In the following guide, I will explain all you need to know about Beagles and cold weather. It includes tips on how you can keep your Beagle warm in the winter months, plus advice on safety to keep them healthy and comfortable.

Why Beagles don’t tolerate cold weather

You might wonder; do Beagles get cold? The answer would be yes, Beagles do get cold in winter. It’s said that a temperature below 40-45F is too low for Beagle. At low temperatures like this, their bodies lose heat quickly.

Their short coats don’t help either, as this means they feel the cold more with not as much winter protection as a longer-haired dog would have.

In simple terms, Beagles have not been bred to be outdoor dogs. Being sensitive to cold, they can become dehydrated and suffer with hypothermia in dangerously low temperatures. Like other dogs this size, they are breed that you really need to take special care of in cold winter temperatures.

Signs your Beagle is cold

There are some common symptoms that hint your dog is suffering in cold weather. If you see your Beagle suffering with any of these, you should make them warmer and in some cases seek professional advice.

• Your dog refuses to go outside.
• Your dog starts to make a nest, for example pulling at blankets or burrowing in bed.
• Your dog has the shivers.
• Your dog appears to be lethargic.
• Your dog lifts their paws off the ground when outside.
• Your dog is barking or whining.

During very cold weather, Beagles can even get frostbite and hypothermia. The latter is a deadly condition that results in blood no longer circulating round the dog’s body, weakness, stiff muscles, and eventual slowed heartbeat and kidney failure.

Signs of hypothermia include:

• Shivering and trembling.
• Slowing down, lack of movement, and trouble walking.
• Cold skin and fur.
• Slowed down heart rate.
• Dilated pupils.
• Blue or pale gums and inner eyelids.
• Breathing problems.

That all sounds very serious, but providing you look after your Beagle properly in the cold winter months, you should have nothing to worry about.

However, even when you do take special care, your Beagle might develop some of the less serious symptoms. For example, your Beagle could actually catch a cold. I have described canine cold symptoms lower down the page, so you know what to look out for.

Handy Hint: Ever wondered why dogs love rolling in snow so much? I put a guide together which explains dogs love affair with snow.

How cold is too cold for a Beagle?

There will be a point when the winter gets too cold for a Beagle. The temperature that is too cold for Beagles is around 4 degrees Celsius (40 to 45 degrees Fahrenheit). This can be too cold, and if combined with wet weather, or with older dogs or puppies, the danger is increased.

If your Beagle is lifting their paws off the ground, then it’s obviously way too cold for them. At this point, it’s too late, so check out the infographic below which shows what temperature your Beagle should be comfortable at.

Once the temperatures creep into the green and blue numbers, it’s too cold for your Beagle, and means their health could be in danger.

Handy Hint: It’s not possible for dogs to catch a cold or flu from a human owner so don’t be too worried when you have a runny nose.

How to keep your Beagle warm in cold weather

Here’s what you need to do when temperatures start to drop, and how you can keep your Beagle warm in cold weather. It also includes suggestions for walking in the cold, snow, and ice, and what items you should buy to help keep your Beagle warm.

1. Winter health check

Older dogs are far more prone to suffering in the cold weather, as are young puppies. Low temperatures can bring on illnesses quicker and affect an existing medical condition.

When the temperatures start to drop before winter, make sure you take your Beagle to the vets to get a health check. They will be able to identify anything that could get worse as it gets colder.

2. Move their bed and supply more bedding

Temperatures drop lower during the night, and this is when your Beagle could be at their coldest. Think about where their bed is and whether it could be moved into a warmer position; for example, is it next to a door or near a draft? Is he scratching the bedding to make a warmer spot?

You should also consider giving them some more bedding and blankets to keep them warmer. Your Beagle will be able to make a warm nest at night and get all cosy… but don’t let them get too warm as this can also have a negative effect.

3. Don’t overfeed your Beagle in winter

Most people tend to walk their dogs less during the winter. The combination of the lower temperatures and dampness are enough to put most people off.

Of course, that means your Beagle won’t be getting as much exercise as before, so you might want to consider how much you feed them to avoid weight issues.

Keep your Beagle’s weight at a sensible weight. Whilst “feeding a cold” does have some validity to it, with more food keeping their energy levels up, it’s a fine balance.

Handy Hint: If you aren’t sure whether your Beagle is too fat, read this guide.

4. Make sure their drinking water isn’t too cold

Keep an eye on how cold your dog’s water is. Water that is too cold can make dogs ill, including exacerbating exiting cold symptoms and giving them a sore throat.

Make sure their drinking water isn’t freezing over if left outside and leave their bowl near a warmer place inside of the house. If you do leave water outdoors for them, here’ s how to stop it freezing over in winter.

Also think about the water coming through your tap. If the pipes are near frozen, cold water will be too cold, so run tepid water instead into their bowl.

5. Don’t go for walks when it’s too cold

Your Beagle might be begging to go outside, but exercise a commonsense approach. If it’s too cold outside, use up some of their energy indoors.

With our dog, we play with him using a laser pen which he chases up and down the kitchen until he’s puffed out. It keeps his fitness levels and weight in check, and means we don’t have to go outside when it’s too cold for him.

6. Use potty training pads indoors

When it’s too cold for your Beagle to even go outdoors and pee, you need a solution. I’d recommend puppy pad – you might have used this when potty training your Beagle puppy. They work just as well with adult dogs.

You can buy a large packet of them on Amazon. Your dog is bound to remember how to use them, so should be ideal in cold winter weather.

7. Always use a collar and chip

Wintertime is one of the riskier times of year for dogs to get lost. With those dark evenings, possible snow, and their reaction to the unusual environments, dogs will often wander.

If you are taking your Beagle for a walk, and it’s not too cold, make sure they have a collar and chip on so they can be easily identified.

8. Buy a winter jacket for your Beagle

In recent years there has been an explosion of Beagle accessories and clothing lines. Most are a bit gimmicky, but in cold weather, they are essential for winter walking and paw protection. Here are a couple I recommend.

Kuoser Dog Winter Coat (on Amazon)

This one has luxurious Sherpa lining to keep your Beagle warm this winter. You could buy a different coat to this with cargo pockets in it, although not sure what your dog will want to carry? Perhaps some small treats?

Pajamas for your Beagle (view on Amazon)

This will keep your Beagle warm during cold winter months when indoors, and offers a snug fit.

Before you buy, make sure you measure your dog up properly. There is information and prices on the Amazon page (click the photo below).

Didog reflective winter coat

My third recommendation is the Didog winter jacket. What I like most about it is the reflective material. This should help you see your dog on a dark winter’s night and also ensure cars see them before it’s too late.

It’s just as warm as the Gooby, it’s all down to personal preference on what you buy. Keep your Beagle warm this winter just like others have done.

9. Don’t forget winter paw protection

You should be looking at your Beagle’s paw during the winter months to check for cracks and wounds. Paws are very susceptible to cold weather and ice, and can deteriorate very quickly, becoming painful – with even the possibility of frostbite!

You can buy winter boots for Beagles on Amazon. Here’s a quick Amazon recommendation to check out.

10. Trim nails to stop skidding and injury

If you don’t think it’s cold enough to buy winter boots, you should still maintain your Beagle’s paws in winter, and in particular their nails.

Longer nails and claws won’t have the right traction on ice and compacted snow, and if not trimmed down could lead to slipping and injuries.

11. Avoid street salt and chemicals such as anti-freeze

During icy weather, humans tend to put salt and chemicals on the roads and pavements to stop vehicles and people slipping. Whilst this is ok for us, on doggy paws that are not protective, it can be painful – the same goes for chemicals like anti-freeze which could be split.

This is a risk with Beagles that are not wearing adequate have paw protection in the winter.

12. Don’t let them eat snow

Your Beagle is almost guaranteed to love seeing snow for the first time. It’s an unusual feeling for them, so they will probably want to roll about in it.

Dogs being dogs, they will often want to eat snow too. It might seem cute, but it could make them ill if it has urine, poop, or chemical traces in it. Don’t let your Beagle eat snow, it could make them ill in the cold weather season.

13. Don’t let them get wet

The biggest risk to your Beagle’s health in cold weather is when the cold combines with damp. It can cause hypothermia or in less serious cases, cold symptoms.

After a walk or play in the snow, make sure you towel them down properly, even using a hair dryer if they will let you.

Check for snow stuck into their fur and paws as this will quickly turn to cold water once you get back indoors, making their bedding damp too.

14. Don’t leave them in your car

Everyone knows how fatal cars can be when it’s hot, but it’s equally true in winter too. A cold car can be a killer so don’t leave your beloved Beagle in your car or truck.

15. How to keep a Beagle warm at night

I’ve already touched on a few ideas on how to keep your Beagle warm in winter, some of which can be used at night too. I wanted to offer a few more tips here as well, as once night falls, the temperature will drop.

• Place their bed away from doors, drafts and out of cold rooms.
• Use a (not too) hot water bottle.
• Use a bed that is raised off the floor to avoid the cold floor.
• Perhaps let them sleep with you in your bed.
• Put more blankets than usual in their bed
• Position their bedding in doughnut shaped ring for them to get warmer in.
• Don’t let them sleep too close to a radiator or heat source.

Handy Hint: Here are some tips you can use to keep your dog warm at night when sleeping inside or outside the house.

Beagle cold symptoms

As you will now know, Beagles can get colds. If you think your Beagle is ill during cold winter weather and low temperatures, it could be a slight cold.

Like humans, the first sign might be a little sniffle and sneeze here and there.

But, just like us again, the symptoms can soon develop into a more serious illness if not treated appropriately.

Once that happens, your Beagle could get a more serious winter illness such as dehydration, hypothermia, or even pneumonia. With that in mind, it’s important to recognise the cold and flu symptoms in your Beagle before it gets too serious.

Here’s what you should always be on the lookout for:

• Runny nose and nasal discharge.
• Runny or watery eyes.
• Sneezing.
• Wheezing or wet-sounding cough.
• Lack of appetite.
• Shivering.
• Warm ears.
• Trouble breathing normally.
• General lethargy.

Handy Hint: Here are some tips you can use to keep your dog warm at night when sleeping inside or outside the house.

Should you worry about slight sniffles?

Almost every Beagle will have a cold symptom once in their lifetime, with the winter being the prime season for it. In the main, some sniffles here and there, or wetter nose than usual isn’t something to worry too much about.

When you should be concerned would be if your Beagle starts to cough in winter. This will need immediate vet support, as it could lead to a chest infection in the cold weather.

You can do your own check; put your ear to your Beagle’s chest. It should sound clear but rattling and gurgling is a sign of possible cold and mucus on the chest area.

Some dog owners try to treat their Beagle’s cold without the help of a vet. I don’t recommend it, but the ones who do use a canine nebulizer. More on that in a moment.

How to treat a Beagle with a cold

Here’s how to treat a Beagle cold. Please note though, this should not replace professional vet’s advice and is purely tips I have found after researching online, plus reading vet comments on trusted web forums.

1. Encourage fluid intake

Dehydration is a risk I winter cold weather, so your Beagle needs to be taking on enough fluids to stave off any risk. But of course, when dogs are sick, sometimes it’s hard to get them to drink, so you could try adding chicken broth to the water bowl.

2. Add extra nutrition to their food

Your Beagle might also have lost their appetite due to the cold and can quickly start to lose their strength. Try changing them into something like boiled chicken with brown rice for added nutrition, or a different taste to encourage them taking on more calories.

3. Feed extra dietary supplements

You can also try adding some supplements into the food to help cure the cold symptoms. These can include items such as coconut oil, cinnamon, and honey. The experts say that these supplements can help Beagles recover from colds as they will help to improve the immune system and can also act as a natural cough medicine.

4. Limit outdoors time and maximise rest

Limit their physical activity and don’t let them outdoors into the colder temperatures. The only reason they should go outside is for toilet breaks – but if you can, switch to puppy pads indoors.

5. Love and affection

What’s the one thing that made you feel better when you had a cold as a kid? It was cuddles and affection from your parents… and some Beagles can be the same. See if they want close up love or need their space – they will all react differently.

6. Hot water bottle

If they don’t want you getting close to them, you could heat up a water bottle and put it in their bed. Not too warm of course, but enough to raise their temperatures to a comfortable level.

7. Dog nebulizer

Before writing this article on Beagles and cold weather, I didn’t realize you could use nebulizers on dogs. However, a vet told me that some owners will manage their dog’s cold themselves using one of these.

8. Steam vaporizer

Just like us, steam vaporizers can help to clear your Beagle’s bronchial tubes and help relieve many Beagle cold symptoms, making them breathe so much easier. Put it close to their bed, but not so they can knock it over.

9. Apply Beagle nose balm

Beagles can get cracked and dry noses in winter cold weather, or it can go the other way, with their nose starting to run. For cracked and dry skin, you should try dog nose butter or balm on Amazon. It is organic and will soothe and repair any cracks.

When you should call the vet

There are certain things to look out for which really demand a call into your vet. Your Beagle’s cold could get worse, with the following signs:

• Your Beagle has started to cough.
• Your Beagle stops taking on fluids.
• Your Beagle appears to be in constant pain.
• Your Beagle has a rattling chest sound.

If it’s an older Beagle or puppy, I wouldn’t even wait this long. With the slightest sign of a cold, I would call a vet for advice. They are more susceptible in these ages to develop colds in winter temperatures.

Here’s how one vet said they would treat a Beagle with a cold:

“We often have owners bring their dogs in during wintertime. It’s peak time for sure. We treat Beagles with colds just like we do any other dog; with a small course of antibiotics. This works by killing bacteria and helping them build up their immune system until their cold has subsided.”

Conclusion

Beagles in cold weather don’t really work out too well. These guys need warmth in the winter, so please be careful at this time of year when snow, ice, and colder temperatures become the norm.

As a breed, they are one of the most at risk when it comes to cold weather intolerance.

Whilst Beagles can tolerate cold weather to a degree, there is a tipping point at which you should pay more attention – you can see those temperature ranges in the graphic higher up in this guide.

You might also like…

I’ve written other guides to help you look after your Beagle, here’s a selection of the most recent.

• Why Beagles get the Zoomies!
• Poisonous foods for Beagles
• Guide to Beagle discipline

Image in header via https://unsplash.com/photos/FxETNnEW5R0

The post Beagle Cold Weather Guide: How to Keep a Beagle Warm in Winter appeared first on DoggySaurus.

Your Beagle might get the zoomies after a bath, towards the end of the day, at night, when playing outdoors, after they have done a poop, or perhaps for no obvious reason at all.

It’s almost as if an invisible switch has been flicked, and your Beagle is suddenly running back and forth and around in circles all over the place. These occasional absurd bursts of energy are often referred to as the zoomies… and for good reason too.

Why do Beagles get the zoomies? Beagles get the zoomies and will run around like crazy in circles often to get rid of any excess energy. Beagles also get zoomies to relieve stress. It’s normal canine behavior knowns as frenetic random activity periods (FRAPS).

Why do Beagles run around like crazy?

Beagles run around in circles like crazy with the frenetic random activity periods (FRAPs) frequently. Also known as the zoomies, they are frantic, repetitive behavioral episodes caused by excess buildup of energy.

The zoomies or FRAPS most commonly occur in Beagle puppies and younger dogs, but it can also happen in Beagles of all ages.

High-energy, active dogs such as Beagle may have more zoomies than less active breeds. Senior dogs that still get the zoomies will likely live very long lives—zoomies are actually sign of very good health and nothing to be overly concerned about… providing your dog isn’t hurting themself.

Unfortunately, there is no scientific explanation about why zoomies occur. Still, it’s an accepted fact that it’s all down to excess energy that’s been building up in your dog over several hours. Every dog reacts differently to this energy buildup, so it’s difficult to predict how and when he will get the zoomies.

Beagle zoomies can be triggered at certain times of the day or after a specific activity. Anecdotally, many Beagles get zoomies after they’ve had to stay still for a bath or after spending many hours in a crate.

Beagle zoomies can also be triggered by stressful situations like a vet visit, too. Sometimes a dog meeting another dog can trigger a bout of excess energy release.

Beagles who get the zoomies usually seem like they’re having the time of their lives. It’s completely natural, normal, happy dog behavior that shouldn’t be a cause of alarm.

Just give your Beagle the room to run around without running into furniture or other dangerous objects.

However, suppose you notice that your Beagle has been getting the zoomies much more often than he used to. In that case, it’s a good idea to keep a closer eye on him and determine precisely what he’s reacting to.

Frequent zoomies can be a sign that your Beagle is not getting enough exercise. This can be resolved by going on longer or more frequent walks.

When Beagle zoomies happen most

Owners can often tell when their Beagle is just about to get the zoomies. He or she will get a glint in their eyes, they might assume the play-bow position, and they start jumping around in small bursts before full-on running around in big circles or running up and down corridors in your home like crazy.

Beagle zoomies hit at seemingly any point of the day, and for one reason or another. There are a few occasions where they you are more likely toyou’re your Beagle get the zoomies though.

• After your dog has had a poop.
• When there’s high winds whistling around him outdoors.
• When you have “wound” him up with play in doors.
• After a bath and you are trying to dry him.
• Before bedtime or late at night.

My Beagle zoomies after a bath

Your Beagle gets the bath time zoomies happen due of the pent-up adrenaline from having to sit still for so long, or because running around will dry their fur faster.

You will have seen this behavior I am sure; once he thinks he has the all-clear, he will jump out of the bath, start shaking the water off, then make a break for it.

If your dog is anything like ours, it pays to shut the bathroom door, so he doesn’t get the chance to soak the corridors in your home.

My Beagle zoomies before bed or late at night

Some Beagle puppies get the zoomies right before bedtime as a final energy release before settling in for the night.

Perhaps he didn’t get as much exercise he needed, and also knows he needs to get rid of that energy so he can sleep better.

Other reasons why Beagles get the zoomies

Some Beagles get the zoomies right after an extended training session, once they’re free to take out their built-up nervous energy. Sometimes even a good poop can send a Beagle into running like crazy in ever more excited circles.

Zoomies are especially common in winter when it’s too cold to do more than do their dog business when out for a walk. There’s no other way to release pent-up energy but to run around in tight circles like crazy for a few minutes at a time.

Some Beagles get so excited that their zoomies include nipping or biting behavior. If this happens, redirect his energy by engaging him in a game of tug of war, fetch, or by presenting his favorite toy.

How do you calm a Beagle with the zoomies?

When your Beagle runs around like crazy, expect the zoomies to normally last around five minutes or less. If so, there’s nothing to worry about as long as your Beagle is zooming in a safe place.

Instead of trying to control the zoomies (almost impossible to do), you can control the environment wherein he zooms.

The best zoomie locations are in any wide-open spaces you may have in your home: a fenced yard, an expansive garden, on a carpet away from breakable items and small children.

Avoid letting your Beagle zoom on slick surfaces or your hardwood floors.

Don’t ever chase after a Beagle with the zoomies. A chase will likely be misinterpreted as an attempt to play and will only excite him further. If you need to catch your zooming dog, go the opposite way and try to make him chase you. Encourage him to follow you into a safer area, and give him a toy or a treat when he does. Teaching your dog and regularly practicing the “come” command can help get your Beagle to follow you.

If your Beagle is zooming a bit more wildly than can be contained, you can try to redirect their energy by throwing them a toy. If your dog has good recall, he will come to you once the worst of the zooms calm down.

Are Beagle zoomies dangerous?

As long as their environment is safe, it’s alright to just let your Beagle’s zoomies run their course. Zoomies won’t give your dog seizures or cause emotional or physical problems.

Even if they seem very clumsy as they zoom, dogs usually don’t hurt themselves. Zoomies are only dangerous because unpredictable energy bursts can increase the chances of a physical accident or breaking china.

However, if your Beagle has a long history of being very low-key and calm, and he suddenly starts to run around like crazy in wide circles every day, a trip to the vet may be necessary.

This behavior change could signify a health problem, especially if nothing in your family routine has changed to cause so much excess energy.

Any significant change in your dog’s zooming behavior may mean he’s not getting enough physical or mental stimulation.

Compulsive behavior like chasing shadows or continuous tail chasing may be concerning enough to consult an animal behaviorist to better understand the reasons behind this behavior.

I would also like to draw your attention to the comments of Dr Marc Bekoff from the University of Colorado. Here’s what he says about the dangers of the FRAPS and zoomies on the on the Psychology Today website, and whether you should let your dog do it.

“My answer is always something like, yep, as long as you’re sure that she or he won’t harm themselves or others and it’s done in a safe area. And, it’s essential for a human to know their dog and to remain alert when either the dog or other individuals are in the path of a frapper fugue and potentially can be harmed.”

How to stop your dog’s zoomies

When it comes to zoomies, prevention is the best medicine. You may be able to reduce the frequency of your Beagle’s zoomies by challenging your dog physically.

Your dog may need much more stimulation than he’s currently receiving. Release that pent-up energy with a long hike instead of a short neighborhood walk.

If your Beagle gets the bath time zoomies, perhaps a vigorous game of tug of war or a long walk before his bath will lead to a nap instead?

Your dog may need more mental stimulation, too. Bored Beagles are more prone to the zoomies. A short training session every day will develop good habits and be great exercise for your dog’s mind.

Conclusion

Whilst there is no absolute scientific evidence to explain why Beagles get the zoomies and run around like crazy, we can make assumptions as described above.

The zoomies are unlikely to harm your Beagle, but if you do want to reduce them, make sure your dog gets plenty of exercise and mental stimulation.

You might also like…

• When you an expect your Beagle to finally calm down
• How to tell if your Beagle really loves you

Image in header via https://pixabay.com/photos/beagle-dog-puppy-animal-pet-5375285/

The post Why Do Beagles Get the Zoomies & Run Around Like Crazy? appeared first on DoggySaurus.

I recommend you print this list off and stick it your refrigerator… some of the foods I list that your dog should avoid, aren’t just bad for your Beagle, they could even be fatal. Some will poison your dog and are foods that are toxic to Beagles.

Because of this, I’ve put the most poisonous foods to Beagles first on the list. It explains why they are toxic and even how much they might eat before you call a vet.

Bottom line though; if your Beagle eats anything they shouldn’t, don’t wait to read notes like this on the Internet – call your vet!

So, if you want to find out what food Beagles can’t eat, plus some plants that are poisonous to them too – read on.

Poisonous foods for Beagles

Like most dogs, Beagles will eat whatever you put in front of them. If you happen to drop something on the floor and they gobble it up, in most cases, they should be fine with eating things in moderation.

However, there are some foods that are extremely toxic and not safe for Beagles to eat, even in small amounts. Knowing what Beagles cannot eat is really important in keeping your dog safe.

Here’s the most dangerous foods for Beagles, followed by things that they eat that are not poisonous as such, but are still bad.

1. Chocolate

This is most commonly misunderstood food that Beagles cannot eat, and the one that leads to most people having to call a vet.

It’s all due to the toxic theobromine substance in chocolate. Just small amounts can make your Beagle sick, so if chocolate drops on the floor, pick it up immediately. In large quanties your dog will vomit, and in more serious cases develop an abnormal heartbeat, tremors, seizure, and even death.

Dark chocolate is the most dangerous and poisonous to Beagles as it contains more of the theobromine.

2. Onions, garlic, leeks and chives

All of these foods are in the Allium family. Anything in this bracket is a poisonous food for Beagles, whether it’s been boiled, cooked, or whatever – it’s not something your Beagle should eat ever.

These foods are said to makes dogs feel poorly and in larger amounts can lead to red blood cell damage. You won’t always see symptoms of poisoning straight away as it can take a few days for the toxic effects to take effect.

3. Artificial sweetener (xylitol) in gum and mints

Xylitol is one of the most toxic things a Beagle can eat, and is commonly found in some mints and sugar-free gums.

According to research (see research published on MSU.edu), xylitol is 100 times more toxic than chocolate is for dogs. If they just eat one stick of gum with xylitol, a dog could see their blood sugar levels dip considerably.

If the dog went onto to eat a whole pack of gum with 10 sticks containing toxic xylitol, it could damage their liver irreparably and possibly even kill them.

Other foods and household items that can contain xylitol include:

• Toothpaste
• Mouthwash
• Peanut butter
• Sugar-free candy
• Sugar free breath mints
• Fruit drinks
• Jellies and jams
• Cereals
• Baked goods
• Sugar-free puddings and Jello
• Over the counter vitamin supplements

4. Candy and sweets

It’s not just the foods above that come with toxic xylitol. Some candy brands do too, so always check the labelling.

To be frank, you shouldn’t be letting your dog eat candy anyway, even if it’s free of poisonous xylitol. Why? It’s due to the sugar levels plus there’s also the risk of choking or blockages in your Beagle’s digestive tract or tooth fractures.

5. Certain peanut butter brands

Our Beagle loves peanut butter. It’s one of his favorite treats, especially when we put it in a Kong Toy.

However, some peanut butter brands include xylitol. This substance is toxic to dogs and needs to be avoided at all costs due to poisoning.

6. Corn on the cob

Corn on the cob is not among the poisonous foods for Beagles, but it is dangerous due to the cob part. These can lodge in the throat of your dog and intestines, so should be avoided at all costs.

Sweetcorn is fine, as this will be easily digestible though.

7. Cooked bones

Dogs love to eat bones. Everyone knows dogs love bones, but they are dangers with this food type.

When bones are cooked, they become brittle and can break apart. This means that when Beagles eat cooked bones, small slithers can perforate their internal organs, leading to big risks to their health… with possible fatal consequences.

8. Avocado

Fruit is a great food for Beagles, but not all fruit! Avocado is one such, as it can be bad for Beagles but only when prepared in a particular way.

Avocados contain a poisonous toxin called persin which when eaten in large quantities can lead to vomiting and diarrhea. However, persin is mostly concentrated in the avocado skin and pit, rather than the fleshy part.

So, should your Beagle eat an avocado, chances are you won’t have any problems. But, it’s still worth avoiding, especially the toxic parts – the skin and stone.

9. Grapes and raisins

Another group of fruits that can be poisonous to your Beagle are grapes and raisins. They are a toxic food for Beagles and can lead to kidney failure when eaten in large quantities.

10. Macadamia nuts and walnuts

All nuts should really be avoided in a Beagle’s diet, as they are just the right size and texture that lead to choking. However, these two nuts which are potentially toxic to dogs.

When eaten at volume, both can result in diarrhea, sickness, and the possibility of canine pancreatitis.

The side effects of Macadamia nuts are very nasty and rank high on the list of poisonous foods for Beagles… the poisoning can result in hyperthermia, tremors, vomiting, and lethargy.

11. Cherry, peach, and plum pits

Due to the size of pips and seeds like this, they can become lodged in the intestines of dogs like Beagles. Blockages are a very real risk, so don’t let things like this anywhere near your dog’s mouth.

There are also trace elements of cyanide in the pits of some fruits like peach and plum. It would take a heck of a lot to poison your Beagle, but it’s a bad food either way.

12. Mustard seeds

Mustard is so vomit-inducing to Beagles that vets sometimes use it to make dogs sick up for medical purposes. The seeds in particular are very toxic as they contain poisonous elements to dogs.

13. Coconuts and coconut oil

A little bit of coconut is unlikely to harm your Beagle, but the milk and white flesh of a coconut is known to cause stomach upsets in dogs.

The reasons coconut water should be avoided is due to the potassium in it, at high levels too.

14. Yeast dough

When ingested, yeast dough will heat up and then start to rise and create gas. This is very problematic in a Beagle’s digestive system, leading to extreme pain, bloating, and possibly the twisting of their gut.

It’s potentially fatal, so if your Beagle eats yeast dough, visit a vet immediately… the yeast can also change into ethanol, a highly potent alcohol.

15. Alcohol

This is good time to talk about alcohol dangers and how dangerous this drink can be for dogs.

Alcohol consumption can make your Beagle have diarrhea, vomit, difficulty in breathing, tremors, a lack of coordination, abnormal blood acidity, central nervous system depression, and even a possible coma or death.

Giving your dog alcohol isn’t funny and can kill them.

16. Hops

On a similar topic, the hops that are used in home brewing kits are also a dangerous ingredient for Beagles to eat. There are compounds in the hops that lead to malignant hyperthermia.

That means your Beagle’s temperature can rise rapidly, possibly causing permanent damage to the organs and brain or even death.

17. Coffee, caffeine, and tea

Drinks with in are bad for Beagles. It’s all down to the methylxanthines in the caffeine which causes similar bad reactions in dogs to chocolate.

If your Beagle has licked up a couple of coffee granules, chances are he will be fine. But in large amounts such as loose tea and coffee beans, it could be very harmful and require vet’s help.

18. Nutmeg

Myristicin us a toxic substance with trace amounts found in nutmeg. When dogs eat it in large amounts it can lead to various problems including abdominal pain, increased heart rate, seizures, and even the possibility of hallucinations.

19. Moldy food

If your dog has access to trash, be very careful. Moldy food is bad for Beagles as it can contain mycotoxins. Mycotoxins grow on moldy food and make it poisonous when ingested.

Bad food for Beagles

In addition to the foods that are bad for Beagles, there are others. Whilst they are not strictly considered poisonous and toxic, you should avoid them due to the potential negative side effects. For example, weight gain.

20. Milk and dairy products

Many Beagles will be lactose intolerant, meaning dairy products can make them sick. Dogs don’t have the same digestive system as us and can find it hard to break down lactose in milk, meaning runny diarrhea issues!

21. Blue cheese

Given that you know dairy is bad option for dogs, it should come as no surprise that some cheeses can be dangerous. Avoid the blue cheeses, Roquefort, and Stilton. They have roquefortine C which is known to cause very bad reactions in dogs.

This can include symptoms such as diarrhea and vomiting. In more extreme cases your Beagle could develop seizures and tremors if they eat a lot of blue cheese.

22. Meat and eggs that have not been cooked properly

Many owners now feed their Beagle a raw diet, and there’s nothing wrong with that providing they get all the nutrients and goodness required.

However, there is some research to suggest that bacterial infections such as Salmonella and E. coli can be contracted by dogs eating raw meat.

23. Food and drinks with high sugar content

Sugary food and snacks aren’t good for us, so they certainly aren’t for your dog. In fact, this is one of the worst foods for Beagles, and can result in a range of health problems.

Dogs that have too many snacks with sugar content are at risk of developing diabetes, weight gain, and even decayed teeth and gums. Sugar can also upset delicate Beagle tummies too, so something to avoid at all costs.

24. Food high in salt and sodium content

Just like lots of sugar, the same applies to salt content. Food that is high in sodium can potentially poison your Beagle… but is most likely to lead to them getting extreme thirst and increased urination in the volume it would be in dropped food.

If your Beagle does eat lots of salt, the warning signs are very severe and include vomiting, diarrhea, depression, tremors, high body temperature, and seizures.

25. Fatty foods

Fatty foods such sausage, bacon, burgers, and fried food can result in upset stomachs. If your Beagle gets to eat these tasty snacks over a prolonged period of time, it could even result in pancreatitis.

Yes, it’s hard to say no to those pleading eyes when they beg for your food, but often the tastiest food is the worst for Beagles.

What plants are poisonous to Beagles?

There are also things your Beagle should not eat outdoors including the following toxic plants.

• Aconitum
• Amaryllis bulbs
• Asparagus fern
• Azalea
• Citrus
• Cyclamen
• Daffodil bulbs
• Day lilies
• Delphiniums
• Dog’s Mercury (Mercurialis perennis)
• Foxgloves
• Hemlock
• Hibiscus
• Hostas
• Hyacinth
• Hydrangea
• Ivy
• Laburnum
• Lily of the valley
• Lupins
• Morning glory
• Mushroom plants
• Nightshade
• Oleander
• Rhododendron
• Rhubarb leaves
• Sweet pea
• Tomato leaves and stems
• Tulip bulbs
• Umbrella plant
• Wisteria
• Yew

This list contains just the most common plants that are poisonous to Beagles. For a more comprehensive list, please download this print out from the Dogs Trust.

Conclusion

The reality is, most of the time if your Beagle has just eaten a very small amount of any of the bad foods listed here, they “should” be ok.

But, please never leave anything to chance and also consult with a professional veterinarian for advice.

I am not a vet, just a dog owner so all I have written here today is what I have personally learned and research myself. It should not replace veterinarian advice.

You might also like…

In addition to this list of foods toxic to Beagles, I also write individual guides about other things they can eat, and the health implications. Here’s a small sample of recent content.

• Can dogs eat horseradish mustard safely?
• Can dogs eat sunflower seeds safely?
• The Beagle cold weather guide

Image in header via https://pixabay.com/photos/dog-eat-fressnapf-dog-food-food-2210717/

The post What Foods Are Bad, Poisonous, & Toxic to Beagles? 25 Bad Foods! appeared first on DoggySaurus.

When do Beagle puppies open their eyes? The age that Beagle puppies’ eyes open between 10 and 14 days after birth. Despite the eyes no longer being closed, eyesight will remain poor, and they will only really see their mother and siblings. Beagle eyes won’t clear completely for full vision until the 8-week point.

When do Beagle puppies’ ears open?

But what about their ears and hearing?

Whilst Beagle puppies’ eyes open up by the 14^th day, the ears don’t fully open up until just afterwards. It can be a few days before the ears completely open allowing them to hear properly, usually at around 3 weeks of age.

Before these two points in their development, Beagle puppies can only navigate their new world using the power of scent. Born deaf and blind, it won’t be long before they are scampering around exploring all the new and exciting things the world can offer.

Beagle puppy development timeline

Now you know when Beagle puppies open their eyes and ears, how about a more detailed timeline of the development stages. Beagle puppies can expect to go through the following phases.

Please note, this is generic. Not all puppies will follow these development steps exactly.

• Day 10: Eyes start to open, but with limited vision.
• Day 21: Possibly starting take their first steps and baby teeth start to appear.
• Day 28: Could start little running patterns and have solid food introduced.
• Day 35: Most puppies will now be able to run with a full set of puppy teeth.
• Day 56: By the 8^th week they will have clear eyesight and can leave their mother.
• Day 70: Eyes will change to the permanent coloration.

Do Beagle puppies eyes change color?

That last step on the development phase is interesting isn’t it? Yes, the eyes of your Beagle puppy will actually change color as they get older. They will also lose their baby teeth, and grow adult ones!

Most Beagle puppies are born with blue eyes, or at least a paler version of their final color. Regardless, by 10 to 16 weeks old, your Beagle puppy’s eyes will have changed color to their permanent shade.

The reasons your Beagle puppy’s eyes change color is because during their first few months of life their eye’s iris has no melanin. As they grow, the melanin concentration increases, leading to the final color change.

Handy Hint: I’ve written a more in-depth guide which explains the puppy eyesight development process including when their eyes open.

Do Beagle puppies born with their eyes closed?

Back to the main topic, and there’s a good reason why your Beagle was born with his or her eyes closed. It’s all down to evolution and survival, harking back to the days when dogs were still wolves living in packs.

According to the Psychology Today website, a mother would find hunting and survival very hard if she had to spend a long time carrying a litter of puppies.

It stands to reason, that a full belly of pups would slow her down, making her vulnerable to prey and limiting her ability to find food. Here’s a quote from the referenced article:

“Getting the pups out of the womb and onto the ground quickly is an advantage. In addition, between hunts (which can be spaced days apart) there is not much to do, so the female has time to care for helpless infants. When she is out pursuing food, the pups can be safely stored in a den.”

Because of this, wolves (which then evolved into dogs) would give birth before the offspring had the time to fully develop. This means that the puppy was delivered into the big wide world before he had the time to develop full eyesight and hearing in the womb.

The benefit being, the mother would not have to continue to support and get even bigger and slower with growing puppies inside of her.

Fast forward to today, and this means that the gestation period of a Beagle is relatively short, coming it somewhere between 58 and 68 days. In reality, it could be longer allowing for her puppies to open their eyes and ears… but instead, they are born without the development of a full set of senses.

When can Beagle puppies leave their mother?

Another aspect I placed on the development phases timeline was guidance on when the puppies can leave their mother. Obviously, it’s imperative that the Beagle’s eyes and ears are open fully and functional before this happens.

The recommended age for any puppy to leave their mother is no sooner than 8 weeks or 2 months of age. By this point their senses are developed, they have been weaned off the mother’s milk, and they can be more independent.

Please don’t ever take a Beagle puppy away from their mother before this point. It’s hugely irresponsible and can lead to health and mental development issues for the puppy.

Conclusion

During the first two weeks of life, Beagle puppies don’t actually need to be able to see and hear in order to get along. The mother will keep them safe and secure, and they can latch onto her by instinct due to smell and touch alone.

Being completely deaf and blind for 2 weeks doesn’t present any real problems for them, providing they are in a safe environment in your home… e.g. a bed and den away from any hazards and suitably enclosed.

Once the two-week stage passes, the development of the Beagle puppies will be really quick. Their eyes will open, hearing will develop, and they will move freely about. You might even hear them making some little bark noises at the 5-week point!

Being able to move means they will want to go and explore what the world has to offer. Their sense will come to life, with them being able to see and hear all that’s around them in your home – meaning they will also start to take on their own individual characters.

It’s truly a magical in the development of a Beagle puppy, and when they open their eyes, just imagine what it must be like for them too!

You might also like…

Now you know when a Beagle puppy opens his eyes, you might also enjoy these other related reads about this breed.

• How to discipline (not punish) a Beagle puppy
• How to tell if a Beagle loves you or not

Image in header via https://pixabay.com/photos/pet-window-animals-animal-pets-2293949/

The post When Do Beagle Puppies Open Their Eyes? (What Age) appeared first on DoggySaurus.

But how many times can you breed a Beagle, and what qualifies as being a responsible number of pregnancies and litters?

To find out I got the opinion of the ethical breeders I know and got their professional opinions. Here are their personal points of view on what constitutes a healthy Beagle breeding cycle and regularity.

How many times can you breed a Beagle? Ethical breeders will only breed a Beagle between 2 and 3 times in their lifetime. The pregnancies should also be spaced out by at least 18 months at a minimum. Anything more than this and the dog’s health can suffer. Some Beagle breeders believe excessive breeding can also result in psychological implications.

Reasons to not breed Beagles more regularly

There are many reasons why 2 to 3 is the minimum amount of times you can breed a Beagle, some of which I touched on above. But let’s get into the specifics a bit more, as it’s important for the well-being of the dog.

1. The risk of emergency C-sections

Most Beagle’s will give birth naturally and without surgical intervention. However, some will have to undergo emergency Cesarean sections if there are complications. This is particularly common with younger Beagles who have fewer puppies in their litters – meaning bigger puppies, so possibly a more complicated birth due to the sizes involved.

It’s not fair to put a Beagle through unnecessary operations of this type, as there are risks for dogs that have too many C-sections:

• Stress: Your female Beagle could become stressed or even aggressive after a C-section. There is some evidence to suggest that multiple surgeries can also have a negative impact on the female’s mental health.
• Medical issues: There are always risks when a dog is given anaesthetic including blood clotting during surgery, haemorrhaging, or an infection of the wound post-surgery.
• Risk of injury and death: C-sections are not fool-proof and can carry a risk of the mother or puppies being injured, possibly even fatally during surgery.

2. The female’s body needs time to heal

Pregnancy and birth followed by nursing of puppies is a hugely demanding time for the Beagle mother. It can take its toll both mentally and physically, so she will need time to recover between breeding.

If she has had a C-section there will be scars that need time to heal, with the internal ones being particular painful. She will also need to re-grow parts of the uterus and need the time and get muscle tone back to where it was pre-pregnancy.

The bottom line is that you should not breed your Beagle too many times as it can take a heavy toll on her body. Expert breeders suggest that once every year and a half, and no more than 2 or 3 times in her lifetime is best for her.

3. Global pedigree associations don’t recognise puppies from frequent litters

If you want the puppies to be officially recognized by an official association then you need to reduce the frequency and number of times you breed your Beagle.

For example, The Kennel Club in the UK will not officially register Beagle puppies that have been born within 12 months of a previous litter.

The Kennel Club is very clear about how many times you can breed a Beagle if you want the puppies to be on the national register:

“The Kennel Club will not accept an application to register a litter when the dam has already whelped 4 litters. The Kennel Club will no longer register any further litters from any bitch which our records show has already whelped 4 litters. Where the number previously recorded is 4 or more, the application will be rejected.” (source: thekennelclub.org.uk)

Their website also states the following not registering pedigree litters if:

• The mother is 8 years old at the time of birth.
• The mother is younger than 1 year old at the time of birth.
• The puppies are born due to familial inter-breeding (e.g. mother and son).
• The mother has already delivered 2 litters via a C-section.

How old does a female Beagle have to be to breed?

Whilst female Beagles can become sexually mature between the ages of 6 to 9 months, ethical breeders don’t recommend them mating until they are 2 and a half years old. The oldest a Beagle should breed will be 8 years old.

The reason the breeders I know suggest the earliest age to start breeding is because they say this will let the Beagle go through a few of heat cycles first.

Male Beagles tend to become sexually mature by 15 months but can actually produce sperm as young as 6 months old.

How many times a year can you breed a Beagle?

The three different breeders I spoke to agreed that you should not breed a Beagle more than once a year, and even then, that’s probably too many times.

Healthy Beagles should be able to get pregnant during each heat cycle, but just because they can, doesn’t mean that they should.

As previously discussed, Beagle females need a good amount of time to recover from the pregnancy, birth, and looking after her puppies. Her body probably won’t be able to deal with another pregnancy so soon after.

That means limited how many times you breed your Beagle to once every 18 months to 2 years, as more than this is considered negligent and cruel.

Beagle breeding cycle example

One of the Beagle breeders supplied the following breeding cycle guidelines.

• Don’t exceed a maximum of 1 litter every second year.
• Don’t breed your Beagle more than 3 times in their lifetime.

Recommended reading

I’ve published a lot of content on DoggySaurus about Beagle puppies and pregnancy. If you are thinking about breeding Beagles, then you might the following pieces of content helpful in knowing what to expect:

• How to tell if your Beagle is pregnant
• How long your Beagle will be pregnant for
• What to expect with the Beagle heat cycle

Conclusion

Beagles aren’t easy dogs to breed so you need to be responsible and aware of all possibly issues.

Ultimately, the Beagle breeding cycle is complicated, comes with risks, and is not something to take lightly, or simply to make a quick buck. There are enough unwanted puppies in the world, so please take your time in making a decision.

Image in header licensed via StoryBlocks.com

The post How Many Times Can You Breed a Beagle? (Breeding Cycle) appeared first on DoggySaurus.

However, that doesn’t mean you don’t need to take a disciplined approach at times. Beagles can be very stubborn and hard to train. The have a character that can naturally lead them into trouble!

Good training and discipline should never be confused with physical punishment and loud shouting. No dog reacts well to aggressive behavior, and in fact can mirror back anger with barking and possibly even biting.

But don’t think you can’t punish your Beagle puppy. You can punish a Beagle, but not in the way you think. Instead you use discipline without anything that will hurt or scare them.

And this is exactly what I will explain today, with a guide that shows you how to discipline a Beagle, leading to a well behaved and happy dog. There is no physical punishment involved, and it never should be with dogs.

How do you discipline a Beagle puppy without punishment?

As you know, Beagles are stubborn characters meaning it can be a struggle to get them to behave well at the right moments. But, with patience, perseverance, and a consistent approach to discipline it is possible to reduce unwanted behavior,

You will need to:

• Only ever discipline your Beagle at the point the problem occurred to help them relate the two actions.
• Always use positive reinforcement after they have done something positive.
• Be consistent with the way you discipline your Beagle including your body language and a firm tone of voice.
• Never resort to shouting and hitting as this will get the opposite response to the one you want.

Beagle discipline tips

Use the following tips with your Beagle and you should never need to physically punish them. Not that you should ever hit a dog anyway!

1. Discipline them at the time of the offence

Beagles don’t like being left alone and can become destructive due separation anxiety. You might come home to find paperwork shredded, furniture torn, and shoes chewed up – or a frenetic case of the zoomies.

Whilst the temptation to shout might be you first response, your Beagle won’t understand that and correlate the angry owner with the shoe he destroyed earlier that day.

Beagles do have good memories, but no dog will be able to reconcile you punishing them for something that they did earlier that day. Their brains aren’t wired to work that way.

The bottom line is, unless you catch your Beagle being naughty in the act, there’s no point meting out punishment once that bad behavior has already happened. Instead you need to act in the moment and discipline your Beagle at the time with firm words and body language which are described in tip 2.

2. Use firm body language and tone of voice

Dogs will pick up on the most subtle of changes in your body language and voice. My recommended Beagle punishment method is to use a combination of the two; a firm “no” command with your finger raised and changing your face to frown from a smile.

This is an effective way of disciplining a Beagle as they will hear the change in your voice and see the change in your face. And what’s key here is that you haven’t had to hurt them and lose your temper.

Disciplining your Beagle in this way will help to cement your position in the household as the alpha dog and pack leader. If you end up shouting and hitting all you are doing is becoming a threat to the dog, making them more anxious. This can only exacerbate the behavioral problems you wanted to eliminate.

Handy Hint: Your dog should respect you as the leader in the house. Here are the signs you can look for to make sure your dog considers you the alpha.

3. Stay consistent with the discipline and training

It’s easy for dogs to get confused so keep the way you act consistent and simple when disciplining your Beagle.

To give you a real-world example, let’s say you slap your thighs to get them to jump up to you on Friday to give them love. Then on Saturday your Beagle jumps up to stranger and puts his dirty paws all over their trousers… and you tell them off.

Your Beagle is getting mixed messages.

This mixed approach to training is one of the biggest mistakes you can make with your Beagle. When our dog was a puppy I would play fight with him in our lounge, encouraging him to nip at my hands. It was a fun game and didn’t hurt as he was so young. I should never have started this game though…

When my puppy got to 5 months old, the teeth were sharper and his jaw a lot stronger. But he still wanted to play the same game, but it was now a problem as you can imagine. I was telling him to stop, and he couldn’t understand why as it’s something I’d previously encouraged him to do.

You need to be very consistent with any Beagle discipline. If you stick to the same approach each time, results will come a lot quicker.

4. Use positive reinforcement

After you have disciplined your Beagle and are heading towards the behavior you desire, always reward them with positive reinforcement when they do well.

Dogs can be trained to respond to a treat or the promise of a treat. Dogs also respond well to just words of encouragement and praise each time they get something right.

If you’re training your dog to come back to you when off the leash, treats can work wonders. Withholding treats is a way of punishing a Beagle by showing them they didn’t quite hit the high standards you demand of them!

Handy Hint: Here’s my 9 step guide on how to potty train a Beagle puppy.

5. Take breaks and give them a timeout

You can also teach your Beagle good behavior by using verbal hints and time outs.

Let’s say you are playing with your Beagle and he nips at your hands. You can respond with a firm “ouch” sound, turn around with your back to your Beagle, then walk out of the room.

What you’ve done here is stop the very thing your Beagle wanted to do which was to have fun and play with you. The loud “ouch” also tells your Beagle they hurt you; dogs will yelp when hurt, so we assume they correlate the sound to meaning pain.

After doing this a few times, you can teach your Beagle that if they bite you or do something naught during play, then the fun stops. Time outs are brilliant ways to punish Beagles; 5 minutes probably feels like 5 hours!

6. Try using a squirt bottle or water pistol

Some Beagle owners use a water pistol to discourage bad behavior. It’s not something I’ve ever tried with my own dog, but many people say it’s a punishment and disciplining method.

All you do is give your Beagle a little squirt of water when he or she misbehaves, and use that firm “no” command and body language at the same time.

7. Use distraction methods

As a last resort, you can use distraction to stop a Beagle doing something bad. For example, my dog loves sticks. If I say the word “stick” he will drop everything he’s doing and run straight towards me.

When we’re out this can be really helpful. I used it last week when we were at our local park and my dog went to steal a sandwich from a young couple having a picnic. Before he get himself into too much trouble, I used the “stick” distraction and he bounded back to me.

It’s a classic distraction method and any type of distraction can work very well, if the discipline isn’t working or you don’t have time.

How you should NOT discipline your Beagle

To brings things full circle I wanted to reiterate all the ways you should not punish a Beagle.

• Never shout at your Beagle.
• Never hit or hurt your Beagle.
• Never drag or jerk your Beagle on their leash.
• Never chase after your Beagle.
• Never rub your Beagle’s nose in their urine or poop.
• Never use electric shock collars with your Beagle (legal in the US still).

Conclusion

Many Beagle owners will know how hard this breed can be to train. But if you stick with at it, it will be worth in the long run and save you a lot of problems in the future.

Just remember that Beagles don’t connect the punishment you mete out, with the thing they have just done. That can make it harder to get them to rectify any bad behavior, instead making them scared when shouting and hitting is used.

Instead use timely discipline and positive reinforcement. This is the best way to discipline a Beagle puppy and will result in a very happy dog… and owner!

You might also like…

Here are some additional guides about raising a well-adjusted Beagle puppy.

• Worried that your Beagle still hasn’t calmed down?
• Your Beagle’s ears that are long and floppy for a very good reason

Image in header via https://pixabay.com/photos/pet-animal-puppy-beagle-mammals-1933138/

The post How to Discipline a Beagle Puppy: 7 Alternative Punishments appeared first on DoggySaurus.

What are the early signs if your Beagle is pregnant?

Some of the easiest ways you can know if your Beagle is pregnant is by ticking the following points off this checklist:

• Does your Beagle have a decreased appetite?
• Does your Beagle seem tired and less active?
• Does your Beagle have swollen nipples?
• Does your Beagle have a swollen belly (can happen after just 14 days)?

Even during the first 20 to 30 days, a vet could feel your dog’s belly and might be able to say whether she is pregnant or not.

Handy Hint: Whilst it’s possible to feel puppies moving in the belly of a pregnant dog, it’s not often until 5 or 6 weeks into the pregnancy that this is really that common.

None of the methods above are particularly scientific, and so the accuracy can be all over the place. With that in mind, below are the best ways that you can tell if your Beagle is pregnant with more certainty.

How to tell if a Beagle is pregnant more accurately

There are two fail-safe tests you can get a vet to use that will 100% tell you if your Beagle is pregnant or not.

1. Beagle ultrasound 25 days after mating

This is the quickest way to check if your planned mating and conception worked; a Beagle ultrasound scan. Vets recommend you do this pregnancy test as early as 21 days after the mating or artificial insemination occurred – but will be best if you can wait at least 25 days.

An ultrasound is non-invasive and painless but can be a bit scary for timid dogs. The vet will need to shave a little hair away from your Beagle’s belly; this might stress her out a little bit due to the noise.

A Beagle ultrasound procedure can cost up to $500 dollars, which in UK money currently converts to around £380 pounds. It’s not cheap, so you might want to wait for the next method.

2. Blood test 5 weeks after mating

If you tried to breed your Beagle 5 weeks ago or more, you can also pay for a blood test. The blood sample will be checked for pregnancy hormones and will be a lot cheaper than an ultrasound.

It’s important to not do this test less than 5 weeks after mating because the results can come up as being negative, even with a Beagle who is in the early stages of pregnancy.

Which Beagle pregnancy test is more reliable?

For the most accurate pregnancy test, choose the ultrasound after at least 25 days since mating. As well as being a more accurate of telling if your Beagle is pregnant, you will also be able to see the puppies on the screen and scans… an exciting time!

Whilst you can see the puppies, you still might not be able to tell exactly how many there are in at the early stages, as the body shapes can overlap. Only an X-ray further down the line where the vet can count skulls will give you an accurate number on the litter size.

Handy Hint: This how long your Beagle will be pregnant for, with each stage in more detail.

An X-ray can be performed after 45 days of pregnancy and will let the vet have a far better look at how the puppies are developing in the womb.

As well as the skull count, your vet will also be able to see how large the puppy heads are, giving an indication on whether a natural birth or C-section is recommend for safety reasons.

Beagle pregnancy stages

Once you know if your Beagle is pregnant, you will need to get prepared. Here’s what to expect with each stage of the pregnancy with tips on how you can help her out.

Stage 1: the first month

There’s not a lot going on visually during the first month of a Beagle pregnancy. You might not even know your Beagle is pregnant without an expensive ultrasound.

However, there is a lot going on internally, both physically and mentally:

• After 7 days: the embryos travel to the uterine horns.
• After 16 days: the embryos embed into the uterus lining.
• After 22 days: fetuses start to take shape.
• After 29 days: vets can detect heartbeats with an ultrasound.

Towards the end of month one, you might start to see some subtle changes in your pregnant Beagle such as:

• Her appetite will now start to pick back up, taking on board more calories.
• Her nipples will have become enlarged.
• She can show more affection towards the owner can increase.
• She could have a clear vaginal discharge during the fourth week.
• She might start to be less active and more sedentary.
• She could even show signs of dog morning sickness.

Not all Beagles will exhibit the pregnancy signs listed above, and in fact, they can even be exhibited during a phantom pregnancy – yes, this really can happen!

Stage 2: the second month

Your Beagle’s pregnancy is progressing very quickly now, as the growing fetuses start to actually look more like puppies. Here’s what you can expect:

• After 35 days: the fetuses develop toes and eyelids.
• After 40 days: the fetuses develop claws.
• After 50 days: the fetuses develop a skeleton and the coat starts to form.
• After 50 days: vets can do an x-ray to tell how many puppies are coming.
• After 58 days: your pregnant Beagle will start her nesting behavior.

Changes in your Beagle’s appearance and behavior won’t be as subtle now, with some very obvious signs of pregnancy including:

• She will noticeably be eating more (but this will decrease again around day 45).
• She will show obvious weight again, perhaps as much as 50%.
• She will be urinating more regularly.
• She will have a clear vaginal discharge.
• Her stomach will get firmer by day 50.
• You might see the puppies moving under her belly skin by day 50.

Stage 3: the third month

In the third month, she will start getting ready to have her puppies. They will end up getting into position before arriving on the 63^rd day on average. Here’s what you can expect in month 3:

• After 58 days: the puppies are almost fully developed and move into the birth canal.
• After 62 days: she will lose her appetite completely, become agitated, and even appear slimmer as the puppies move into position.
• On average after 63 days: your pregnant Beagle will give birth.

How to prepare for a Beagle pregnancy

Your Beagle will be pregnant for between 58 and 68 days, with the average delivery date being after 63 days. Most of her physical changes will actually happen during the last 14 days before she gives birth.

As an owner (or breeder) there are some ways in which you can help her have as comfortable a pregnancy as possible such as:

• Diet: after 30 days you can feed her kibble for the puppies. Speak to your vet about a specific diet plan.
• Exercise: do not over-do it as she will not have as much energy and could harm her unborn puppies.
• Nesting: she will want to create a nest, and you can help her with this by finding a safe and comfortable place for her in the home.

When it’s time to give birth, your Beagle can start to look agitated, including pawing at her nest, walking back and forwards to it, and then panting before settling down.

It can then take anywhere from 2 to 12 hours before you see the first puppy coming through.

Once a Beagle puppy comes out, the mother will bite at the sack and lick the new arrival to start his breathing off. If she is unable to do this, or too slow, you might need to help out.

If the puppy does not get onto the mother’s teat, you can place it on there to help to aid immediate feeding.

Natural birth vs C-section

Consult with your vet on which method he recommends. Sometimes this will depend on how many puppies she is having. If she is only having a couple of puppies then they will be bigger, and could be harder to give birth too, meaning a C-section is chosen.

If a Caesarean is planned for your Beagle it could cost between $640 and $1,300 dollars (£500 and £1,000 GBP). There will always be a risk with any type of surgery.

Conclusion

Now that you know if your Beagle is pregnant, you need to get prepared… get ready for the ride, as it’s going to be amazing!

If you find out that your Beagle is pregnant, then please do get in touch, as me and the readers would love to see some photos of the new puppies!

You might also like…

I frequently write about Beagles, and here’s some of my more recent content:

• How many times you should breed a Beagle
• There’s a good reason for Beagles’ having big ears
• Signs that your Beagle has become overweight

Image in header via https://pixabay.com/photos/dog-lying-tired-sleep-beagle-5211791/

The post How Do I Know if My Beagle is Pregnant? + Signs to Look Out For appeared first on DoggySaurus.

Firstly, I am sure your Beagle loves you a lot, so please don’t worry. Secondly, I wanted to put together a list of signs to look out for so you can tell if your Beagle is happy or not. Firstly, a quick explainer though on Beagle love and happiness…

How do I know if my Beagle is happy? There are lots of ways you can tell a Beagle is happy and loves you including wiggly bottoms, a relaxed body, being playful, a good appetite and no destructive behavior. These and more are how you know your Beagle loves you and is happy.

How can I tell if my Beagle is happy and loves me?

If you’ve been out for a while and come through the door to an excitable Beagle jumping up at you, that’s a sign your Beagle loves you. But aside from the obvious, what else should you be looking out for?

Here’s my top list of signs on how to know your Beagle loves you.

1. Your Beagle has what appears to be a smile

Beagle will often relax their mouth, lips, and tongues to give you what looks like a happy grin. It’s a smile where their lips curl up, their eyes soften, and their tongue pops out.

2. Your Beagle does bottom wiggles and tail wags

Beagles will wag their tails when they are in the mood. What you will also notice how they love to wiggle their bum when happy.

If you come home through your door to be greeted by a shuffling, butt-wiggling pooch, you can be sure your Beagle loves you and is happy as Larry.

3. Your Beagle gives you the big puppy dog eyes

Beagle have some of the most expressive eyes of any dog, and not just because of the unique appearance. Like all dogs, they can give you the classic puppy dog eyes, which is a sign of a happy Beagle.

But why do dogs do this?

There’s actually some science behind it; apparently dogs have developed the ability to make your heart melt with a simple gaze as part of their domestic evolution. It’s a response behavior as dogs know it triggers a positive response in humans.

Happy dogs will relax their eyes, angry and scared dogs will narrow their eyes. So, if you see those soft Beagle eyes, you know yours is happy and loves you.

5. Your Beagle shows no aggression

Unhappy Beagles will be aggressive and will show their teeth. Whilst they might be small, they can still snarl, put their ears back slightly, and act defensively.

6. Your Beagle has a relaxed body

Loving and happy Beagles will be relaxed, and you will visibly see this in their body. A Beagle that loves you will show happiness with a relaxed body including those bum wiggles I mentioned earlier.

If you have ever seen one of those Beagle happy dances where their whole body starts wiggling, you will know what I mean. On the other hand, a rigid body is a sign of stress.

7. Your Beagle has plenty of reasons to play

Playful Beagles are happy Beagles. If you have a Beagle who doesn’t want to play, then get him checked out by a vet.

It’s also one of the best signs to look for to see if your Beagle loves you. They will come up to you and try to initiate a game of play; that could be fetch, ball, tug of war, tickles, the Beagle zoomies, you name it.

For recommendations on what your Beagle should play with, take a look at these Beagle toy suggestions on Amazon.

8. Your Beagle does not exhibit destructive behavior

Unhappy Beagles can be destructive. When stressed and sad they will chew, bite and destroy anything in sight. This should not be confused with your puppy’s teething stage though when it’s completely natural or them to want to chew things.

One of the more common reasons for destructive behavior is separation anxiety. Dogs thrive on human company – being left home alone can have a huge impact on the way they behave.

If you are out at work, or even away from home for a couple of hours, you might come back to a scene of destruction. This can include barking, digging holes, chewing, tearing, ripping and other bad behavior.

To mitigate this, and to make your Beagle love you more, make sure you keep your Beagle active and exercised, play with them, and consider how long you might be leaving them home alone.

We bought a Furbo dog camera for when we go out. You can buy a Furbo on Amazon; they are great for dog separation anxiety… and will make your Beagle happy.

10. Your Beagle has a healthy appetite

You can tell your Beagle is happy if he’s eating well.

Dogs who lose their appetite, act lethargic, and are reluctant to play and more often than not, sick. Your Beagle puppy should be eating 3 small meals a day, whereas an adult should eat twice daily.

Handy Hint: Happy dogs will respond to their name, but just how do dogs learn their name in the first place?

11. Your Beagle sticks their tongue out

Whilst there is a condition called hanging tongue which can result from neurological and structural defects, a little tongue poking out can signal happiness.

You might notice it when your Beagle is asleep. The tongue poking out means that are completely relaxed and in a happy state.

The next time your Beagles tongue stick out, it could be a sign they are totally relaxed, content and happy with life.

12. Your Beagle has a healthy coat

A healthy coat means a happy dog… well, in most cases. But in all seriousness, a heathy looking coat is usually a sign that most is alright with your Beagle. When your Beagle’s in great shape, he or she will definitely love you for it.

On the flip side, a stressed-out Beagle can lose their hair. Signs to look out for include flaky skin, obvious signs of hair loss, and excessive scratching. If you do see this, it’s unlikely that you Beagle is happy.

13. Your Beagle wants to be close to you

When a Beagle leans into you, it’s a sign that they love you and are happy with everything you are doing as their owner. You please them so they want to get up close and personal!

14. Your Beagle follows you like a shadow

When you have earned the trust of your Beagle, you will soon notice that they follow everywhere, from room to room, and even if you shift on the couch.

As I mentioned earlier, Beagles can suffer with separation anxiety, so keeping close and following you around makes them feel secure. Beagles love to follow their owners; it’s one way for a Beagle to show it loves you.

New Beagles soon become very attached to their owners and will fall in love with you quickly providing you give them security they need.

15. Your Beagle will give you Beagle kisses

How do I know if my Beagle loves me? Could it be any clearer than with a big sloppy a kiss?

Beagles show affection to their owners by getting their nose and mouth up close to yours and administering their version of a kiss. It’s not a lip thing, instead getting their face right into yours and doing some rapid-fire sniffing or a lick.

But, play safe with this one. You don’t really want to encourage your Beagle to lick your mouth, despite how much it shows they love you and are happy for you to be their master.

16. Your Beagle will bring you their toys

If your Beagle keeps bringing toys to you, it’s a dog way of showing you love and affection. If it’s your Beagle’s favorite toy, you can’t get a higher recommendation than this!

Why? It’s their way of wanting to play with you, but also showing that you are the leader of the pack. By offering you their well-loved toys, it means they trust you to be responsible for their favorite possessions.

If your Beagle gives you a toy, it means your Beagle is happy and loves you.  After all, if they share that toy, it means they want you to like and enjoy it just as much as they do.

Sharing is caring, and it’s one way of telling your Beagle is happy for you to be in their life.

17. Your Beagle will yawn back at you

You must have seen a friend or family member yawning back at you when you do one. This is a biological response triggered by empathy, leading to contagious yawns.

However, a recent study I found on ScientificAmerican.com explains that dogs also do this. But interestingly, they only tend to yawn back at their owners, and not strangers – because it’s all based on empathy.

If you do see your little dog yawning when you do, you know your Beagle loves you.

18. Your Beagle will raise their eyebrows

This isn’t an easy sign to see but can still be a very subtle way for your Beagle to show that they love you. I’ve personally not seen this in my own dogs, but did read about a study in Japan that founds when owners walk into a room, their dog will raise their eyebrows

The research found that dogs don’t do this with strangers though, only their close humans. That means if you walk into your lounge and your Beagle looks at your and raises an eyebrow, he’s bound to be happy and love you unconditionally.

19. Your Beagle will want to jump up on you

I know we’re meant to train our dogs not to jump up, but it’s still one way in which your Beagle shows how affectionate they are to you.

Whilst jumping up can be an adorable trait with a Beagle puppy, as they get older it’s can be problem behavior you should not really encourage.

20. Your Beagle will roll over

If your Beagle rolls over in front of you and asks for a belly rubbing, it’s a sure sign they trust and love you – not to mention being in the throes of happiness!

When a dog rolls onto his back and exposes his belly, it means they trust you as they make themselves vulnerable. This is classic submissive behavior that only secure and happy Beagles will display.

21: Your Beagle will let out a little sigh

Beagles can make little noises that let you tell they love you or they are in a happy mood.

For example, there’s one sound that shows your Beagle is happy to be around you. It’s a little sigh of content. Some have compared it to a low moan, and it tends to happen when your Beagle is settling down to relax.

If your Beagle does this in your company it means they feel safe and happy around you, with no worries over threats.

Signs of a depressed Beagle

I’ve already touched on a number of factors in my guide to Beagle happiness, but what should you look out for if your Beagle isn’t happy, but instead has depression?

Here are some signals that could point towards Beagle depression:

• Growling and aggressive behavior.
• Narrowed eyes.
• Lack of appetite.
• Increasing panting.
• Howling and whining.
• Indoor urination and/or defecation.
• Fearful behavior such as cowering and hiding.
• Destructive behavior including chewing.
• Overall disobedience.
• Lack of interest in playing and their toys.
• Disturbed or irregular sleep patterns.
• Too much sleep compared to usual.
• Excessive licking of themselves.
• No longer responding to love and affection.

Conclusion

Some people will get a dog without really thinking about the commitment involved. Raising a healthy and happy Beagle can be very hard work.

But how do you know if your Beagle is happy?

Well, I’ve detailed what I believe to be the main signs, but the bottom line is this; are they happy to see you, content, and healthy. If they are, your Beagle probably loves you and will do as long as you keep your side of the bargain up.

Image in header via https://pixabay.com/photos/beagle-dog-puppy-animal-pet-5375285/

The post How Do I Know My Beagle Loves Me & is Happy? (21 Reasons) appeared first on DoggySaurus.

A huge part of adapting your puppy to domesticated life will be the toilet and potty training. You’ll need to teach them to distinguish when and where is appropriate to go to the bathroom. But be aware that all puppies are different, so it could take more time to housebreak and train than you expect.

You will need lots of patience, positivity and preparation, and there will definitely be bumps along the way. It’s important to not get disheartened at the first hurdle.  Just keep persevering with your new friend and soon they’ll be fully toilet trained and one step closer to feeling at home with you.

How to potty train a Beagle puppy

As dog owners ourselves, I remember saying to my wife that having a puppy was like having a baby all over again – it really is that challenging, and you need to adopt a strict potty-training routine – here’s how we did it.

What you will need:

You won’t need much in the way of gear if you want to house train a Beagle…

• Puppy pads (view on Amazon)
• Crate (view on Amazon)
• Plenty of wipes and toilet tissue

1. Build a potty-training routine

When you first start house training your Beagle puppy, you should aim to build a routine around their toileting needs.

Luckily, their bladders and bowels are fairly predictable, as they are determined by not only their sleeping pattern, but also what they eat and drink.

• You should always take your puppy out to the toilet first thing as soon as they wake up – and this goes for whenever they wake up from naps too!
• As well as taking them out first thing in the morning, you should also take them out last thing at night or before you are going to leave them alone for an extended period of time: this is to prevent any accidents overnight or whilst you are gone!
• On top of this, you should also aim to take your puppy out to the toilet every thirty minutes to an hour. If they’re new to training, it is best to start off taking them out every half-hour before building up to a whole hour.

We actually started up a diary of what our puppy had eaten and and how often and what times he tended to urinate and defecate. This really helped us to adapt our routine in accordance with our puppy’s habits.

2. Diet control

As mentioned, food and drink are a huge indication as to when you should take your Beagle puppy out for potty breaks, with mealtimes integrating into a puppy’s toileting routine alongside the guidelines set out above.

All puppies have immature diet systems, which means that each meal tends to stimulate their digestive system faster than it would in adult dogs. Generally, puppies need to urinate within fifteen minutes of eating and then do a poop within half an hour of eating.

Handy Hint: Don’t overfeed your Beagle as they will eat what you put in front of them. Here’s a guide to their daily feeding schedule.

The nature of a puppy’s digestive system also means that they can handle less food at once, so it is best to give them three smaller meals three times a day rather than two bigger ones twice a day. Once your dog has finished eating, take away the food bowl until the next scheduled mealtime. This will prevent your puppy from overindulging.

You should also ensure that the food you give your puppy is of the higher possible quality – this means avoiding dog food with artificial colours and preservatives and ensuring that real meat is the primary ingredient.

3. Confinement and consistency

When your Beagle puppy is in the early stages of potty training, it is good to confine to a small area such as a room, a crate or via a lead until you are confident that they can roam the house freely without accidents.

Furthermore, consistency goes hand-in-hand with confinement, and it involves introducing your dogs to select areas to toilet in so that, over time, they will learn to associate going to the toilet with that area of the house or outside.

A good way to ease your dog into this component of toilet training is via puppy pad training or crate training.

4. Puppy pad training

Puppy-pad training is good to introduce the idea of your dog going to the toilet in a select area, but isn’t useful as a long-term solution. You don’t really want your Beagle puppy going to the bathroom indoors rather than outdoors.

Essentially, the purpose of the puppy pad is not only to reduce mess, but also to get your puppy used to the idea of doing their business in an approved, select area indoors (an area that is easy to clean up!).

Overtime, your puppy will learn to associate the pad itself with areas where it is okay to toilet, and at this stage it is good to move the mad outside to help them adapt.

You can buy puppy pads on Amazon. Here are the ones we used which also have very good Amazon reviews.

5. Crate training

Crates are an effective and approved way of toilet training your Beagle puppy at the beginning. It helps to avoid mess, helps you keep a closer eye for signs he needs to go and, most crucially, teaches the pup to hold it until they are let outside to go toilet.

Make sure the crate is large enough for the puppy to stand, turn around and lie down but not large enough for them to defecate and urinate in.

You can find a suitably-sized crate on Amazon which work well with the Beagle breed.

6. Learn to pick up on the signs

To avoid accidents in the home, it is good to learn to recognise signs that your Beagle needs the toilet. Commons signs include:

• Sniffing the floor.
• Circling around the room.
• Looking restless and anxious.
• Going into an area they have previously toileted in.

If your puppy shows any of these signs, take them out to your chosen toileting spot immediately.

However, if accidents do happen, it is best to stay calm and not get angry at your puppy, as this will just make them fearful and cause them stress, which will actually result in more random accidents.

7. Use a phrase they will learn to understand

One of the most important aspects that goes a long with in potty training your Beagle puppy to use a phrase they learn to identify with.

With our own puppy, we would say “go pee pee” as soon as we had taken him outdoors or to his puppy pad. By doing so, he would learn to identify the phrase and location with the action.

After using this tactic long enough, whenever you say the magic words of “go pee pee,” your puppy will immediately know what they need to do.

Handy Hint: Rather than shouting at your Beagle, learn how to discipline them to get good behavior instead.

8. Reward the puppy for a good job

When your Beagle puppy has finished his pee or poop in the right place, you should give them a reward or positive reinforcement with praise.

By rewarding good behavior you will start a pattern of success which can lead to far faster house breaking and training.

9. Never scold them

Accidents are going to happen a lot, and whilst this can be frustrating, never shout at or scold the puppy.

I remember countless times where I would have just cleaned a pee up from the kitchen floor, only for our puppy to crouch and pee again just seconds later.

Hold your tongue, and don’t react negatively because this can lead to anxiety and fear which will only make them pee or poop more when they aren’t meant to. 

When should I start potty training my Beagle puppy?

It is generally recommended to start house training your Beagle puppy once they are between 12 weeks and 16 weeks old.

This is a good age to start because whilst it means that your puppy is still young enough to learn life-long skills and have their behavior moulded, at this stage your puppy should have enough control over their bladder and bowels to hold it when necessary – making the potty training process easier for them, and cleaner for you! 

How long does it take to potty train a Beagle puppy?

I won’t sugar coat this at all; it could between 4 and 6 months for your puppy to get fully house trained. There are other factors which come into play though, such as individual temperament and environmental factors.

However, it’s not unheard of for it taking up to a year until a Beagle puppy is properly potty trained.

For example, you bring your Beagle puppy home once it’s over twelve weeks old, it might be the case that it hasn’t been housetrained by their previous owners, and certain behaviours they’ve picked up need to be unlearned.

Be prepared for accidents, but above all, have some wipes and tissue paper on hand all the time as you will get through a lot of this stuff!

Conclusion

Now you know how we advise you housebreak a Beagle puppy, I would love to know how you got on. Get in touch via social media and leave a comment.

Similarly, if you have better ideas on how to potty train a Beagle puppy, please share those in the community too.

The bottom line is this; do not underestimate to the work that goes into taking care of a new puppy. They’ll need to learn everything – from where to eat, going for walks and how to interact with people – by scratch, so you need to be prepared to put the work in so as to ensure that this incredibly formative period in your puppy’s life is successful.

Toilet training your puppy might feel a bit difficult at times, but with the right attitude, attentiveness and patience, they will learn this life-long skill.

However, if you have any concerns about their ability to toilet train, always contact a vet or a professional trainer. As unlikely as this is, there are some Beagles who will need expert help.

You might also like…

Here are some more Beagle guides I’ve written in recent months.

• How to tell if your Beagle loves you
• Here’s why Beagles have such big and flappy ears!
• Reasons why your Beagle might never calm down!

Image in header via https://unsplash.com/photos/4zfacTKyZ7w

The post How to Potty Train a Beagle Puppy in 9 Easy Steps appeared first on DoggySaurus.

But whatever the age of your dog, when your Beagle throws up it’s going to be worrying. It might be due something as simple as them eating too fast. Alternatively, you might have a Beagle that vomits up sick all the time, which could signal a serious health problem.

I am not a vet, but I am a dog owner who has a lot of experience with vomit. Nice, I am sure you would agree! The bottom line is; if you are worried then please do consult with your vet. But before you do that, here’s what I personally know about the reasons why your Beagle throws up, and what the different types of vomit and sick could mean.

Why your Beagle is vomiting and puking

There are multiple types of vomit and regurgitation that can affect Beagles. I’ve consulted with my own vet and read professional forums to give you an idea of what they could all mean, and what action you should take.

Why does my Beagle throw up white foam?

The reasons your Beagle keeps throwing up white foam so much are very varied. In the majority of cases it won’t anything serious, but for peace of mind seek professional advice.

The first thing you need to do is to check what has been thrown up by your Beagle. It might not actually be vomit but could be them clearing their airways. It might instead be some saliva that they need to regurgitate.

Vomiting and regurgitating are two different things, and I will explain the differences at the end of this article. But for simplicities sake, I am going to address both things as the same thing; throwing up.

Causes of white foam vomit

1. Indigestion and stomach upset

Your Beagle could be throwing up white foam just because they have an upset tummy. The most common reason is gastroenteritis where they have an empty stomach and then puke up a white foam vomit.

This condition is also known as bilious vomiting syndrome. The bile produced can not only be white but also have a yellow color. Sometimes it’s smelly too.

Handy Hint: Here’s a list of the foods that are known to be most toxic to Beagles, and can lead to them throwing up.

2. Puking up something they ate

Beagles love to put anything in their mouth they can get their teeth around, particularly during the teething phase. It might be that they ate something their stomach disagrees with.

If your Beagle hasn’t eaten in a while, they won’t have any food to puke up, so the foreign objects they ingested can get puked back up as a white foamy or slimy material.

3. Kennel cough

One of the more common reasons Beagles throw up white foam will be kennel cough. It’s not actually vomiting but instead is where your Beagle coughs so hard they expel white foam out of their mouths.

Kennel cough can be contracted when your Beagle has been exposed to other dogs, usually in kennels as the name suggests. It is an upper respiratory infection that your vet can treat, typically being treated in a week to 10 days.

Handy Hint: Here are all the things that young puppies can get sick from when they stay in boarding kennels for the first time.

4. Bloat

Bloat (gastric dilatation-volvulus) is one of the most serious reasons for Beagles puking up white foam and slime. They can become sick very quickly and will need to be seen by a vet quickly.

It occurs when their stomach becomes twisted after expanding. The stomach can expand when filled with food, fluid, or gas which then puts pressure on their internal organs. If not treated quickly it can stop blood flowing to your Beagle’s heart… so it is potentially fatal.

White foam will be vomited up when the nothing can get in or out of the Beagle’s stomach. It’s more common in elderly dogs.

You can reduce the chances of bloat and white foam vomit by making sure your Beagle doesn’t over exercise after eating. Some vets recommend you wait a good 30 minutes after their meal, even with light walks.

Handy Hint: Here’s how long and why you should wait to walk your dog before and after they have eaten.

5. Pancreatitis

Another serious health condition that results in your Beagle throwing up white foam is pancreatitis. This is an inflammation of the pancreas, which is an organ that aids digestion of food.

Your vet will need to diagnose this condition, but other signs to look out for include your Beagle hunching his back up, being in obvious pain around their abdomen, having diarrhoea, not eating properly, being listless, and becoming dehydrated due to not drinking enough.

6. Kidney disease

Another serious possibility related to white foam vomit can be kidney disease. Other symptoms to look out for can include increased urination or pooping the house when your Beagle was previously house-trained.

White foam puking can be an early indicator of the disease. However, with early treatment, Beagles can go on to have a good life with a reduced chance of any further complications.

7. Parvovirus

Parvovirus can be contracted through exposure to other dogs, in particular contact with faeces. It’s a viral infection that will become apparent within a week of contraction, with white foam vomiting and blood in diarrhoea.

It is a fatal disease but should be rare as long as your Beagle has had the correct vaccinations as a puppy. Parvovirus should only be contracted by an unvaccinated Beagle so it’s an unlikely cause of throwing up white foam for responsible dog owners.

8. Rabies

Another unlikely reason for white slimy foam can be rabies. It’s going to be very rare in countries such as the UK and United States, but it still a possibility.

Dogs with rabies will foam at the mouth. 

Why does my Beagle throw up yellow foam?

Yellow foam sick can also relate to many of the possibilities I’ve already listed under the white foam section, but it can sometimes differ if it’s a yellow bile and liquid.

A Beagle that throws up yellow liquid and bile could have:

• Bilious vomiting (the most likely): in simple terms, a stomach upset.
• Bowel problems: an irritation in the GI tract.
• Pancreatic problems: an inflammation of the pancreas.
• Intestinal blockage: your Beagle’s meal can’t get to the stomach.
• Stomach ulcers: can also result in weight loss, fever, and pain.
• Liver problems: your Beagle may not be able to digest food properly.

Why does my Beagle throw up brown liquid?

Brown bile and vomit will often smell like dog poop… and that can actually be what it is in some cases. Puppies, Beagles included like to eat dog poop for a variety of reasons including:

• Seeking out nutrients that aren’t getting their diet.
• Simply due to hunger as gross as that sounds.
• Sometimes for attention knowing it will get a reaction.
• Sometimes due to boredom or stress (for example, kennel stress)

Brown vomit won’t always be dog poop though, it could be blood that has become browner inside of the mucus and bile being thrown up. It could result from:

• Blocked intestine.
• Bleeding ulcers.
• Something that they ate.
• Possible gum disease or tumors where the brown color signifies bleeding.

Why does my Beagle throw up clear liquid?

A clear and foamy slime or foam that doesn’t include any undigested food could be related to a range of medical issues. If there’s no food in the clear liquid, it probably isn’t due to anything your Beagle has eaten.

Doctor Jeff Werber, a well-respected vet based in Los Angeles, explained to PetMD.com that clear liquid vomit could indicate something other than a reaction to food:

“Fluid means we are looking at some other reason, such as kidney, liver, pancreas, or severe gastritis, where the cause is not food or an irritant. It could also indicate oesophageal reflex which is like our heartburn.”

However, it’s key to not panic if your Beagle is throwing up a clear liquid as there could be a far simpler explanation.

On another vet website I read a comment from a professional. They said that dogs who are distressed will often start to drool heavily. That can often be mistaken for vomit when in fact if no food comes up, it’s not actually puke, and could be just excessive drooling. 

Why does my Beagle throw up green liquid?

Green bile and vomit shouldn’t be viewed as seriously as some of the other sick colors. For example, dogs love to eat grass and weeds and so anything they throw up will be of a natural green color – sometimes even lime green in appearance.

Here’s a breakdown of what green foam or liquid could mean in your Beagle’s vomit.

• Plants or grass: dogs will eat grass to sooth their stomach, clean their insides, make up for a lack of minerals, or due to boredom and anxiety. When the organic material is ingested the chlorophyll in the grass will stain the vomit a green color. If you can see plant-based matter in your Beagle’s vomit, it’s not a cause for concern but do try to discourage them eating grass.
• Green bile: green vomit could signal bile being thrown up. Bile is stored in your dog’s gall bladder and is designed to absorb fats and breakdown other nutrients. Green bile can reflux into your Beagle’s stomach, but that color also means its fresh. But it might also mean there is something stuck internally, so consult with your vet.

Why does my Beagle throw up pink or red foam?

A Beagle that throws up pink foam could have a tummy bug. The act of vomiting hard can actually burst some of the smaller blood vessels in your Beagle’s stomach, which then dilutes into the vomit and mucus to create a pink tint.

Alternatively, it could be a stomach ulcer. However, as soon as you see any signs of pink sick it almost certainly means there is a degree of blood in their vomit, so should be checked out by a vet as soon as possible.

Small ulcers or damage to the stomach lining can be treated with medicines and your Beagle should normally respond very well to treatment in a few days.

Other reasons why your Beagle could be sick

Aside from the serious possibilities regarding Beagle puking I’ve already detailed, there are some other occasions where your Beagle could be sick. I’ve listed those below, giving examples of when your Beagle might throw up vomit and why.

You might also like this awesome infographic on the reasons for vomiting.

After drinking water

There are a few different reasons why your Beagle could be vomiting after drinking water, including:

1. They could have drunk the water too fast which will stimulate the dog’s gag reflex.
2. It could look like water but actually be a mix of gastric juices, saliva, and water.

In the second example, it might be because your Beagle hasn’t eaten for a long time, has a digestive blockage, or even one of the more serious conditions listed further up this page.

As with all vomiting, for peace of mind please call your vet if you don’t think it’s related to your Beagle drinking too much too quickly.

In the morning or late at night

Beagles that throw up in the morning or late at night will usually do so due to their eating habits. If your dog has gone a long time without eating, when the food hits their stomach it can irritate the bile reflux.

Morning sickness can also be just that; related to pregnancy. Here’s a list of more possible reasons your Beagle could be sick in the morning:

• Colitis.
• Inflammatory bowel disease.
• Pancreatitis.
• Pregnancy.
• Reflux gastritis.

Stress, excessive excitement or anxiety

I have never met a Beagle who doesn’t get excited, especially when it’s feeding time. They still have their competitive pack mentality from puppyhood, so will try and eat their food as fast as possible to stop anybody else getting a look-in.

Handy Hint: Has your Beagle not calmed down yet since the puppy months? Here’s when you might expect the hyper behavior to end!

When dogs eat too fast, they can throw up. The same happens with humans, so it’s not really that surprising.

However, Beagles can also be sick when they get excited outside of mealtimes. This can be due to being stressed and anxious. It’s because their stomach muscles become tense and their bodies react with vomiting. 

After over-eating or eating too fast

Coming back to the quick eating now, and there’s a good reason why your greedy Beagle will be sick and puke up;

• They don’t give themselves enough time to chew larger pieces of food.
• They can swallow lots of air which will then be regurgitated back up. 

When on car rides

Just like humans, dogs can suffer with car sickness. Motion sickness isn’t the only reason your Beagle pukes in your car though… it could also be due to the stress of not liking car journeys.

If you have a puking Beagle in your car, try to introduce them to smaller car journeys at first so they learn there’s nothing to be worried about.

After exercise or on walks

Imagine for one moment that you ate a huge dinner and then immediately went for a 10-mile run. Can you imagine what would happen? I think we all know…

And it’s the same with Beagles. If they eat heavily and then exercise or over-exert themselves, that food can quickly get puked up.

I would recommend that you don’t walk your Beagle for at least 2 hours after eating. Some vets say that exercise so soon after eating can lead to bloat, torsion, or GDV (gastro dilation-volvulus) all of which can make your Beagle throw up.

After the exercise, let your Beagle cool down for at least 30 minutes before letting them eat. These two tips should in theory mean your Beagle no longer vomits after exercise or walks.

When you should call the vet

There are a lot of scary reasons why your Beagle throws up in this guide. But I don’t want you to panic, in most of the cases listed here, the slime and bile will just be due to a stomach upset and something your Beagle ate.

I am a firm believer in letting the professional decide, so when our dog has vomited, in most cases we’ve called the vet if we can’t see any undigested food in the sick.

Here are some signs that you should definitely call the vet after vomiting:

• Your Beagle throws up all the time and vomiting last more than 24 hours.
• Your Beagle is in obvious signs of pain or lethargic.
• Your Beagle also has blood in their stools.
• Your Beagle is projectile vomiting.

Is it vomiting or regurgitation?

I mentioned earlier that these are actually two different things. They can also have very different causes. Here’s a quick explainer:

• Vomiting: this is when materials coated with bile come up from the stomach. Your Beagle will start to retch, hunch, lick his lips, and drool. It will probably be a mix of digested food coated in a yellow bile.
• Regurgitation: this is when your Beagle throws up undigested food covered in saliva, mucus, and slime. It comes up from the oesophagus or pharynx so won’t have actually reached as far as the stomach.

Conclusion

I hope I’ve given you some insight into why your Beagle is vomiting or keeps throwing up his food.

With most Beagles it won’t be an indication of a serious health problem, but I would always err on the side of caution and speak to your vet. I would especially say this if you are wondering why your Beagle puppy keeps throwing up – these young pups need a closer eye looking at them at all times.

You might also like…

There’s a wealth of helpful information on this blog about looking after Beagles. Here’s a selection of the most recent.

• 21 reasons why your Beagle is happy to be with you
• Reasons why your Beagle might start limping
• Did you know that Beagles have webbed feet?

Image in header via https://pixabay.com/photos/pet-dog-animals-cute-animal-dogs-3635985/

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