Beagles might be a small breed, but they are filled with amazing energy and will. These little munchkins are extremely strong, and their nose follows every scent.
They’re curious little buggers and were bred for hunting. If you are thinking of getting a beagle home, you might want to know their exercise needs.
How long should you be walking a beagle? That’s one of the most crucial questions one needs to ask. Don’t underestimate the power of a beagle – they can yank and pull your entire body weight.
Ideally, a 20 to 30 minutes walk is great for your beagle. Most pet parents take their beagle for a walk twice a day.
There is more you should know – about their exercise needs and controlling the leash pulling behavior. Dive into this informative article as we have all the information for you.
4 Things to Remember Before Walking Your Beagle
1.) Always put the beagle on a leash – It could be a neck leash or a full-body leash, but do it. These cuddle monsters can’t be trusted. If they go off a leash, there’s a chance they might run off in a different direction.
2.) Keep them close on adventures – If you are going to hike on a trail, make sure you do not let your pupper wander around or take an unknown route. There’s a chance you might encounter some snakes or other animals. Keeping you and your beagle safe is your responsibility.
3.) Water is necessary while walking a beagle – Carry enough water for your beagle. They’re energetic and they expend a lot of energy on walks. They would need to stay hydrated.
4.) First aid can be realistic – A little dog first-aid kit should always be handy, especially when you are traveling with your beagle.
Now that you are aware of the dos when going out for a walk with a beagle, it’s time to find out how long you should be walking them.
How Long to Walk a Beagle?
Walks should be 20 to 30 minutes long and the pace should be brisk. Adult beagles love long walks, but you have to be watchful they’re not exhausted or out of breath.
Never push the beagle to its limit. Walk them, but don’t exhaust these little fur balls.
Beagles (and other dogs) have different ways of communicating with their parents. If they are lagging, it means they have had enough already.
Some beagles will actually pull you and take you back home. Beagles are excellent sniffers, so they can return home without assistance. Note: Don’t try that, please!
An 18-month puppy’s exercise schedule should not be intensive. Intensive and long walks can affect the bone growth of the puppy.
Once they are 6-7 months old, you can take them for short walks. Also, their vaccinations should be complete before you take them for a walk.
In case your beagle is a senior citizen 9+ years old, you would need to cut short the daily walk time.
See also: Are Beagle Puppies Hyper? (Tips to Calm Down)
4 Important Tips to Prevent Your Beagle from Pulling the Leash
Since beagles were bred to hunt, they will pull the leash while walking. That’s because they love to chase other animals and hares.
They are curious about every scent, so it’s possible that you will have a hard time while walking your beagle.
We are going to share four important tips to prevent your beagle from pulling the leash.
It can be physically tiring for the pet parent to walk the beagle. Thus, use these tips to communicate with your beagle that it’s not okay to pull the leash.
1.) Teaching them self-control
Beagles are very intelligent. They have a strong will as well. Teach them to obey certain words like sit, stay, eat now, go to bed, and so on.
If there’s food in front of them, it doesn’t mean they should hog it down the minute they see it.
You need to teach them self-control so that they don’t chase hares.
2.) Practicing Attention
Beagles love to chase smaller animals and they are happy to greet other dogs as well. Whenever a beagle sees a smaller animal or another dog, it might pull the leash. Keep your beagle focused during the walk – this will be really helpful.
Say his/her name and make eye contact to keep them focused.
3.) Rewarding right positioning
Whenever the beagle is sitting calmly or walking in heel position (side-by-side) with a loose leash, you should reward them with a treat.
Try and create a game out of it. You can move away from your beagle and see if they actually stay with you during the walk.
Stop in between and see if they stop and sit. If they do, give them a treat and other rewards. Never reward bad behavior!
4.) Reinforcement is the key
Dogs will do whatever will get reinforced. You must never reward the beagle for pulling the leash. If the beagle pulls the leash and gets a treat, they will start thinking it’s rewarding to pull the leash.
In case the beagle starts pulling, plant your feet on the ground and don’t move at all. You must wait till your beagle returns to you.
Once they come back and stop chasing, you can give them a reward and say something positive.
Fun Ways to Exercise Your Furry Friend
Your beagle needs lots of play time and exercise. How are you going to engage them in fun activities?
Well, walks are great, but you need to be creative and offer different kinds of exercises to your pupper.
Here are some fun ways to exercise your beagle!
1.) Get a flirt pole chew toy and tie it up with a rope. Now, attach this to a long stick. Hold this stick and make the flirt pole toy move in different directions. The beagle would go crazy and chase the toy.
It will be a struggle at first, but let them feel it once in a while. When you are doing this movement, the beagle will jump, chase, roll, and try to catch the flirt pole.
You can also run with this stick and give them a better running exercise. It’s actually a good exercise for the beagles and their parents.
2.) Blowing bubbles is a fun activity. If you have kids in the house (along with a beagle), you must blow bubbles. Beagles love to chase bubbles and pop them. This way they will get good exercise too.
Make sure the solution you use is non-toxic. There are flavored bubble blows as well that are safe for dogs. Since people are producing all kinds of flavored bubbles for dogs, there are chicken and peanut butter flavors too.
You would need to try out first to see if your beagle enjoys chasing and popping bubbles.
3.) Visit the nearby dog park. Your pupper is a pack animal, so it would love to interact with other dogs. Take them to a nearby park and let them interact with other dogs.
Make sure you keep the beagle away from aggressive or violent dogs. Do not leave them unattended even for a second because they tend to run in a different direction.
Beagles are escape artists, so you have to be watchful. Nonetheless, this will be a good break for your beagle.
4.) If you have a beagle, you must enjoy life with them. Every moment spent with a beagle can be joyful. How about a little swim session? It’s a great exercise.
You can also dip into the pool and enjoy with your pupper. The beagle will get lots of exercises, and it will also help them beat the heat.
5.) Playing tug-of-war can be a fun activity for beagles. They get to interact with other human beings. All you need is a towel or a rope. These days, you get the tug of war toys as well. It will be a good exercise for your beagle.
6.) How about playing hide and seek with your beagle? Let your friend or sibling hold the dog. In the meantime, you should go and hide somewhere.
Call out your beagle’s name, and let the doggo find you. If they find you, give them a treat and endorse positive reinforcement. The whole family can be a part of this game.
7.) Playing fetch and catch is always a great idea, especially with a beagle. Throw a ball or a frisbee and let your beagle catch it. You should do this with well-trained beagles who are ready to walk off the leash.
8.) Have you ever tried dog yoga? Well, this is something for your dog to try. It’s a new concept, but beagles are rocking the trend. You can do some yoga postures together, but make sure you keep your beagle’s body in mind.
They like to stretch, so research some good ‘doga’ postures to try out with your beagle. Dog yoga will help you bond with your pupper and it also provides relaxation.
9.) Trail track is another fun activity you could try with your beagle. Find a known trail (a safe one), and get a long leash. Don’t get your dog off the leash if they are not trained.
You need to teach them some commands before they head out for trail walking. Start with an enclosed garden and then head into the wilderness. At first, you can hide a toy and tell the beagle to search for it.
They will use their excellent sense of smell to track and find the toy. It’s a great idea to teach your beagle how to track things. They could serve the country someday by becoming a sniffer dog!
Beagles are adorable, but their sniffing power and inquisitive nature make them a good watchdog. They will protect you from evil and also help others when in need.
You’re going to have a hard time walking them, but use the above-mentioned tips to control the leash pulling behavior.
FAQs
1.) Is it hard to walk a beagle?
A beagle has the power to pull and yank. They’re very hard to walk, especially because these curious creatures love to chase new scents.
However, there are ways to calm down the beagle and have a pleasant walk with them.
2.) What kind of behavior does a beagle have?
A beagle loves greeting other dogs and they chase little animals like hares and mice. Whenever your beagle is on a leash, it will be a hard time as they will chase different kinds of scents.
They can pull your body and cause major physical stress. There are ways to train them not to pull you whenever you both are out for a walk.
3.) How to leash train a beagle?
You have to use positive reinforcement to train your beagle. Keep some treats with you whenever you are out for a walk. When they are walking in heel position on a loose leash, you must reward the little one.
4.) How to calm down a beagle around other dogs?
Beagles love to greet other dogs, so it will be hard to control them. However, use positive reinforcement to calm them down.
Teach them to follow words like sit, stay, and go to bed. They should know that you’re the leader of the pack.
Nonetheless, please know that beagles are very friendly with other dogs. They would sniff, play, and bark.
5.) How much should I walk my beagle?
A 30-minute walk twice a day is enough for a beagle. You must ensure that it’s a brisk walk and not exactly a slow one.
Pay attention to their sniffing behavior as they might be trying to find a spot to pee. Perhaps, they have discovered something and wish to guide you.
6.) Do beagles like to run?
Beagles are natural hunters. They were bred for hunting, so running is supposed to be their bread and butter.
Beagles love to run! You can take them out for walks, but an occasional run will be good for their mental health and body.
7.) When can beagles start going for walks?
As soon as your beagle turns 6 months, you should take them out for little walks a couple of times a day. They need exercise and lots of play time to expend their energy.
8.) What kind of exercise does a beagle need?
Beagles need both physical and mental stimulation. You must take them out for a run, a walk, and even a swim. Make sure you play fetch with your adorable beagle from time to time.
Concluding Thoughts
We hope we answered all your queries efficiently.
Walking your beagle isn’t going to be hard if you use positive reinforcement and certain commands.
Beagles are excellent learners, but they are also curious and have a hunting spirit. Don’t let them off the leash if you are not confident. These little hound dogs would get curious and head into the woods if they smell something funny or intriguing.
