The Beagle: A Pack Hunting Scent Hound

The Beagle is a scent hound completely ruled by his nose. They are born and bred to hunt small game like rabbits and hares in packs. When in pursuit, they will follow a scent wherever it leads with no thought to busy roads or distance.

Due to a beagle’s love of chasing down a smell, they require a fenced in yard. Beagles are escape artists, so the fence should be at least five feet tall and extend underground to prevent tunneling. They are diggers as they were bred to dig rabbits from warrens and will escape under the fence if given the chance.

The Beagle is a packing hunting scent hound first recognized by the AKC in 1884.

They should always be on a leash when on a walk to prevent chasing off after a scent. They love to go on long walks allowing them to sniff to their heart’s content. They do require additional exercise like playtime in the backyard to stay mentally and physically fit. An hour of playtime or other exercise is recommended daily, preferably with a friend.

Beagles were bred to hunt in packs and prefer companionship, both canine and human. They generally enjoy company and do not like to be alone. It is good to have another dog in the house or plan to have them as a constant companion. They can suffer from separation anxiety if left all alone.

They make great family dogs. They are friendly and happy. The Beagle breed does well with small children and other animals. However, small animals may invoke their strong prey drive. While they are affectionate family dogs, they will take off after a scent without warning or thought. For this reason, some don’t think them loyal.

Beagle Stats

There are two size varieties of the Beagle recognized by the American Kennel Club, or AKC. The smaller of the two is 13 inches and under and weighs under 20 pounds. The larger of the two weighs 20-30 pounds and stands 13-15 inches tall at the shoulder.

Close up of Beagle sleeping

Beagles have a smooth short double coat which requires minimal grooming. Although they are considered low maintenance, they do shed in the spring and require extra brushing during that time. Regularly, just a weekly brushing with a grooming mitt and an occasional bath, when needed, will do. Of course, keep up with routine nail trimming as well.

Beagles possess a large personality for their size. They are sturdy, muscular dogs. They appear to be a smaller version of the Harrier, measuring 19-21 inches at the shoulder, or the English Foxhound, measuring 21-25 inches. They do not have “doggie odor”, drool, or shed much. They do have a tendency towards baying, as opposed to, barking. This behavior should be corrected at an early age to keep the neighbors happy.

Early socialization and puppy training is crucial for this breed. They are strongly food motivated and train best with positive reinforcements, such as treats. Negative techniques do not have favorable results. They can be challenging to train but rewarding positive behaviors will win out in the end.

Beagle puppy with tennis ball in his mouth

Their History in America

In the early 1870’s, General Richard Rowett from Illinois began importing Beagles from England to establish a quality bloodline in America. Rowett’s dogs were models for the first American standard Beagle. Beagles were recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1884 and have been the only breed to rank in the top ten since their registry. Today they rank number seven on the AKC’s Most Popular Dog Breeds of 2021 list.

This breed had long been used at airports to sniff out weapons, drugs, and illegal food. Their diminutive size and friendliness towards strangers are less likely to make passengers nervous. This type of work was first introduced at Los Angeles International Airport in 1984. The US Department of Agriculture used Beagles to sniff out contraband food items. This has expanded and now Beagles are used in more than 20 international airports across the United States.

Although a scent hound bred for hunting rabbits, the Beagle has proven itself a wonderful family companion and admirable working dog. Either size variety of the breed will require a medium size Plexidor Dog Door. Should you have any questions on our doors please contact Customer Service or call 888-PET-DOOR.

Hero dog to the rescue

Rocky the Rottweiler is a British hero dog who not only saved his family from armed robbers, but also held one of them until police arrived. The thug is now serving a ten year prison sentence.

The incident happened when Kasha Marie Weston was five months pregnant, and a gang of hooded and armed men broke into her home. One held a knife to her throat while the others beat her partner. Rocky wouldn’t accept this – he broke through a door to come to the rescue.

Rocky’s fury scared the intruders off, but he wouldn’t let it go with that. He followed them outside and cornered one until police came. Afterwards, Rocky would not leave Kasha’s side, and he would nudge her baby-bump with his nose as if telling the baby not to worry.

What is it with cats and cardboard boxes?

Cats and cardboard boxes have long been strange bedfellows. It’s no secret, cats have a strange affinity for cardboard boxes. But, what is it about a box that’s so fun? Why do they love sitting in boxes, and sleeping in boxes?

A study conducted at Utrecht University in the Netherlands points towards boxes providing relief from stress – they’re likely to feel safe and be left alone when hiding in a box. In the wild, a hiding place like this would be perfect to relax, safe from predators.

Another theory is that boxes helps keep cats warm. Cardboard boxes are generally layered and become great insulators that keep cats safe from drafts.

 

Cats and cardboard boxes seem to go together like this gray tabby cat in a box

Breed spotlight: Belgian sheep herding dogs

Belgium is a small country in Western Europe that  shares borders with France, Germany, Luxemburg, and the Netherlands. There are quite a few Belgian dog breeds, several of which are often used as guard dogs and police dogs.

The Belgian Shepherd Dogs are amongst famous breeds from the area. This group is divided into the Groenendael, the Laekenois, Malinois, and the Tervuren. The breeds have similarities in looks and temperament, but they are distinct breeds.

The Belgian Sheep Herding Dogs

Groenendael

The Groenendael is an elegant, strong, and intelligent breed. They were originally used as herders, watchdogs, and companions, but their smarts and versatility quickly made them popular outside of Belgium. Groenendaels soon served as police dogs in Paris and New York City, and were famous for catching smugglers.

Many work in search and rescue, as guide dogs, and as therapy dogs. They also do very well in dog sports such as obedience, tracking, and agility.One of the Belgian Sheep herding dogs is the black, long haired Groenendael shepherd

Malinois

The Malinois is an alert breed often mistaken for German Shepherds, and the confusion becomes bigger from the Malinois being popular for police and military work. While there are physical similarities, this is a completely different breed than the German Shepherd.

An average Malinois is intelligent, confident, and loves to work. They are also popular in obedience trials, herding, sledding, and tracking. Malinois shepherd dog from Belgium

Laekenois

The Laekenois is clever and alert, and can be quite protective of family and property. This breed was originally developed to tend to flocks and guard, and these properties remain in the breed. Laekenois shepherd dog from Belgium

Tervuren

The Tervuren is an elegant and devoted dog that often excels in obedience and agility competitions. Many who see these dogs believe they’re German Shepherds with long hair, but the Tervuren is a different breed. They’re outstanding herders that also do great jobs as therapy dogs and guide dogs.

Tervuren shepherd dog from Belgium

Dangerous to pets

Some plants are dangerous to pets, like the Easter Lilies seen here are toxic to catsMany everyday things that look innocent and are perfectly safe for humans can be dangerous to pets. Easter lilies, for instance, can poison a cat just from the cat rubbing up against a vase, getting spores on the coat, and licking them off.

Here is a list with five categories that should be kept out of reach at all times.

5 Items Dangerous to Pets

Prescription medications

This includes anti-inflammatory medications, antidepressants, blood pressure medicines, antidepressants, and more. A safe course of action is to assume all medications are dangerous to pets unless specifically prescribed to the pet. This includes items you can buy at the grocery store, like Tylenol. If your pet needs a medication, check with your vet, or at least look the substances up on pet poison helpline.

Insecticides

Most people keep bug poisons, rat poison, ant traps, and similar out of reach for their pets, but also make sure to be careful with flea and tick products. Pay close attention to dosage and never apply a product intended for a dog on a cat. Dogs and cats are very different and their products have different compositions. A dosage appropriate for a dog can be dangerous to a cat, even if the pets are of the same weight.

Household products

This is a wide but important category. Laundry detergent, laundry pods, soap, fertilizer, lawn products, and other cleaning products should all be stored out of reach of pets and children. Be particularly careful with pods filled with detergent – they often look like toys or candy, and cause accidents with children, dogs, and cats every year.

People food

We eat many things that pets can taste, but other things are toxic to cats and dogs. Some items to never give a pet include chocolate, alcohol, xylitol, grapes, raisins, and macadamia nuts.

Plants

Many pets aren’t inclined to eat plants at all, but others are all too happy to munch down on greenery and things on the ground. This naturally goes for whatever they find in neighboring yards and along walks, and not just in your own yard. Examples of toxic plants include sago palms, bulbs of tulips, daffodils, and similar, azaleas, easter lilies, and rhododendrons.

What to do

If you think your pet has eaten something toxic, call your vet at once. The sooner your pet gets the appropriate treatment, the better.

Sunshine story: Stolen dog found after 18 months

Dozer is a well trained German Shepherd who knows how to open and close doors, turn on lights, and many other useful things. When Dozer was stolen from Richard Brower’s back yard a year and half ago, Brower would stop at nothing to find him. 

The search went on for months, and Brower took help from all his friends – they approached everyone in the area walking a German Shepherd, hoping it would be Dozer.

After eighteen months with no sign of Dozer, Brower pulled up his computer and searched for German Shepherd for sale. The first link took him to a website where a photo of his dog looked back from the monitor!

Brower sent the photo to family members and got on the phone with the shelter. Luckily, his father was in the area, able to pick up the dog. No one knows what adventures Dozer might have experienced during all this time, but he came home that very day.

Dogs can be affected by dementia

A dog’s brain is a lot like a human’s, and unfortunately this means that the same problems that affect the human brain can affect dogs. Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome is the canine equivalent of Alzheimer’s, and around half of all dogs over the age of ten will exhibit symptoms.

Don’t panic – not all aging dogs will get the disease, and those who do get different symptoms than humans. You can also help decrease the risk through providing a healthy diet, mental stimulation, physical exercise, and plenty of human contact.

Dogs with cognitive dysfunction syndrome may appeared disoriented in everyday situations. They may appear lost in the house or the yard, get stuck behind furniture, or have difficulty finding the door. These problems can also be caused by hearing loss or loss of vision.

Other symptoms include sleeping more overall but less at night, and an increase in pacing back and forth. Some dogs become clingy and want human contact around the clock, while other leek less attention and walk away from their humans.  These behaviors can also be attributed to physical changes, so if your dog displays them, see a vet to get a proper diagnosis.

If your dog gets the diagnosis, there is a drug used to battle Parkinson’s disease in humans that can improve symptoms and give the dog a better quality of life.

Hero dog saves girl from abduction

A rat terrier isn’t a big dog physically, but they’re still brave at heart. This was proven the other day when Jennifer Jones’ daughter was on the way to school and a man in a pickup truck pulled over, got out of the truck, and grabbed the girl’s wrist. Without the dog, anything could have happened. 

Luckily, the dog was there and bit the would-be abductor at the ankles. This was enough for the girl to get free and flee.

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Therapy dogs in nursing homes

The Volpino Italiano needs a medium Plexidor dog doorA nursing home is a place for a person who needs more care around the clock than can be reasonably given at home, but who doesn’t need to be in a hospital. Many nursing homes strive for a home-like environment. Some allow residents to bring their pets, but this isn’t always possible, and many nursing homes around the USA have opened their doors to therapy dogs who come visit on a regular basis. Therapy dogs in nursing homes has become a common sight across the country.

Dogs have an instinctive way of knowing when they are needed, and a visit from a dog can calm and soothe someone, or lift the spirits of a person who is sad and lonely. The dogs provide a physical touch and many love the feeling of soft fur. They also bring warmth, joy, and a patient ear that will always listen.

Some believe only a certain breed can become a therapy dog, or that they are raised for this purpose as puppies. Therapy dogs come in all breeds and sizes, and many are rescue dogs.

If you’re interested in doing therapy work with your dog, start by training some basic obedience, and bring your dog to many different environments so he or she gets used to noises and people. Then, find a therapy-dog organization in your area. Many states have animal-assisted therapy organizations that offer training programs.

To become a certified therapy dog, a trainer will evaluate you and your dog and suggest courses to take. Then, you’re ready to volunteer. Many organizations will help you find volunteer opportunities. Here is a list that can help you get started.

Bringing dogs to work can reduce stress levels

Brown and white dog holding phone receiver in his mouth of old fashioned yellow rotary phone by his side  can help in the office when you brig dogs to work
Bringing dogs to work can help reduce stress

Sandra Barker is a professor of psychiatry at Virginia Commonwealth’s School of Medicine, and she has been involved in several studies researching dogs in the workplace. The results may not come as big surprises to dog lovers, but are interesting nonetheless.

A study was made in 2012 at a large manufacturing company. The study included 76 employees, and having just three dogs present on any given day reduced the stress level by 11 percent during the day.

Employees with their dogs left at home, however, had an increase in stress level of 71 percent. As the day progresses, dog owners clearly worry about their furry friends!

Bringing dogs to work can serve as a buffer against stress – things still happen, but humans react less to stress factors with pets around.

Nationally, around 2 percent of dog owners take their pets to work, and this adds up to around one million dogs in workplaces around the country.

Poop police coming to Carmel?

No one likes to step in dog poop, and there are many reasons to pick it up. Dog poop is the number three cause of water pollution, the water treatment systems aren’t designed to filter dog waste, and it can spread diseases and viruses, to name a few. Many dog owners are still bad at picking it up.

Carmel has a new million dollar dog park, and if dog waste becomes a problem, they’re considering hiring a poop police. The company PooPrints specializes in DNA analysis of dog waste and currently has contracts with apartment complexes and condos in 45 US states, Canada, and the UK.

If the system is put in place, dogs with passes for the dog park would be subject to a gentle DNA swipe from their mouth, and if anything is left behind on the ground, the owner could get a notice and a bill in the mail.

Several apartment complexes currently use the system with great success; the threat of public shaming has been enough to make residents pick up after their dogs.

Sunshine story: stolen dog returns home

In May last year, Ms Navarro’s two dogs Maggie and Blue were stolen from her back yard in Galveston Texas. Blue was just a few weeks old at the time, and after searching for months Ms Navarro thought she’d never see either dog again.

Maggie still hasn’t been found, but Blue turned up at a shelter in Indiana a few days ago, and the shelter tracked down Ms Navarro from Blue’s microchip.

The joy of Blue being found was soon clouded by an everyday problem; Ms Navarro didn’t have the funds to travel over a thousand miles to go get her dog.

Fortunately, dozens of people offered to help. It didn’t take long before retired deputy Ricky Mitchell set off for Indiana together with his brother and one more retired Sheriff’s office employee. The three drove all the way, and posted photos of state signs they passed along the way.

The men drove through the night to get Blue home as quickly as possible.

You can read more about this story in the Galveston County Daily News – the paper has a series of articles about Blue and her journey home.

Gluten free dog treats

There are many recipes for dog treats around the Internet, and most of them contain some form of wheat, even if it’s whole wheat. Here are some wheat – and gluten free dog treats or carob cookies you can make for your four-footed friend.

Carob is a chocolate substitute often used for dogs, because it lacks both the substances toxic to pets and caffeine. It is naturally sweet and looks a little like chocolate, but has a unique flavor and texture.

There are also carob chips. If you’ve seen doggie cookies that look like chocolate chip cookies they’re made with carob.

Carob Gluten Free Dog Treats

What you need:
  • 1 cup of white rice flour
  • 1/2 cup of carob powder
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup of water
What to do:

An English Mastiff requires an extra large PlexiDor dog door and enjoys gluten free dog treats
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, so it gets properly warm while you mix all the ingredients in a large bowl. The order doesn’t matter, you can just pour them together and mix away. It’s supposed to become a smooth dough.

If the dough becomes very dry, add a little more water. When you bake the dough out, it helps to sprinkle the baking surface with rice flour or carob powder. Use the latter if you don’t want white sprinkles on the cookies.

Roll out the dough until it’s about a quarter of an inch thick and cut cookies with a cookie cutter. Or, cut it into squares. Place the cookies on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

Bake for ten to fifteen minutes. Let the cookies cool and store them in the fridge.

Seattle dog takes the bus

A vast majority of humans have become urbanized, and it’s happening to the dogs too. Eclipse for instance, is a two year old black lab in Seattle who has learned to take the bus to the dog park – on her own.

Two year old black lab dog takes the bus between two other passengers
Image from cctv.com

It all started when Eclipse’s owner was too slow for her liking and she decided to get on the bus by herself. She got off at the dog park where her human caught up with her. Since then, she’s been doing it every time he’s too slow. He calls her a bus riding, side-walk walking urbanized dog.

One bus stop is right by their home and the other right by the dog park. The bus drivers and regular passengers all know her. She just needs to sit by a window so she can see when it’s time to get off.

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AKC recognizes four more breeds

The American Kennel Club – AKC – sent out a press release just before New Years telling that it recognizes four breeds new to the club. This brings the number of breeds able to participate in AKC events up to 184.

The new breeds are the Bergamasco, Boerboel, Cirneco dell’Etna, and the Spanish Water Dog. AKC adds new breeds when they fill the club’s standards, which include a breed club and a minimum number of individuals in the country.

The Bergamasco is a sheep dog from Italy with a history that goes back around 7,000 years. As most sheep dogs, these are highly intelligent and love to work.

The AKC recognizes four breeds new this year and the Bergamasco sheep dog is one of them.

The Boerboel is a hardy farm dog from South Africa. This breed is known for being intelligent, protective, and willing to please their family. Through history these dogs have been used for everything from babysitting to protecting against predators.

The Boerboel is a hardy farm dog from South Africa.

The Cirneco dell’Etna is an Italian hunting dog known for its resistance to heat and tough conditions. In the past, it was often used for hunting together with a ferret.

The Cirneco dell'Etna is an Italian hunting dog

The Spanish Water Dog is another lively and hard working herding dog. This versatile breed herds, hunts, and helps fishermen.

The Spanish Water Dog has thick curly fur that falls in a mop in its eyes.