As your puppy gets older, you can teach him to sit, always using the simple one-word command "sit," while exerting a gentle pressure on his rump, to show him what you expect. This will take a little time, but you will soon succeed, giving plenty of praise when appropriate. Never shout or get angry when your dog does not achieve your aim, for this will do more harm than good. If your Beagle is destined to be a show dog, you may decide not to teach sit, as in the show ring he will be expected to stand.
When your Beagle puppy can venture into public places, begin by taking him to quiet places without too many distractions. Soon you will find his confidence increasing and you can then introduce him to new places with exciting sights, sounds and smells. He must always be on a thoroughly safe lead that cannot be slipped (quite different from the type of lead that is used in the show ring). When you have total confidence in one another, you will probably be able to let him off the lead, but always keep him in sight, and be sure the place you have chosen for free exercise is safe.
Certainly, in the interest of your Beagle's safety, training and your own sanity, you will need to train your puppy to stay in a crate when required. At most shows, Beagles are housed in crates for at least part of the time while not actually being exhibited in the ring. Crates are also useful for traveling; most dogs seem to look upon them as a safe place to go and don't mind staying in there for short periods, which can be helpful especially for housetraining.
When you commence crate training, remain within sight of your dog and give him a toy or something to occupy his mind. To begin with, leave him in the crate for very short periods of just a minute or two, then gradually build up the time span. However, never confine a dog to a crate for more than a few hours at a time. A good rule of thumb is a 3-month-old puppy can remain crated for three hours, a 4-month-old puppy for four hours and so forth to a maximum of six hours.
Next Step: Games that help your Beagle learn
Reprinted from Breeder's Best: Beagle © 2005. Permission granted by Kennel Club Books, an imprint of BowTie Press.
Page 1 | 2