Choosing the Right Crate for Your Beagle

Whether you are buying a crate to train your Beagle, or him staying crated while you are gone, you will need the correct crate for your pet. Beagles are highly social dogs and love attention.

They are very athletic and want to be outdoors as much as possible, so when crating your dog make sure to exercise him both before and after you crate him.

This way he will not feel like it is a punishment but a quiet time for him to rest.

Knowing Your Beagle

When choosing the right crate for your beagle remember that if he is a puppy the crate will be one size and if he is an adult the crate will be bigger. The adult beagle will be about thirteen to sixteen inches tall and weigh approximately sixteen to thirty-five pounds.

Beagles are bred to hunt so their instinct is to pick up a scent and howl when they find it. So putting a Beagle inside of a crate that has different smells especially food smells will only cause him to try and figure out how to get out of the crate. This means it’s a good idea to keep your crate in a quiet area and to consider the right size for your dog.

Making the Crate Their Home

Dogs are pack animals and their natural instinct is to sleep in a den. If you want your Beagle to be happy in their crate, you will need to make it into his den. When deciding which kind of crate you will get, determine how long your pet will be staying there. 

If it is in short periods of time then a partially closed in crate will work; if your pooch is going to be there for long stretches than it is better to have an open wired container. If you have an open crate laying a sheet across the back and sides will give the Beagle a sense of being in a den. Dogs need ventilation as well as room to move around. 

What Size is Right?

Crates come in all sizes and different styles. So when choosing the right crate for your dog, determine what size your dog is at the time you buy it. If he is a puppy you will want a smaller one than if he is an adult. Your dog must be able to stretch out on his side comfortably and completely. The Beagle should also be able to stand up and turn around if needed.

Do not get a larger crate than what you need as this will create different problems, such as urinating at one end of it and sleeping at the other end. Dogs do not like to sleep in their messes. Add an old towel to the bottom and be sure to put in his favorite toy to chew on.

Take the time to introduce your pet to crate living. Start with 15 minutes at a time, remembering to take him out to run around before and after, and then stretch it out adding more each time. With beagles it will be important to keep the experience positive.

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