Modern Beagle Team – Page 26

Beagles are a happy and intelligent breed of dog. They were originally bred for hunting small wild game in packs, but quickly became the perfect family pet because of their fun-loving and loyal nature. From their adorable facial expressions and droopy ears to their wagging tail and high-pitched bark, it is no wonder that America's obsession with this breed has endured for many years and will continue to do so for many years to come. Although beagles do come with their share of issues, like separation anxiety and the tendency to become overweight faster than other dog breeds, for the most part this breed will remain happy, healthy and energetic during the course of their lifespan. Due to the overwhelming amount of energy they seem to have, beagles can climb stairs without a problem. The only times when it may be difficult for beagles to climb stairs are when they are a puppy, experiencing health issues, have a previous injury, or are elderly. Benefits of Climbing Stairs for Beagles In a majority of cases, you should feel totally confident in your beagle climbing any of the stairs in your home. In fact, if you live in a two-story home and spend any amount of time upstairs, your beagle is bound to figure it out. After all, their original breeding of being a pack animal makes them want to be with you at all times, and most of them do not like being left alone. There are benefits of allowing your beagle to climb the stairs. As mentioned previously, beagles can tend to become overweight. This is especially true as your beagle ages and their activity slows down. Running up and down the stairs for them is great exercise to help them shed some pounds and keep them healthy. Just make sure you stop when he or she gives you indication that they are tired. Beagles are full of energy that must be expended properly. Otherwise your beagle will wind up getting into things that they shouldn't when they get bored. This is especially true for puppies. Allowing your beagle puppy or young beagle to run up and down the stairs is a great way for them to expend their energy and tire them out so that when you are ready to settle down, so are they. On bad weather days, you can use the stairs as a means of exercise for your beagle. Their energy doesn't disappear even on the worst of days and running up and down the stairs allows them to get all that energy out their tiny bodies when they can't go for their usual walk or run. On days like these (especially during the winter), you want to make sure you are engaging your dog in some kind of interactive playtime indoors to keep them out of things they should not be into. Dangers of Climbing the Stairs for Beagles In general it is safe for all beagles to climb stairs. As long as they are in good health, they definitely have all the right kinds of energy to do so. However, there are some times when it may become dangerous for your beagle to climb the stairs. If you have a new beagle puppy, stairs may be a foreign concept to them. Puppies are already clumsy and climbing the stairs safely can prove extremely difficult for them. No puppy should even attempt to climb stairs before the age of 12 weeks and even then must be supervised until you are sure they have mastered the skill. Toppling from the steps could result in an injury and no one wants to see their new puppy in pain. If you have an older beagle, it may become dangerous for them to climb the stairs as well. Arthritis and other health issues that tend to afflict older dogs like hip displasia can set in and make it difficult and painful for them to go up and down the stairs. If your beagle has naturally short legs, like their hound cousin the dachshund, you may want to monitor how easy stairs are for them - as all beagles are different. If you notice your older beagle struggling with getting up and down the stairs, watch them closely. Often there will be signs of what is hurting or bothering them and you will know it is time for them to stop climbing up and down the stairs on their own. Finally, it probably goes without saying, but any beagle, no matter what the age, should avoid the stairs if they have sustained an injury to their legs, paws, hips or back. The act of running up and down the stairs requires all of these muscles and bones to be working correctly. Weakness in any of these areas and climbing stairs just does not mix. To prevent your dog from sustaining further injury, it is best to keep them off the stairs until they have completely healed. How to Train a Beagle to Climb Stairs If you live in a two-floor home, or even if you live in a house with steps to go outside, you may have to take the time to train your new beagle puppy how to climb the stairs. Allowing him or her to learn on their own could result in possible injury and create a future aversion to stairs in general. If your new beagle puppy gets hurt falling down the stairs, they will remember and associate the stairs with pain. This will make them fearful and not want to have anything to do with the stairs. If you got your new puppy at eight weeks old, for the first few weeks you will want to carry the pup up and down the stairs. At eight weeks, he or she is still too young to even attempt to try the stairs on their own. They are still working on the muscle strength, coordination, eye-sight and plain old dexterity to even be able to walk and not fall over, let alone attempt climbing stairs. When your beagle puppy reaches about 12 weeks of age, you can begin to train them to climb the stairs properly. Grab some treats and head to the stairs. Go up one step and call the puppy to you and allow him or her to try and figure it out. If they need a little help at first, go ahead and give them a boost, but don't do all the work for them. After they have gotten up on step, give them praise and don't forget to give them a treat for their effort. Climb up one more stair and repeat the process. It will take many tries and countless days before your pup has completely mastered this skill. Remember to not do too much at one time, just do a couple of stairs a day. After all, climbing the stairs is tiresome for their little legs and it is quite the workout. Eventually they will build up the muscle strength and motor skills to traverse the entire set of stairs without even thinking twice, and by then you might be wondering why you ever taught them to climb the stairs in the first place! How to Prevent a Beagle from Climbing Stairs Preventing a beagle from climbing the stairs in your home might prove to be difficult, especially if you are upstairs and leaving them home alone downstairs. It is in a beagle's true nature to be with its pack, beagles really dislike being left alone. However, if you don't want your beagle climbing the stairs, you can teach them not to. One of the things you can do to prevent your beagle from climbing the stairs is to use a deterrent. This could be a rubber mat with a pointy grip on the bottom laid pointy side up, double-sided tape, foil or anything else that would make a loud noise or cause him or her some kind of grief. After laying down the deterrent on the first few steps, watch your dog carefully. When he or she goes for the stairs, allow them to step on the deterrent before using a firm voice and telling them "NO STAIRS!" Even when you are not at home to watch every move the dog makes, your beagle shouldn't be inclined to climb the stairs because of the obstacles in his or her way. Keep in mind that beagles who were previously allowed to go upstairs will take longer to break this habit. Another thing you could try to prevent stair climbing is a baby gate to block off the stairs. Just make sure these gates are secure in case your beagle tries to climb them. You do not want the gate to fall while climbing and result in an injury for your beloved pet. Final Thoughts Energetic beagles will love a house that has stairs for them to climb over and over again. Just make sure to train them properly and provide assistance when they are younger or older and may have difficulty traversing the stairs by themselves. No matter what their age, be sure to keep the stairs obstacle free to provide even further safety. Taking all these precautions will help to ensure that your beagle's climbing days keep them happy and healthy for many years.