Need some Beagle help

I take everything on a case by case basis. Might be worth talking to several breeders and rescue and explain your situation.

Well, Mostly Beagles says no fence, no beagle.  I sent them an email to ask.  Is this a problem I am going to run into everywhere.  We do not have plans to build a fence.

Unfortunately yes and it infuriates me. I can understand hound rescues taking this stance to ward away certain owners but in my experience, they even enforce this with people who are offering good homes.  Friends of mine have turned to BYB's or chosen an entirely different breed because some hound rescues are so adament with the fence rule. IMO they should take this on a case by case basis and realize that to save lives, you cannot make the criteria to rescue so rigid that it alienates people.

     I don't agree with that mentality at all. The majority of BYB and field bred Beagles are surrendered by their owners. This is, by no means, a breed for everyone, just because they're cute and popular and someone "really wants one". It's generally NOT a good home for a Beagle if there is no fence or other enclosure such as a kennel run to keep the dog on the property. The point is to get the dog adopted to the appropriate family - there are other things a breeder or rescue can make exceptions for, such as the nonsensical rule that some rescues don't allow dogs to children of certain ages - however it is a breed tendency to take off. If you ain't right for a Beagle, I'm certainly not going to make an exception to sell a pup, so why should a rescue cave in to make an adoption? Put it this way - you wouldn't adopt out an Italian Greyhound to a home with three rowdy, rough, wild boys under the age of 10. Even though the family may offer a wonderful home otherwise, you know placing the dog with them, there is a high risk for injury to that dog. Same with the Beagle fence thing. The odds are stacked against the dog that it will come into serious physical injury if it's placed in a home w/o a fence.

HoundMusic

 It's generally NOT a good home for a Beagle if there is no fence or other enclosure such as a kennel run to keep the dog on the property.

I am sure that we will have to agree to disagree on this issue but I am honestly curious to know how a fence or 6x6 kennel makes a good hound owner?  Why dismiss potentially good homes on such a trivial detail when it doesn't reflect a persons dedication, commitment, lifestyle, knowledge or competency to provide a good home for a hound??

HoundMusic

 The point is to get the dog adopted to the appropriate family. If you ain't right for a Beagle, I'm certainly not going to make an exception to sell a pup, so why should a rescue cave in to make an adoption? 

I agree that a rescue's priority is finding a good home for the hounds in their care. But I think they've taken the fence issue to an extreme. Fences don't = good hound owners. Not to mention, there's tens of thousands of hounds in shelters and while rescues reject owners without fencing [and wait for the "perfect" home for the few in their care], hundreds more die.

HoundMusic

...however it is a breed tendency to take off...Same with the Beagle fence thing. The odds are stacked against the dog that it will come into serious physical injury if it's placed in a home w/o a fence.

A fence does not reduce the breed's tendency to take off. Most fences will not keep a hound in that wants to get out so how can it reduce the risk of physical injury? How is a hound safer in a fenced yard than on-leash with his/her owner (in close proximity and under direct supervision)?

In my experience, the 2 most common reasons for roaming hounds are: 1. they escaped accidentally (bolting from the house/car or from jumping, climbing or digging their way out of fence or pulling the leash out of the owners hands) 2. they were deliberately let off-leash away from home (hunting, at the dog park).  I think it would be much more productive to educate owners about training a hound and the importance of exercise/stimulation and leash safety. Confinement is a false sense of security.

HoundMusic

It's generally NOT a good home for a Beagle if there is no fence or other enclosure such as a kennel run to keep the dog on the property. 

This is why I have a problem with a lot of rescues.  I dare someone to try to tell me that we have not made an excellent home to our beagle Charlie.  We don't have a fence and as a result, Charlie is NEVER EVER off leash in our backyard, he is taken for 4 walks a day.  So you mean to tell me that because of this we aren't providing him with a good home.  I better wake him up from his evening nap on our king size bed and let him know that.  I feel I provide a better exercise routine than someone like my BIL who all he does is let his beagle out in the backyard for 10 minutes or so a couple of times a day and then wonders why she overweight.

IME many more beagles become lost because they go over/under what were believed to be very secure fences than who become lost because they slipped a leash or dashed out a door.

Totally off topic, but Houndmusic, who is that in your picture. What a beautiful face!

lcbryson

Totally off topic, but Houndmusic, who is that in your picture. What a beautiful face!

     Lindsay, thanks :) That's "Miss Bailey" ... CH. Camma Farms Vanity Fair. She's predominantly out of Bayou Oaks breeding, completely show bred ... and she HUNTS ... lol, I was dying to add that

Well, I can say from experience that my beagle is never alone in the yard, someone is always with him. I have a big fence, on the bottom buried under the ground, but he managed to climb or dig his way out a couple of times... 

The fence was good enough to keep a boxer and a malamut inside, but when it comes to beagles, I just guess that they are masters in escaping...