The Fantastic Beagle
Its faults and its qualities, being well informed about the Beagle
If you are there for him, if he can flourish and let off steam as he pleases, if the training is rigorous since puppyhood and so on, you will have a wonderful companion who will accompany you everywhere, who looooves children, who is playful, always happy, close to his family, with a real ability to adapt and fundamentally kind.
For me, its main fault which is not to be underestimated: the beagle is very very STUBBORN! Training will have to be rigorous and daily decisions firm and final. When you ask your Beagle or when you wish to obtain something from him, you go to the end of your request, you do not change your mind and you are clear in your commands. With a Beagle your master words will be: patience and perseverance!
Also, having a garden is very nice but it is not mandatory; it is practical for housebreaking, to play with the children, but for him it is only an extension of his house: he will have to be taken out in addition to the garden daily precisely so that he can exert himself, discover, sniff as he pleases, see other things, other people, so that he discovers the outside world! I have no problem sending one of my protégés to an apartment, if the adoption has been properly thought out! There, as a result, outings are mandatory, and during the learning period it can be very regularly and this regardless of the weather, your fatigue, your desire… for your puppy, going out is a fundamental need.
Here is a first approach that must be taken into consideration before starting the steps to adopt a Beagle. You commit yourself to a living being other than yourself and with needs, desires, problems etc. for +/- 15 years.
The whole family (living under the same roof) must agree with this adoption, a dog is not a gift and cannot be a surprise, I love and I want to support my families from A to Z.
The Beagle is basically a hunting dog, more precisely a scenthound belonging to Group 6 (all dogs are classified by group, e.g.: shepherd, hunting, molosser etc). It was selected for its scenting ability and its endurance, its medium size allows it to go anywhere, and it is in a pack that the Beagle mainly hunts.
Admittedly, our kennel does not choose its breeding stock based on their hunting qualities BUT it must never be forgotten that it is written in its genes, this therefore makes it a DYNAMIC, ENDURING, very INTELLIGENT, GREGARIOUS dog that does not tolerate long periods of loneliness.
As a result and quite logically, a Beagle is not left alone while the family goes to work from 7am to 7pm; you would risk ending up with the dog described on most pseudo websites: destructive, barker, runaway etc. You must then adapt your days or your daily life, come home at lunchtime, hire a dog sitter, in cities there are even day leisure parks for dogs. (Be careful, these faults can happen IF one does not meet the fundamental needs of this dog and does not take the measure of what it needs, as with all breeds for that matter).
I also cannot conceive that for X or Y reasons, various trainers or young veterinarians advise putting your puppy in a cage... this is only my opinion but I do not agree with that. A puppy can be trained, everything can be learned, nothing is insurmountable, the cage is the easy way out. I will be delighted to talk about it with you, to support you and to guide you in the education of your puppy.
My journey, up to today's kennel
Like many little girls, I have always loved animals — all animals! I don't remember a single moment in my life without a companion by my side. Yet, I didn't grow up surrounded by dogs. At our house, it was more 'team cat'.
À 15 ans, j’ai choisi de me lancer dans les chevaux. J’alternais entre l’école près de Marseille et mon apprentissage dans une écurie à Lyon. Ce fut un métier-passion, exigeant mais enrichissant, que j’ai exercé pendant plus de 15 ans. Dès que j’ai eu mon premier chez-moi, mon premier réflexe a été d’aller à la SPA adopter un chien.
Au fil des années, entre nos chiens et nos chevaux à la maison, la passion de l’élevage s’est construite naturellement. Et puis, un nouveau tournant s’est présenté : nous avons arrêté les chevaux pour nous orienter vers l’élevage de vaches. Un changement surtout pour Alexis, mais toujours dans le même esprit : prendre soin, observer, accompagner… Nous sommes, tous les deux, éleveurs dans l’âme.
Et puis un jour dans tout ça, par hasard ou non, est arrivée Jaimy, notre première Beagle, qui a aujourd’hui bientôt 12 ans. Son vrai nom ? J’aime-les-gâteaux (comment ne pas craquer ?!). Une chienne parfaite à mes yeux, qui s’adaptait à tout : à cheval, en ville, en balade, au travail… Douce, sociable, espiègle et têtue bien sûr ! Un regard et on se comprenait. Je me suis dit : "Tout le monde devrait avoir un Beagle dans sa vie !"
Jaimy nous correspondait à 1000 %. Ce n’est pas le chien le plus simple, mais quel bonheur quand on comprend cette race ! Sa capacité d’adaptation est incroyable, et c’est ce qui m’a donné envie de partager cette race !
Nous avons alors cherché un prétendant pour Jaimy, et en 2017, notre première portée est née avec Louky, un superbe Beagle au joli pedigree. Une expérience incroyable. Chaque Beagle chez nous a une histoire unique, et c’est cette richesse qui fait la diversité de notre élevage.
J’aime profondément cette race. Je veux en comprendre chaque aspect : caractère, santé, pedigree, défauts et qualités. Je me suis entièrement dédiée au Beagle, pour le connaître par cœur et élever de façon réfléchie, respectueuse et passionnée.
Et depuis un peu plus d’un an, une nouvelle race a rejoint la famille : le Coonhound, un coup de cœur d’Alexis. Nous allons suivre le même chemin, avec la même exigence, la même passion, et, je l’espère, un jour, la même fierté.