Nova Scotia Hunting Forum banner

Indoor Or Outdoor Beagles?

4K views 18 replies 14 participants last post by  MikeD. 
#1 ·
Growing up I always had beagles and was always told to kennel them out side. I was told that keeping a beagle indoors would effect their sense of smell and if your dogs are use to spending cold nights out side, they will have a better chance of surviving a cold night in the woods if they get lost. I moved into HFx about 12 years ago and had to give my dogs away because they howled a lot and it bothered the neighbours. I've got the bug again to get another dog but it would have to an indoor dog. Just wondering what people's thoughts are, good idea or bad idea?
 
#4 ·
I had two retrievers at the same time. One was a young lab and the other an old chessie. There was a partial 4 X 4 wall in the garage in a house I bought . I laid it flat and put a brooder light above it with a piece of carpet. The chessie had artritis so she would lay under this all the time. The lab loved it too. I hunted the lab every week in some of the worst weather late into the season. One day it was minus 22 and we walked out to an island to set up. The dogs had to swim all the way. When they came out of the they turned white with ice. We laid in the snow with white suits. I looked at my dog and he was sound asleep. When he got home he curled up under the heat lamp and was dry within a short time. He died from cancer at 8 but never showed a hint of getting crippled. There was proof to me that living inside helped keep him healthy and comfortable.
 
#5 ·
ive got 2 hounds, great bunny hounds. both have been inside my house as part of my family since we got them

both are about 5-6 now

beagles are great family dogs and easy to train as they are food hounds lol

they know when the bells get taken out its time to work/play

the wife has them "pampered" as she calls it so that they have to be under a blanket to sleep on the sofa with her
 
#6 ·
I think keeping hounds outside is an old school way of thinking. I knew some people that kept them outside 100% of the time. "They hunted better". I had one that spent 10 months a year curled up in my bed, but when she heard the bell, she knew what to do, and she was damn good at it. Is a few rabbits worth the lifestyle of keeping a hound caged up in all kinds of weather?? Make them your family pets and treat them with the kindness they deserve. You and the dog will be much happier.
 
#7 ·
I have owned many hounds and spaniels over the years and generally kept them inside during the coldest days of winter and outside most of the rest of the year...my wife has never liked the smell of hounds(yes, there is a definite smell to a hound, in our minds anyways) but I just felt it smelled like...dog. I also never had the money to build a proper enclosure...one with a roomy and warm kennel and an open run attached.

I think the decision is as personal as the choice of dog or decision to own one. I have been in many a home that treats the dog poorly or simply ignores it unless it is hunting season....being inside for some of these dogs is worse than being in a kennel outside...in my opinion.

I hunt with folks now that do both...one keeps his dogs inside and treats them very well...the other has kennels built that are weather proof, warm, clean and have attached runs. Both guys love their dogs and both have great hounds.

If I had one hound it would probably stay inside...but if I had several I would invest in a quality outdoor kennel.

My last Spaniel developed sever arthritis despite spending the majority of her life curled up on a cot...pampered....but she hunted amazingly and all out when the time came. Hard work =happy life but perhaps worn out joints....but she died doing what she loved.

As I earlier stated it really is a personal decision but regardless of what you choose the dog needs to have his needs meant....good food, water, medical care , love , kindness and clean, dry , warm accommodations.

Butch
 
#9 · (Edited by Moderator)
I have owned many hounds and spaniels over the years and generally kept them inside during the coldest days of winter and outside most of the rest of the year...my wife has never liked the smell of hounds(yes, there is a definite smell to a hound, in our minds anyways) but I just felt it smelled like...dog. I also never had the money to build a proper enclosure...one with a roomy and warm kennel and an open run attached.

I think the decision is as personal as the choice of dog or decision to own one. I have been in many a home that treats the dog poorly or simply ignores it unless it is hunting season....being inside for some of these dogs is worse than being in a kennel outside...in my opinion.

I hunt with folks now that do both...one keeps his dogs inside and treats them very well...the other has kennels built that are weather proof, warm, clean and have attached runs. Both guys love their dogs and both have great hounds.

If I had one hound it would probably stay inside...but if I had several I would invest in a quality outdoor kennel.

My last Spaniel developed sever arthritis despite spending the majority of her life curled up on a cot...pampered....but she hunted amazingly and all out when the time came. Hard work =happy life but perhaps worn out joints....but she died doing what she loved.

As I earlier stated it really is a personal decision but regardless of what you choose the dog needs to have his needs meant....good food, water, medical care , love , kindness and clean, dry , warm accommodations.

Butch
I believe if u take on the responsibility of owning a dog for recreation/hunting or a household pet.. u owe it to them to provide them with a decent home(if u dont have the money to provide the dogs/pets with decent living conditions..warm,out of doors/weather..food..etc.)then u likely shouldnt own one.Just my opinion of course.Ive only owned 2 dogs(but grew up hunting with dogs)...both black labs.....one hunted decent...one hunted with authority.They both always stayed inside every nite.....beside the woodstove or on their blankets or most times on the bed/couch with us.I guess to me theyve always been considered family other than a hound/dog..farm animal in which u take with u to gather game.Again...jmo.Not once did the boys ever hitch a ride in a kennel on the back of the truck...i always figured they were that loyal and devoted enough to me....the last thing they wanted was a sub zero temp drive on the way home/or a sub zero temp home to go to.Stinky hound smelling or not.(There are doggie washes ya know lol...or a simple gardenhose n soap will doo) guess this got off the rabbit hound topic...but dogs are dogs.Hounds..shepards..retrievers..etc.In my mind they all deserve a decent life...especially if ther out there chasin birds...rabbits..*****...watever......doin wat they love and helping out their owners in the process.Again just my opinion..another armchair wildlife biologist..thats all
 
#11 ·
we've kept most of our hounds outside....but in with xx insulated boxes inside an insulated buiding but no heat. Fresh hay every couple weeks. They never seemed cold .

The last two however were kept in the house....mostly for our convenience haha....and they seemed to hunt just as good and were just as tough.

Mind you though, kennel or house...they were always kept in shape with lots of running.

I believe (all else being equal) its the amount of running they get that seperats the good ones from the really good ones.....Ive hunted with guys who had great dogs but were overweight and heart and feet just coudn't run all day or even half a day ....
 
#12 ·
I guess my biggest concern with an indoor dog is weather it will survive a night in the woods if lost. I'd hate to come home and tell my family that I lost the family pet and it didn't survive because it wasn't use to the cold. Maybe like rpernette said "that's an old way of thinking "
My dogs were always keep outdoors and were very hard hunters, sometimes very hard to get back at the end of the day because they just didn't want to stop hunting. The few times we couldn't get them back, I didn't worry about them freezing.
I guess what I'm trying to figure out is what's the less of two evils : keep the beagle as an indoor pet and take the chance of it dieing in the woods if it has to spend a cold night outside
Or keep it in a kennel so it's use to the cold and will survive the night
 
#13 ·
my female (pregnant i hope) was out boxing day to the 27th overnight in cape breton

i think she fared better than i did as she didnt look like she lost much sleep or was worse for the wear after the night in the woods

right now she is curled up under the blanket on the sofa sound asleep
 
#14 ·
I have a young beagle, she only turned 1 on April 18th. Had her out hunting many times this year, she was no superstar but she is learning. She had several chases but they were short and she did more yelping than barking....like I said, she's learning. We keep her in the house, she sleeps in her bed on the floor and she loves having a nap on the couch when we watch TV. Whenever she hears her bell I have on her collar, she gets super excited; she knows it's woods time. Had her out a few times in March and April, she is definitely getting more confidence and has travelled farther and farther away from me when scenting a bunny. ! think back to a beagle we had when growing up, he was on a chain, fastened to his house and was never inside, we never gave it a second thought, its how it was. He was an excellent hunting dog. If he was still around I guarantee you he would live like a king.
 
#15 ·
I have a young beagle, she only turned 1 on April 18th. Had her out hunting many times this year, she was no superstar but she is learning. She had several chases but they were short and she did more yelping than barking....like I said, she's learning. We keep her in the house, she sleeps in her bed on the floor and she loves having a nap on the couch when we watch TV. Whenever she hears her bell I have on her collar, she gets super excited; she knows it's woods time. Had her out a few times in March and April, she is definitely getting more confidence and has travelled farther and farther away from me when scenting a bunny. ! think back to a beagle we had when growing up, he was on a chain, fastened to his house and was never inside, we never gave it a second thought, its how it was. He was an excellent hunting dog. If he was still around I guarantee you he would live like a king.
Yup old wives tale, you can have the best of both worlds a family pet and a good hunting dog. Good for you and good luck with the hunting.
 
#16 ·
Talk about an old thread...
Some people still have hounds in pens outside, mine are part of the family and live inside with us.
My pup , she's 2, caught on big time this past season and is out running the old guy. She runs her own bunnies although she might team up for the odd one or two.
Go to hounds and bunnies 2020/21 for a few videos. Every time i watch she is looking at the phone or tv watching for the bunny.
We had a visitor in the yard this morning until i set the hounds free, i dont think it took 3 bounces to clear the yard and cross the road.
 
#18 ·
Talk about an old thread...
Some people still have hounds in pens outside, mine are part of the family and live inside with us.
My pup , she's 2, caught on big time this past season and is out running the old guy. She runs her own bunnies although she might team up for the odd one or two.
Go to hounds and bunnies 2020/21 for a few videos. Every time i watch she is looking at the phone or tv watching for the bunny.
We had a visitor in the yard this morning until i set the hounds free, i dont think it took 3 bounces to clear the yard and cross the road.
I didn't realize it was an old thread until I read some of the people posting!

It would be good to have them all back here.
 
#19 ·
Me and my beagle watched a YouTube video of a guy rabbit hunting with his 2 dogs. When she heard the rattle of their bells it was priceless. She was like "let's go!" I can't wait until this fall.

I'm sure with more experience she will be a good hunter, she certainly enjoys being in the woods with me.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top