Beagles are perfect family dogs and the most affectionate creatures. They are immensely friendly and enjoy human company. But beagles do not always do well in households with smaller animals such as rabbits, hamsters, birds, or any other little creature that you may have as a pet.

Beagles are pack animals, so they get along with other dogs, but when it comes to smaller creatures, a beagle can be quite a trouble maker. They will not give up trying to bother and grab your little pet bird. For this reason, it is best practice to keep your beagle out of the reach and sight of your bird.

Beagles are hound-dogs and cannot control their hunting instincts and can react in any way towards the bird. A little smack from a beagles’ paw or scratch of annoyance can do a lot of damage to the bird.

There are many dog breeds such as golden retriever and labrador who are easy going, tolerant, and friendly towards larger birds like parrots, but having a bird around a beagle can be a potential risk. It is advisable to never leave a beagle and a bird alone and loose together.

All that being said, it doesn’t mean that you can’t own both types of pets. In this article I’ll get more into how to manage this dynamic in your home.

How Do Beagles Get Along with Birds?

• Hunting History of Birds and Beagles

Beagles are small hound breed and are born-hunters. Their origin dates back to 400 BC in Greece and to 200 AD in ancient Britain. During the Roman conquest of Britain, the interbreeding of the small hounds with the indigenous British hounds took place.

Later they were bred as scent hounds by the English settlers in America. They were primarily used to track down rabbits for their hunters to kill or capture and they continue to be used in many countries including the United States for the same purpose.

Beagles were also bred to retrieve the wounded birds and bring them back to the hunters. They would run pheasants and other birds just as they would do rabbits. A beagle is not a traditional bird dog, but people have been using them to hunt pheasants, grouse, doves, quails, and woodcock for centuries.

Beagles can trail the birds for a sizable distance. They are experts at flushing and pointing at birds, and can even change their barks to tell what they are running.

Additionally, beagles have a lot of energy and stamina. They are always ready to run, which makes them perfect for hunting expeditions. For these reasons, their instincts may kick in when around certain types of birds, even in enclosed spaces like that of a house.

• How to Introduce Beagles to Pet Birds Slowly?

Puppies are full of energy and are often unpredictable. They are curious and active because of their keen sense of smell. While they can be a little stubborn and difficult to train, it’s important to train beagles early so that they can develop healthy behavioral habits for the rest of their lives, including getting along with birds.

If your beagle does not exhibit any predatory response towards the bird and can easily be distracted, then appropriate training is absolutely possible. Start slowly by introducing your beagle to the bird and gradually increase their time socializing with each other. Allow many occasions of keeping your beagle and the bird in the same room until they get accustomed to one another. Any haste could lead to a stressful and dangerous accident.

This will take some time, and you’ll want to set the right boundaries with a pen for your beagle and bird cage for your bird, but co-habitation can be achieved.

• Choose a Safe and Neutral Area For Them to Coexist.

While a beagle may not like killing birds their instincts may mean that they’ll still certainly enjoy chasing them.

If the bird came home first, then its cage, including the part of the house in which the bird is kept is the bird’s territory. If you bring your beagle in that area, the bird can get aggressive, and vice versa. Beagles are fiercely territorial and can go to any extent to guard their space.

It’s best to choose a neutral location to get your beagle and your bird comfortable with each other. Get them out of their familiar surroundings to curtail the chances of aggressive behavior and make them more amiable in general.

How to Keep Your Bird Safe From Beagles?

Beagles have a natural predatory drive and a tendency to pounce upon any small thing that moves.

To keep your bird safe from your beagle, you should get a sturdy and heavy bird cage and keep it away from the reach of the beagle.

But first and foremost, you should determine the prey drive of your beagle. It is relatively difficult to assess a puppies’ prey drive, but over time you’ll start to pick up on your dog’s natural tendencies.

Also, when your bird is out of the cage, you should always try to shut your beagle out of the room. Never assume that your presence between the two will avert an attack. When you are not at home also it is vital that you keep your beagle away from the bird. Regardless of the training, everybody in the house should remain vigilant that the two aren’t alone unsupervised.

If possible, you should also try to assess your beagle’s behavior around other birds, when kept separately from the pet bird.

When the bird is out of the cage, maybe try putting a muzzle on the beagle. Making your beagle wear a muzzle can be difficult and will require some training, but it can help protect your bird and teach your beagle boundaries around your pet. With all muzzle training, you should also always reward your beagle with some treats and spend some time playing with him for staying muzzled. It is essential not to leave your beagle wearing a muzzle unattended.

How to Prepare Your Beagle to Live with a Bird

Keeping your beagle away when they get the scent of the bird can be quite challenging.

Depending on your beagle’s personality, they can get pretty excited and even predatory around a bird. Beagles can be stubborn and need patience and creative training techniques.

It will take a bit of hard work to make a beagle and a bird coexist in the same household, but you can use a lot of the following techniques to try and keep the peace.

• A beagle has hunting instincts which he can’t control and will naturally see the bird as prey that should be chased and conquered. So, start slowly by bringing the beagle and your bird together for a few minutes every day until they become comfortable with each other. Never try rushing it as would result in a traumatic experience or could be potentially dangerous.
• Beagles are territorial animals, so first introduce them to your pet bird in a neutral area which neither of them would consider their territory.
• Be sure to have plenty of treats handy for your beagle to reward their excellent and calm behavior. This will make them more relaxed at home and they will trouble the bird less.
• If your beagle behaves well and does not torment the bird, allow them to be off-leash. Remember, despite the best training, accidents do occur. To reduce the risk for your bird, keep it inside the cage while your beagle is without the leash.
• Keep your beagle engaged and busy in activities like fetching a toy to shift their focus from the bird.
• Beagles are extremely sensitive and won’t respond to rough training and punishment. So motivate them through fun, food, and praise.
• If your beagle continues to be aggressive towards the bird, professional intervention may be required by breaking them up, or using a muzzle.

It will be difficult initially during the acclimatization process, but continue with your efforts. Eventually, your beagle will figure out how to live harmoniously in the same space.

Mistakes to Avoid Regarding Beagles and Birds

• When you are introducing your beagle to the bird for the first time, make sure the bird is placed in a cage with the door adequately secured. Also keep the beagle leashed all the time around the bird. There are chances that both the pets will try to attack each other. So unless you are confident that they are comfortable around each other’s presence, always try to keep them confined.
• Keep the bird’s cage in a spot where your beagle cannot jump and reach it. Whether your beagle is just showing interest in the bird or expressing predatory behavior, your beagle is capable of injuring the bird badly on purpose or by accident.
• Buy a sturdy, heavy cage that cannot be easily toppled by your beagle. The cage should also be significant for the bird that may allow the bird to back off in case the beagle tries to reach into the cage.
• Never leave your beagle and bird alone unsupervised unless you are sure about the safety of your bird.
• Do not punish your beagle if even after some training, a lot of behavior is instinct that they cannot control. 
• Birds also like socializing, so keeping them separately in a room away from your beagle is not a good idea. Keeping the bird alone can restrict its ability to interact with people. As an alternative, create a safe place for the bird in your living area where the beagle cannot reach.
• If you have to take the bird out of the cage, keep it on a leash to prevent it going within the beagle’s reach. As the two become comfortable around each other, you can leave your beagle loose around the bird.

Final Thoughts

It can be an uphill task to train your beagle around a bird, but it is not impossible. Beagles are brilliant dogs, and won’t take long to learn if trained in the right manner. You have to find the training method that works best for your beagle.

They respond quite well to people who are patient and loving and have a lot of time to work with them. They need a firm trainer but not a physical one. A bit of hard work and persistence can go a long way and will surely yield a well behaved and loving companion for life.

Hopefully, you will have both your beagle and the bird thriving happily and amiably under the same roof.