Are Beagles Good for First Time Owners? 4 Reasons

Last Updated/Info Checked on October 20, 2023 by Scott

It is because of their primitive nature that they could turn stubborn. I’ve trained the likes of those. Trust me, you would feel as if the beagle has turned into a husky all of a sudden. 

So, are beagles good for first time owners, considering that nature? Yes, they are. When well trained, their hound characteristics could come in handy.

Other than Beagles, Labrador retrievers, Poodles, Bernese Mountain Dogs, Yorkshire terriers, and Corgis are some of the dog breeds that are perfect for novice owners.

Besides that, they prove to be better apartment companions, extremely family-oriented, good with other dogs, and strangers, easy to train, and have fewer grooming needs. 

Are Beagles Good For First-Time Owners? 4 Major Reasons

Let’s explore the reasons one by one. I have a method of giving scores to the behavior I explain.

That makes it super easy to understand the breed and possibly make a decision to own a dog. 

1. Highly Adaptable To Apartment Life 

Adaptability to small spaces: ⅘ 

Beagles aren’t Chihuahuas – those little bundles of joy that are unfortunately not well suited for apartment life.

The sole reason for that is their relentless energy. It doesn’t seem to wear off until after plenty of exercise.

Beagles on the other hand have a very calm demeanor. They do not yap a lot and are polite. 

That doesn’t mean that their energy levels are low, either. Contrary to popular belief, Beagles have high physical demands.

Deny them that and you’ll see what havoc they can wreak. 

At the same time, they are moderately sensitive. My time with beagles has taught me to avert any gaze that could relay mixed or negative emotions because a few of them could make them nervous.

However, with practice, one can get a hold of them. 

Also, if you plan on leaving them alone in the apartment, don’t. They have a low tolerance for that and a cold temperature.

With hot degrees, they have no problem, which explains much of their hound nature.

Good for new owners in an apartment?

So, overall, you could keep them in an apartment as long as you’re ready to train them well for obedience, not leave them alone too often, and maintain a warm interior. 

2. Family-Oriented Beyond Normal 

Friendliness: 5/5

Are Beagles good first dogs? Possibly, because they were bred to hunt for small animals and fetch hunted games, they bonded to their owners quite quickly and for life. 

Even during training sessions, I’d feel that they’d warm up to me more than the other breeds.

They’d accept me as a part of their family, which was super nice, but at the same time, that would make my job slightly harder and easier. 

Harder in the sense that I would be drawn by their love, completely smitten by it.

I’d start playing with them as if charmed by a spell until I’d realize that I should be in charge of things, not the dog. 

Easier in the sense that I wouldn’t have to spend weeks or months training them to behave with other dogs or strangers.

They would understand the cue right after the first week and have a good recall after that. 

In that friendliness, therefore, add their warmth towards strangers and affection towards kids and other dogs.

Good for a first-time small family trying to own a dog? 

Yes. As long as their incorporation into the family with kids and other pets goes, the beagles won’t disappoint you. You could throw dog parties, pool parties, and whatnot parties – your dog won’t say no. Instead, it’ll enjoy more than you. 

3. They Are Easy to Train 

Trainability: 5/5

Are Beagles stubborn? I already mentioned how they could be easily trained. This easiness could also be derived from their hunting personality, if you want reasons for it. 

Hunters bred these dogs so they could have the upper hand in commandeering them toward what they had shot or chasing what they were going to hunt. 

For a dog to do that without hurting such a crucial activity, it had to be receptive. The beagles are receptive, as a result. 

They will ignore slight errors in the training regime. The training sessions with them, as a result, have always been less strenuous. Whenever I’m called to train a Beagle, you may understand my excitement.

Training them is like a respite from all the hard work of training the likes of Huskies, Bulldogs, Terriers, and GSDs. 

Are they good for first-time owners who want to self-train?

I don’t recommend that you train a dog on your own unless you’re properly trained to do so yourself. However, if you’re going to do that after getting a certificate from a reputable organization, then I must say that Beagles would give you less of a headache. 

You could also use shock collars designed for Beagles after thorough deliberation and learning.

For more information on training a Beagle:

4. Low Grooming Needs

Grooming Potential: ⅘ 

I’ve previously owned and trained huskies. You might think I’ve something against them, but no. They are super intelligent and amazing but at the same time, their grooming needs top all charts. You need to clip, bathe, brush extensively, and take their tantrums in the midst when grooming them – courtesy of the double coat.

Beagles on the other hand are brush-and-play dogs. Brush them on the go and they will look like the new toys you buy from a store. 

That also weighs less on your pocket in the long run. I was rich, thanks to the training business I ran in the past (and my husband Ross), but even then, meeting the huskies’ grooming expenses would seem hard.

If I compare that to the money spent on Beagles, it’ll be like comparing the cost of a new iPhone and a budget phone. 

Beagles are those budget phones. 

Are they good for poor new owners?

Definitely yes. If you don’t have much time up your sleeves and enough money in your pocket and still want a dog, go for a Beagle. 

Final Thoughts

You read why Beagles are the best dogs. They are good for first-time owners because they are apartment-friendly, extremely understanding and loving, easily trainable, and low-maintenance dogs.

However, before owning one, still consider all your options and see whether you’ll still be able to keep it happy.