that's smart with any new dog).
- he's a love, but he's not as patient with kids as The Princess, or as our old lab was. We keep an eye on him and on the kids; when he's done, we make sure he's left alone.
- we've not found digging or howling to be a problem. On occasion, if we're outside in the yard and he can see us from the house, he'll howl a bit but I don't see that as an issue.

With any dog, I think exercise and good training is IMPERATIVE. The training MUST be consistently applied by everyone in the house, kids as well as adults. My beagle is quite opportunistic. If he thinks something's fair game, he takes advantage. Can't hold him responsible if people are stupidly inconsistent.

Good luck! I think pets are terrific additions to any family. Have fun!

Beagles need a LOT of exercise. They've also been bred to hunt in packs, so they do best if they have another doggie friend. Hounds always come with some difficult tendencies for those living a more urban (or even suburban) lifestyle. I'm not sure if you can find a "show" line to get one from, but they may have bred out some of the hunting issues.

A lot of people are saying beagles are stupid - that's true for a LOT of bred-to-death animals. If a breed gets popular, you get bad breeders in it for the money. They don't care what they're breeding into the line, they just want puppies. Beagles, and hounds in general, are NOT stupid - but they can become slaves to their noses. If they catch a scent (I had a fox hound mix - sight and smell hound - NOTHING could pull him off a trail) they are hyper-focused on that scent.

Don't know a lot about Corgis. It's important to know what they were originally bred for to know how well they'll fit with your lifestyle. Sounds like (from other responders) they're herders - that's a tough, stubborn type of dog.

I have had the following dogs in my life:

Pure basset hound
bassett beagle mix
corgi elkhound mix
dachshund corgi kelpie mix.
All but the bassett beagle mix were rescues.

Corgis are wonderful, but they are herders and the nip instinct is strong. You have to control this very quickly when training, especially because you have young children. Some shelters will not adopt out corgis to families with young children because of the nipping.
Beagles will roam and will dig out. Hounds can be stubborn and hard to train. Still, I love them very much. All of my dogs have been wonderful in their own ways....but if I had to choose, I would find a corgi elkhound mix again...but that is not likely to happen. You may want to find a mixed breed because they tend to mellow out some of the more extreme temperments.

Oh...do not get a puppy unless someone is home all day or most of the day and you will need a fence or you wil be heartbroken when you dog runs away or gets hit because he accidently got out of the house. It really isn't fair to have a dog only in the house or on a leash, and without a fence, that is how the dog will be living until you train him not to run off...and even then some breeds like beagles, if not fenced in, will follow their noses and disappear. That is why so many hounds end up in shelters.

My sister had a heck of time with her beagle's skin issues when she first got him. He's also a major barker. All that being said, my sister adores him!

We LOVE LOVE LOVE our schnoodle puppy. She's 75% poodle; 25% schnauzer. Smart as a whip, not even 5 months old and house-trained. She has a wonderful temperament too (we worked very closely with a good breeder on that issue). She doesn't have a doggie "smell." Her max size will be about 12 pounds. When it's nasty outside she goes poop-poop on a "pee patch" we bought her. Remember: small dogs = small poops.

One of the biggest reasons we got that particular hybrid was for the less allergenic nature of the dog (my son and I both have allergies). We still reacted to her a bit, and we're working on that. No dog is completely hypoallergenic so keep that in mind.

I would be leery of getting a puppy or dog at your kids' ages. Puppies and dogs are ALOT of work at first. And if you or your husband are the slightest bit of a neat freak the puppy//dog will drive you crazy.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

We had a beagle-mutt when I was growing up. She lived for 17 yrs! She was the sweetest and most loyal dog in the world. She was great with other dogs and kids and very little health problems until old age. I do remember having to keep an eye on her ears. I think with their floppy ears they are prone to ear infections. Since they are hunters, they have a somewhat oily coat and shed a bit. Please keep her on a leash when outside because if she sees a bunny she will run. Good luck with your new family member and no matter what breed you get, please look into training classes.

Love, love, love my sweet little beagles. They're very loving, great with kids, and playful. Word to the wise, though, some of them can be diggers and the beagle barks bother some, but I love to hear that sweet beagle bay!

I wouldn't get a dog without a fence, unless you are planning on never leaving it outside unsupervised. Any breed of dog will be difficult to keep from roaming when it's bored outside alone.

That being said, if you decide to get a dog, do a little web research about kid-friendly dogs and then find one that suits your needs, and start looking at shelters, or on petfinder.com. I second Victoria's opinion about German shepherds. I've had two (mixes). They are a great family dog, but they are large and shed a lot and would need some outside exercise every day. Probably with two small children, a smaller dog would be better for you.

Another option would be to just visit a local shelter and talk to one of the workers. Lots of shelters have foster programs, and a foster "parent" would be able to give you a reference for a particular dog. Good luck!

We are so in love with our mini pin! We have both had many dogs in our lives and never one so loyal, smart, and sweet. He thinks he's a huge Doberman, is a great watch dog, gentle with the kids, and has trained easily, including potty training. And he doesn't shed! I wouldn't get a beagle personally. Not sure about corgis!