Rescues or shelters are options and there are some things to consider. There are purebreds at shelters, in fact it was recently revealed that a bit over 30% of dogs in shelters were purebreds. There is a misconception that all abandoned or surrendered dogs have behavioral problems, the truth is that some do and some do not.
It is true that some are taken away or surrendered due to abuse or neglect and this can cause behavioral issues; however others become lost, some end up in a kennel due to owners who could not handle daily care, and other various reasons that have no impact on the physical or emotional health of the dog.
Reputable shelters will give potential new owners an analysis of the dog. They will let people know if there are any
behaviors
or intolerance issues to be aware of. And sometimes this all works out in the best interest of the Beagle.
For example, we were just contacted by someone who found an adorable 7 year old Beagle at a local shelter. The cost of adopting him was tempting, a little over $200 and those puppy dog eyes were even more tempting. He was told that the dog tended to
bark and howl
quite a bit…one of the main reasons that he was under their care.
The previous owner lived in an
apartment and was gone for most of the day… surely not a good situation for the dog (or the neighbors) as he barked almost non-stop for most of the day light hours. However, the man who found this Beagle was retired. He lived on 3 acres of land and one of his hobbies was to hike through the adjoining forest and fields.
He had the exact type of home and environment that the Beagle needed: He would be a companion for the Beagle for the majority of the time, giving the Beagle little reason to bark due to
Separation Anxiety.