might be getting a dog.....

Beagles can be wonderful dogs or can be horrid--depends totally on the dog.

I would make the dog's world very safe, very predictable as soon as she walks in the door. Crate instantly, confine to one or two rooms. No unsupervised play time, and a schedule of food, water, walks. Begin a regimen of good long training walks ASAP. DO NOT let your daughter play with her without you RIGHT there for several weeks.

If the dog makes bad moves, never reward her. Do not "comfort" her or pay her any attention if she whines, barks, digs, hides, etc. Firmly correct dominant behavior, insist on house manners (no running through doors, etc.), and seek out times when she is being calm and normal to reward (so if she's lying relaxed on the floor, go over and sit with her and pet her and talk with her).

It takes about a month for a dog to get used to a house enough to show its true personality. I don't think that's usually a negative change, although you may find that she stops being on her best behavior in terms of chewing or whatever, but a lot of times people will say "I brought home such a [quiet, scared, noisy, whatever] dog and suddenly he's totally different!" It's not magic, it's what the dog was like all along and now feels comfortable enough to express. So until at least a month has gone by, I take all behavior with a grain of salt, and I push very hard on good rules and predictability. Dogs will meet the expectations they are given, and she'll be thrilled to know what the rules are in the house.

Good luck!

I love beagles.. if a stray beagle wandered my way I could never turn my back on her. Those eyes! *sigh*!!!!!

As long as you are careful I don't see why you couldn't keep this dog. Good luck

Beagles...ugh... well, if you like to listen to baying and you can be constantly vigilant, as these dogs wander, which is probably how it got loose in the first place, then fine.

To be serious, I would be really concerned with ANY rescue dog with young children.

That said, chances are it would probably be just fine, but you have to be raelly wiling to WORK to get an older dog to assimilate--especially a dog you have no background info on. Puppies are best with little children, as they can grow up together. IF you choose to do this, I would enter into it very cautiously. This dog already has his own ideas about life, and may (will) see your young children as subordinates. This could lead to trouble. I am sure the dog is cute (I personally think Beagles are adorable--- I just couldn't live with one!), but it might not be the best match for your family.

Having said all of this, I have never been able to turn down a dog that needed a home... so good luck!

Beth

Quote:
I know you're a breeder (though please introduce yourself!) but I TOTALLY disagree that puppies are a better match than an adult dog. Puppies are immature, inconsiderate, they nip and jump, and they take so much time to raise properly that when you mix them with tiny kids one or the other of them usually gets the short end of the stick. Also, dogs and kids don't grow up together. The dog moves from the human age of two or three to the human age of sixteen or seventeen in one year. The kid just grows a year. By the time the kid is a teenager, the dog is an old man. They don't identify with each other's maturity and they're almost never in sync.

Adults, if they are basically sound, can "get" the fact that they are supposed to leave the kids alone much easier and faster than a puppy. And since they have less energy to burn off, they're more willing to consistently act in a predictable way.

ALL dogs see kids as peers or subordinates--doesn't matter what age the dog is. Our job is not to make the dogs perceive the kids as alpha--that just doesn't happen, because the dog can instantly and always sense that the kid is a subordinate, just as they can sense that a puppy should be subordinate--it's to throw our blanket of dominance around the kid. So the dog says "I don't really understand why I'm never supposed to touch the kid, but that seems to be the rule of the house so I'll deal with it." An established dominance and a very high bite threshold (and good bite inhibition) are what make a good kid dog--age, breed, etc. are always less important.

Joanna,

In my 15+ years of experience as a breeder, puppies and children work much better together. I get what you are saying, (I have also been a trainer for 20.) and I do know a bit about behavior.

Yours is a viewpoint I can respect, but I have not found this to be true in many litters of puppies. The fact is, that an adult dog coming in to a family with children sees them as "less" than him... especially if the dog grew up in a home without kids. they see the kids as puppies. There is much more work to be done, as you are not working with a clean slate. IN almost every situation I have seen like this, the adult dog placement does not work. Just my own experience, but I respect that you feel differently. Lots of dog people differ on things like this.

I, as a breeder, would NEVER place an adult dog in a home with little kids. Ever. I have seen and heard too many horror stories to do that. But, I am not saying it CAN"T work. Just that I wouldn't do it. I think it also can depend on the breed.

Puppies are more pliable and it is not true that one will get the short end of the stick. I have had litters with young children in my home, and all of them get plenty of time and love. It's just that you have to know what you are doing. Dogs sleep a good portion of the day.. puppies even more, so you are not slighting anyone by having a puppy with kids. One has to judge this on a case by case basis, and judge whether the family is committed to raising puppies and kids together, as well. The fact that the dog would be a senior citizen by the time the child was a teenager is quite irrelevant, in my opinion.

Beth