Beagle Dog
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Beagle Breeders
The Importance of Choosing a Great Beagle Breeder
Choosing a Beagle puppy is akin to adopting a baby. This is a long commitment (at least 14 years) and you are choosing a new family member to bring into your home.
Sadly, the world is filled with great breeders, good breeders, unethical breeders and those who are not even breeders (people who pretend to have puppies for sale).
Therefore, it is important to know what to look for, when beginning your search for a wonderful Beagle puppy.
Tip: Even if everything seems wonderful when visiting a breeder, ask for a few references of previous puppy buyers; a breeder who has healthy, well socialized puppies will not hesitate to give you phone numbers of owners.
How to Choose Your Puppy
When you see a litter of Beagle puppies, it may seem a bit overwhelming. While there is no direct science for choosing "just the right puppy", there are some guidelines:
Sadly, the world is filled with great breeders, good breeders, unethical breeders and those who are not even breeders (people who pretend to have puppies for sale).
Therefore, it is important to know what to look for, when beginning your search for a wonderful Beagle puppy.
Qualities of a Great Beagle Breeder
- The breeder is has a small, family based breeding program. This means that the number of dogs is limited to perhaps 5 - 10 at the most.
- All dog and puppies are kept inside of the home. This is very important, as there is a huge difference between someone who breeds for money and someone who breeds out of love for the Beagle breed.
- You are invited to come over to their home to see the parents of the puppy and there is no area that you are told that you cannot enter. For example, if you are lead into a nice home to see puppies playing around inside but you are not allowed to enter the back yard, shed, barn or any building that is separate from the home; this is a red flag.
- If someone offers to "meet you 1/2 way" and shows you puppies from their car or any other place other than their home, find a different breeder.
- The home and outside area is clean and dog-friendly. You do not see feces in the yard, the home smells clean, you see dog toys and do not see lines of crates or cages.
- Dogs look clean and happy. If dogs or puppies seem to be frightened, this is a big red flag that they are usually kept in cages and only let out when someone visits. You will not want a puppy who grew up in a cage; they will not have the proper socialization skills to be a happy family member. You can always work with a puppy to teach these skills; however when a puppy has had zero socialization with people for the first months, this will be an up-hill battle
- You are asked many questions. The Beagle breeder will want to know about your home environment, the other members of your family, if you are a "first time Beagle buyer", your knowledge of the breed, your work schedule and more. Be wary of someone who does not care at all where their puppy is potentially going to live.
- The breeder answers all of your questions in a direct way and does not "go around the subject".
- You are not "pushed into a sale". A quality breeder will not rush you into a decision, as they will have quality puppies and do not need to sell you one right away.
- We do highly recommend obtaining an AKC Beagle, if in the US. While some CKC or APRI breeders are wonderful, you can feel safer with an AKC breeder... as the AKC is very strict in making sure proper breeding is done and that all pups are purebred.
- With the sale, you are given the registration papers, a health guarantee to for genetic health issues, life time support for any questions (although you may always ask us, the Beagle Pro Experts), a sample of the food that has been fed to the pup (as quick changes in food can cause health issues) and you are asked to keep in touch. Caring breeders enjoy knowing how a puppy is doing in a new home and will want updates.
Tip: Even if everything seems wonderful when visiting a breeder, ask for a few references of previous puppy buyers; a breeder who has healthy, well socialized puppies will not hesitate to give you phone numbers of owners. How to Choose Your Puppy
When you see a litter of Beagle puppies, it may seem a bit overwhelming. While there is no direct science for choosing "just the right puppy", there are some guidelines:
- Take notice if the puppies are coughing. This is a big red flag.
- Watch them play for a while. More often than not, you will notice there are the ones who are "pushy" and the ones that cower and are quite. It is recommended to choose a pup that falls in the middle of those extremes. Not overly pushy and bossy with its littermates and not overly shy.
- Ask to specifically see that one certain puppy. Call him or her over. See if they respond to you and appear to be socialized to people.
- Listen to the puppy's breathing. You will want to take notice of any rasping noises; a big red flag
- Look at the pup's eyes. They should be bright and shiny without any discharge.
If You Have a Beagle Puppy, You Will Need This
