Beagles helpful hints on choosing the right beagle for you and your family

Beagles by Kim Campbell Thornton A member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc Beagles by Kim Campbell Thornton A member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc To Darcy, who taught me all about puppies ALPHA BOOKS Published by the Penguin Group Penguin Group (USA) Inc., 375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014, U.S.A Penguin Group (Canada), 10 Alcorn Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M4V 3B2 (a division of Pearson Penguin Canada Inc.) Penguin Books Ltd, 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England Penguin Ireland, 25 St Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2, Ireland (a division of Penguin Books Ltd) Penguin Group (Australia), 250 Camberwell Road, Camberwell, Victoria 3124, Australia (a division of Pearson Australia Group Pty Ltd) Penguin Books India Pvt Ltd, 11 Community Centre, Panchsheel Park, New Delhi—10 017, India Penguin Group (NZ), cnr Airborne and Rosedale Roads, Albany, Auckland 1310, New Zealand (a division of Pearson New Zealand Ltd) Penguin Books (South Africa) (Pty) Ltd, 24 Sturdee Avenue, Rosebank, Johannesburg 2196, South Africa Penguin Books Ltd, Registered Offices: 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England Copyright © 2003 by Kim Campbell Thornton All rights reserved No part of this book shall be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the publisher No patent liability is assumed with respect to the use of the information contained herein Although every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this book, the publisher and author assume no responsibility for errors or omissions Neither is any liability assumed for damages resulting from the use of information contained herein For information, address Alpha Books, 800 East 96th Street, Indianapolis, IN 46240 THE COMPLETE IDIOT’S GUIDE TO and Design are registered trademarks of Penguin Group (USA), Inc ISBN: 1-4362-9387-1 Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 2002110191 Interpretation of the printing code: The rightmost number of the first series of numbers is the year of the book’s printing; the rightmost number of the second series of numbers is the number of the book’s printing For example, a printing code of 02-1 shows that the first printing occurred in 2002 Note: This publication contains the opinions and ideas of its author It is intended to provide helpful and informative material on the subject matter covered It is sold with the understanding that the author and publisher are not engaged in rendering professional services in the book If the reader requires personal assistance or advice, a competent professional should be consulted The author and publisher specifically disclaim any responsibility for any liability, loss, or risk, personal or otherwise, which is incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly, of the use and application of any of the contents of this book Publisher: Marie Butler-Knight Product Manager: Phil Kitchel Managing Editor: Jennifer Chisholm Acquisitions Editor: Mike Sanders Development Editor: Nancy D Lewis Production Editor: Billy Fields Copy Editor: Jeff Rose Illustrator: Chris Eliopoulos Indexer: Tonya Heard Layout/Proofreading: Brad Lenser, Vicki Keller Contents at a Glance Part 1: Is a Beagle for You? 1 How the Beagle Came to Be The history of the Beagle and what he’s like today What Should a Beagle Look Like? The breed standard and what to consider when choosing a show dog, hunting dog, or pet 13 Beagle Mania An insight into some of the idiosyncrasies of the Beagle personality 29 A Beagle in the House 37 Decisions, Decisions How to choose the right Beagle for you and your family 39 The Search Where to look for your perfect Beagle 51 Home Sweet Home Buying Beagle gear and introducing your new dog to the family, including other pets 71 The Civilized Beagle 87 The Danger Zone Beagle-proof your home and yard 89 Housetraining 101 Teaching your Beagle the number-one and number-two home rule: where to go potty 103 School Time, Rule Time The benefits of training, finding a trainer, basic commands, and ways to reward your Beagle 115 10 Who’s in Charge Here? Establishing leadership, dealing with dominance, and handing out effective corrections 133 Part 2: Part 3: 11 Part 4: The Juvenile Beaglinquent Tough behavior problems and how to solve them A Healthy Beagle Is a Happy Beagle 143 157 12 Your Friendly Neighborhood Veterinarian Finding a veterinarian, important vaccinations, giving medication, and emergency health care 159 13 Routine Health Care Preventing parasites, keeping teeth clean, and grooming tips 181 14 Chow Time! How to feed your Beagle during all stages of life 195 Fun With Beagles! 209 15 A Beagling We Shall Go Running with the pack: the joys of Beagling, field trials, and the Triple Challenge 211 16 Games Beagles Play Sports and activities your Beagle will love 223 17 Fun for Kids and Beagles Junior showmanship, 4-H, and teaching tricks 239 Part 5: Part 6: Special Needs 253 18 Genetic Disorders Identifying and dealing with potential inherited health problems 255 19 This Old Beagle Tips on living with and loving an oldster 263 Appendixes A Glossary 275 B Beagle Resources 279 Index 287 Contents Part 1: Is a Beagle for You? How the Beagle Came to Be Beagle Beginnings The Home Country: England Beagles of the American Revolution The American Kennel Club The National Beagle Club Breed Split: Different Types for Different Jobs The Twenty-First Century Beagle What Makes the Beagle So Popular? The Nose Knows Inside the Beagle Brain What Should a Beagle Look Like? What Is a Breed Standard? Field Dog, Show Dog, or Pet? The Big Picture The Beagle Standard General Appearance Height and Weight Head Neck and Throat Shoulders and Chest Back, Loin, and Ribs Forelegs and Feet Hips, Thighs, and Hind Legs Movement Tail Coat What Color Can My Beagle Be? The Classic Model Two-Tone Tricolor Varieties 3 10 11 12 13 13 15 16 17 17 17 19 19 20 20 20 20 21 21 21 21 22 22 23 vi The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Beagles Pied Pipers Ticked Off Mottled Crew Markings The Great Debate: Show Quality vs Pet Quality Less Than Perfect Standard Defects Temperament Faults Beagle Mania Beagle Personality Quirks Follow That Scent! The Beagle Brigade The Termitinator Howl-o-rama Is It Food? Selective Hearing Problem-Solving Ability Part 2: A Beagle in the House Decisions, Decisions Club Beagle or Escape from Alcatraz? The Urban Beagle Beagle Pros and Cons The Versatile Beagle That Dog Won’t Hunt Family Friend Youth or Wisdom? Puppy Pleasures Puppy Pains Adult Advantages Adult Dog Difficulties A Compromise Double the Fun 23 24 24 24 25 25 25 27 29 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 39 39 40 41 43 43 44 45 46 46 47 48 48 48 Contents The Search Finding Your Beagle A Tale of Two Breeders Why Do Breeders Charge So Much? Breeder Pros and Cons Adopting a Beagle Breed Rescue Groups Animal Shelters Beagles on the Net Breed Rescue and Shelter Pros and Cons Pet Stores Cost Finding a Breeder Top 10 Signs of a Good Breeder Buying From a Breeder More Questions Meet the Parents Health Issues Love at First Sight Look and Learn Handling 101 Temperament Assessment Aim for the Center Boy or Girl? When Can We Take Him Home? No Gift Puppies, Please Paper Chase Health Hints Return Policy Home Sweet Home What You’ll Need Collar and Leash Identification Kennel Food Food and Water Dishes vii 51 52 52 53 53 54 54 55 56 57 57 58 58 59 60 60 60 62 63 64 64 64 65 66 66 67 67 68 69 71 71 72 73 74 75 75 ... choose the right Beagle for you and your family 39 The Search Where to look for your perfect Beagle 51 Home Sweet Home Buying Beagle gear and introducing your new dog to the family, including other... competition, 220-222 Triple Challenge Trial, confinement options, 96-100 conformation, 226-228 conformation shows, congenital conditions, 63 contact allergies, 167 contact information (food labels),... family, including other pets 71 The Civilized Beagle 87 The Danger Zone Beagle- proof your home and yard 89 Housetraining 101 Teaching your Beagle the number-one and number-two home rule: where