[Brazilnut2]

I'm new here and just became the owner of an adult, female beagle that my husband got from our animal shelter. (She's getting spayed tomorrow.) So, here goes the questions:

1. How in the world do I keep her focused on walks? She is very distracted with smells and doesn't bother to do her business. (We have to make fence improvements before letting her loose in the backyard.)

2. How much food should I be feeding a 20 lb. female each day?

3. If my beagle's nipples are prominent and not flat, does that mean she's had puppies in the past or is this just normal?

4. What flea/tick preventative and heartworm medications are safe and recommended?

5. With my girl being SO consumed with sniffing the ground voraciously (Maybe she was a hunting dog?), any suggestions on how I can best train her to walk by my side on a leash?

6. How often do beagles need a bath?

7. Do beagle owners brush their dogs' teeth? (Please don't laugh! Greyhounds have notoriously bad teeth and oral hygiene was very important.)


Thanks for your answers. I'm going to explore the threads and soak in the information I discover.

 

[Mom2Beagles]

1. How in the world do I keep her focused on walks? She is very distracted with smells and doesn't bother to do her business. (We have to make fence improvements before letting her loose in the backyard.) I find that keeping the leash short on the walk and staying on the road slows down the sniffing. When you reach the end of your walk, give her time to sniff and pee.

2. How much food should I be feeding a 20 lb. female each day? Depends on the food. I feed twice a day. My beags are 26 pounds and 36 pounds. Check with your vet or the food container for recommended amounts.

3. If my beagle's nipples are prominent and not flat, does that mean she's had puppies in the past or is this just normal? I would say that she had puppies. Molly's are barely visable but Vazzle's are quite large and we know she had puppies.

4. What flea/tick preventative and heartworm medications are safe and recommended? I find that Frontline Plus is safe and effective. Advantix works better with ticks but some dogs have cranky-skin reactions to it.

5. With my girl being SO consumed with sniffing the ground voraciously (Maybe she was a hunting dog?), any suggestions on how I can best train her to walk by my side on a leash? Same goes for the short leash on the walks but let her have sniff time. You can play games in and outdoors too that let her use her sniffer.

6. How often do beagles need a bath? They shouldn't need many baths at all unless they get muddy or dirty. If you find your beagle is smelly and oily, try a food change and add fish oil or vit E capsule to her food.

7. Do beagle owners brush their dogs' teeth? (Please don't laugh! Greyhounds have notoriously bad teeth and oral hygiene was very important.) Did you have a greyhound?? I had two wonderful greys but lost them to cancer. Beagles can definately use some dental care, I use a spray and also try to brush.

 

[Brazilnut2]

Thanks so much for your reply.

Is this board very active? (Seems like a ghost town...)

Anyway, my husband called from the vet. Our beagle seems to be around 4 to 4.5 years old. "Bela" is getting spayed this morning.

Q: Why would a beagle tremble each time she inhales? Is it just excitement/anticipation?

 

[Mom2Beagles]

The board can be a little slow at times.

My beagle Vazzle trembles with excitement, like if she is told to sit and wait for a treat or we are headed out on a walk.