We just adopted a beagle from the pound,she is aprox. 5yrs old I took her to the vet and other than needing a dental cleening she got a clean bill of health... The problem I am having is her sneeking around to soil in the house and I swear she soils more than she takes in... She has a crate ,she also soils my bed EWWW! Another issue I would like help with is she bites... it starts as a nibble and gets harder normally she is just playing and gets too excited,but I have children and it is becoming a problem. That with her constant sniffing of the company is starting to scare everyone off
Any helpful hints would be appreciated
Thanks

Thank you for adopting this dog. It is going to be tough, but I will do all I can to help you. Nobody has any magic fixes that work quickly.

For the soiling, you must have her in your sight, or in her crate all the time. Some people even suggest leashing her to you. When she does go out, go out with her and praise her if she eliminates outside.

Biting is very natural in younger dogs. I am a little surprised at a 5 year old. Young Labs, which I know best, and other puppies tend to very bad about
Biting. You see a litter of them, and all the ones that are awake are biting
Another one or themselves. I am not even sure they realize that when they are
Alone, if they quit biting, they would quit being bitten. At 3 to 4 months
They are getting their adult teeth, and it seems they spend every waking
Moment biting or chewing. I maintain a Lab's favorite chew toy is another
Lab. Otherwise they settle for any person they can. They keep hoping to find
One that won't yelp and jerk their hand away, or growl "Bad dog." and clamp
Their mouth shut. Then offer a chew toy. They keep trying despite hundreds
Of corrections. Another good technique is to quit playing and go away. Be
Sure to praise them when they are playing nice and not biting.

You just have to keep on correcting them, hundreds of times, not dozens.
Provide sturdy, safe toys such as Kongs and Nylabones. Avoid things they can
Chew pieces off and choke on them. Keep them away from electrical cords.
Crates are essential for most young Labs and other dogs.

Same story on the sniffing. Correct her for it and praise her when she doesn't. She is going to be some work at first, but Beagles are cute little devils. They are small enough to live longer than the bigger dogs. You can expect many good years from her after the initial work of correcting her bad habits. A good obedience training program will help too. The dogs see all the
People and dogs in the household as a pack with each having their own rank in
The pack and a top dog. Life is much easier if the 2 legged pack members
Outrank the 4 legged ones. You can learn to play the role of top dog by
Reading some books or going to a good obedience class. A good obedience class
Or book is about you being top dog, not about rewarding standard commands with
A treat. Start at http://www.dogsbestfriend.com/.

Hi,

I also have a similar problem with my dog soiling in the house. Why is it that sometimes my dog will bark at the door to go out, and sometimes she doesn't?

We will try what you have just suggested - thank you for your help

Hi BabyGirl,

Labman said: "Beagles are cute little devils." I'd say that's an understatement!

I'd love to have one, but I've got 4(!) dogs right now and it's one over the legal limit here or I'd be tempted to get one of them, too. (As well as a lab or two and a weimeriener (sp?).

I so admire people who take in dogs that others have rejected or are otherwise homeless.

Congratulations on your new pup and happy tails to you!

Becky