This is not an aggressive breed and therefore it is very rare for a Beagle to act out with purposeful biting. With this said, there are some exceptions. There are 2 types of biting which are in the category of aggressive biting:
- Biting in response to unfamiliar stimuli
- True aggressive biting due to an instinct of self-protection or territorial protection
Unfamiliar Stimuli -
When you bring a Beagle into your home, everything is new. Not only is your home a new environment that the pup must get used to...but also the whole world is filled with new stimuli.
People, animals, cars, birds...any element in the "outside world" will be new to a puppy. It is during this type of exploration of its "new world" that a puppy must be shown how to properly react to these elements. It will be the slow & steady introduction to the "world" that will be the opportunity to train your Beagle how to behave and that biting is not acceptable.
True Aggressive Biting -
The Beagle is normally a very happy-to-lucky, friendly dog. It is very rare for a Beagle to be overly aggressive. Therefore, if this breed becomes very aggressive there is a strong possibility that it is due to a
health issue. When a dog is in pain, the # 1 sign will be aggression and this included biting, snapping and growling.
There will usually be other signs as well, such as withdrawing (the dog will tend to retreat to its pen, dog bed or other), lack of appetite and other symptoms depending on the exact cause of the injury or illness.
In these cases, the dog should be taken for a full and complete medical checkup to rule out any health issues. Only once that dog is deemed to be 100% healthy, should specific training be given for severe aggression.
Severe dog aggression (not due to health issues) will either be caused by:
- Lack of proper socialization
- The status of the Alpha Dog is not clear. This can happen in homes with only 1 dog. All dogs, of any breed, have a deep instinctual need to be in a "pack". For dogs in both single and multiple dog homes, the order of the pack must be established. This relieves stress that dogs feel when this boundary is not clear & great helps with behavioral problems.