Re-homing Older Beagles
If you have decided a Beagle is the dog for you, but for various reasons you would prefer one that isn't a puppy, you might like to consider giving a home to a 'rescued' hound. There are many reasons for re-homing Beagles.
Sometimes the hound has not been given the necessary love and care and has developed some bad habits through lack of attention and training.
Often the owner's situation changes and the Beagle finds, through no fault of its own, that it can no longer live with them. Divorce, illness and bereavement, can all be reasons why a Beagle needs a new home.
Beagle Welfare has also helped with finding special homes for hounds which have been 'institutionalised' for several years, used as breeding stock for Beagles sent to laboratories, or in puppy farms supplying pet shops and dealers.
A rescued Beagle will have been uprooted from the home it knows, may have spent some time in kennels, and so it may take some length of time before it feels that your home is also it's home. During the settling-in period you must be prepared for your Beagle to howl or scratch doors, even be destructive when left alone. However, Beagles usually adapt to new circumstances quickly - you just have to have patience and understanding to help it adjust to a new life.
Can I Adopt a Quiet Beagle?
Beagles are scent hounds, and were bred to hunt. When a Beagle catches the scent or trail of what they perceive as prey (rabbits, squirrels, cats, etc.), they will loudly bay or howl to signal to a hunter that they are on the trail. It is important to understand that this is a part of their hunting instinct, so it is expected in most Beagles. It is also important to understand that it is not seen in ALL Beagles.
If you are looking for a 'quiet' dog, you'll need to specify to us what exactly that means. Almost all dogs will bark. Beagle are no different. They will often bark when someone comes to the door, if they see another dog, when they play with each other, and of course, when outside when catching the scent of another animal, etc. Some Beagles are louder than others, and/or may bay or howl often, and we note this while the dog is in foster care.
A 'louder' Beagle can often be trained to howl only at appropriate times, but it would be unfair to try to train a dog to stop doing something for which they were bred to do. For some of our failed hunting dogs who come into rescue, they may be more on the quiet side which is the primary reason they were surrendered to rescue. There are Beagles to fit many types of living situations, but if you need a 'silent' dog as opposed to a 'quiet' or 'trainable' dog, please consider a Beagle stuffed animal instead of one from a rescue.
If you would like further details on re-homing a Beagle please contact Beagle Welfare or you can view the current Re-Homing List. Details can also be found on the Resources page where you can download our Homefinder Questionnaire.