People and dogs need and enjoy attention. Owning a dog is a big responsibility and shouldn’t be entered into lightly. Expecting a young dog to settle quietly for the day after a 30-minute walk is not reasonable and you should be prepared to spend a more time ensuring your Beagle’s needs for mental stimulation and engagement with you are met.
For centuries, beagles have been selectively bred to follow a hare at a flat out run for up to five hours, singing as they go, several times a week. It’s not surprising then, that a fit and healthy hound can’t sit still in his basket for 23 hours a day!
Attention seeking behaviours can come in many forms, including:
However, these behaviours can be related to other problems so it is always worth speaking with a qualified trainer if these issues persist.
How we respond to behaviours has an impact on whether they are more or less likely to reoccur in the future. For example:
If you are sure that your dog is attention seeking, it’s crucial that you do not give eye contact, direct body language or speak to them, as this will make these undesirable behaviours more likely in the future.
So, if any attention can make the behaviour worse, what can I do?
Your daily routine can greatly impact whether your dog feels the need to attention seek. Dogs all over the world are most active in the morning and late afternoon/evening, generally resting in the middle of the day.
Dedicating time each morning and evening to play and engage with them (as well as your daily walks) can massively benefit your dog, their behaviour and your bond.
You can also try and pre-empt periods of the day where you know this behaviour can occur. For example, if you know your hound is likely to steal items an hour after he’s eaten, then why not choose a toy to start the game ten minutes earlier.
That way you’ll be rewarding his quiet behaviour with lots of fun and the remote control will avoid gaining extra teeth marks.
A great way to ensure that your dog is content and relaxed at home is to increase mental stimulation. This could be:
Beagle Welfare was formed in 1979 to give help and advice on beagles and to rehome those whose owners cannot keep them.
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