How to calm a hyper Beagle dog

The Beagle is a scent hound and was bred to hunt in packs over long distances. They are both clever and active and have unlimited stamina. They require daily exercise to release pent up energy. The Beagle is also smart and requires plenty of mental stimulation. Mental exercise can tire a dog as much as physical activity. For a guide to Beagle exercise see here.

Failure to burn off these huge reserves of energy and provide challenges for their minds will result in a hyper dog and possibly behavior issues. Beagles can become quite destructive when bored and are notorious as escape artists.

Will my Beagle ever calm down

Beagles are an active dog that loves to explore, especially Beagle puppies. They will remain active most of their lives but they will settle as they mature. There are also many things you can do to calm your hyper Beagle and even train some calmness into them.

Do Beagles calm down with age

A Beagle puppy between 8 to 16 weeks old will be moderately At this age they are exploring and understanding the world around them. They will also sleep a lot so you will have periods of quietness with a short period of full-on activity.

Between the age of 4 months to one year old, they will be at their most hyper. This is an important period to ensure they get the right training, exercise and mental enrichment they need.

As they reach adulthood at between one to two years old they will settle more compared to what they have been like. This doesn’t mean they will not be highly active but they will have matured.

When your Beagle is in the middle year of their lifespan from 2 years old to around 8 years old they will truly be an adult. As long as you have built a strong foundation of training, a regular exercise routine, and mental enrichment your Beagle will be reasonably calm. They will obviously still be active but a lot more controlled.

The life expectancy of a Beagle is generally around 12 to 15 years old. Once they reach 8 years old they are considered a senior dog. It is still important that they receive regular exercise even in their senior years. This will help to keep their muscles and tendons supple and strong, manage their weight, and prevent diseases such as heart disease. For a guide to exercise for a senior dog see here.

Are all Beagles hyper

All dogs are individuals even of the same breed. Beagles are an active breed that requires plenty to keep them occupied and prevent boredom. Some Beagles can be quite laid back while others can be super full-on.

How hyper an individual Beagle is will depend on their individual personality and to what degree the owner provides for their needs. These needs include exercise, mental enrichment, and attention given to them.

Do Beagles calm down after neutering

It is commonly thought that neutering your male Beagle will make them calmer. There is much debate as to whether or not neutering a dog has much if any effect on behavior.

What neutering your Beagle will do is not only stop them from being able to breed. It will stop them from producing testosterone. A neutered Beagle may show some subtle behavior changes but it will not necessarily make them calmer.

At around 6 months of age, a Beagle puppies testosterone levels will increase rapidly. By neutering around or before this age can help to reduce any territorial or aggressive behavior. However, it is not likely to have any or much effect on their energy levels and hyper behavior.

Ways of calming a hyper Beagle

Many Beagle owners ask how do I get my Beagle to calm down or how to tire out a Beagle. Fortunately, there are many ways to help manage and reduce your Beagles hyper behavior.

These are suggested ways to help calm a hyper Beagle;

Calm the mind

Over excitement is a state of mind. A hyper Beagle is the outward manifestation of an over-aroused state of mind. The trick is to catch the state of arousal before it gets to a high level. A dog doesn’t go from calm to hyper excited in one step. The state of arousal goes up in stages.

Calm your energy

If you are speaking and interacting with your Beagle with excited energy it will excite them. If your energy is calm and you speak to them in a calm monotone pitch it will keep them calmer.

Provide enough exercise

A tired dog is a calm and well-behaved dog. Beagles are reasonably high energy and require daily exercise. For a guide and ideas to exercise your Beagle see here.

Provide mental enrichment

Beagles are smart and curious. It is important to challenge their minds and provide mental stimulation. Boredom is one of the main causes of behavior issues. Mental exercise can tire a dog just as much as physical activity. For more on providing mental stimulation and enrichment for your Beagle see here.

Beagles are driven by their nose. Playing scenting and nose games with your Beagle is an excellent way to provide mental enrichment. For ideas see scenting and nose games for dogs.

Gentle belly rubs and massage

Compassionately rubbing your Beagle’s belly, has a similar effect, that a back massage has on their human owners. This rubbing sensation has the ability to calm your dog down so much, that they will fall asleep.

This should be done in a calm manner and not turned into a game. This will excite your Beagle. If you are in need of some sleep (or maybe need to make an important phone call), try calling your Beagle over to you, putting them on your lap (or a soft area right next to you), and begin to gently rub their bellies’ until you notice that their eyes have been closed for around 5 – 10 minutes.

Then you can gently put them down (or off to the side) go and get some sleep (or make that important phone call). A calming relaxing massage will have the same effect. See here for how to massage a dog.

Gently rubbing your Beagle’s muzzle and stop area

Gently rubbing your Beagle’s elongated nose, will have a similar effect on your dog, as gently rubbing their belly.

Rubbing the stop is also very calming for a dog. The stop is the area on the bridge of the muzzle between the eyes. This area has many nerve endings. Rubbing here releases endorphins to their brain giving them a fell good calming effect.

Another similar spot is where the ears join the head. Rubbing here has the same result as rubbing the stop area.

Keep your Beagle away from cats, small pets, and small children.

Keep your Beagle away from cats, small pets, and small children (generally those children under the age of 6) when they are in a highly excitable state. Children can make a dog very excited with their quick and unpredictable movement.

To a Beagle, this is a cue to chase and play. Beagles obviously have a very high prey drive and a cat running away is a trigger to pursue. For more on Beagles and cats see here.

Keep your Beagle away from other excited/active dogs

Separate your Beagle from other excited/active dogs if they are becoming too worked up.  Even if you are able to get your Beagle calm, by performing one, or more, of the methods, mentioned, they are likely not to stay calm if there is another dog getting them worked up.

Beagles are not only active dogs but very playful as well. If you get them to lay down, and be calm, and then one or more playing dogs come within their field of vision, they will get excited and will want to, and very likely try to, go and play with them.

Use the Calm Hold technique

A calm hold is a technique used to settle and calm a dog. Simply place your hand on the side of your dog’s shoulder just holding them still. Don’t make eye contact with them and you don’t even need to say anything.

You can hold your Beagle by the collar if you wish to hold them in place with your other hand on the shoulder. If you wish you can say something like “Relax” in a calm monotone unemotional tone. Once your Beagle has relaxed you can remove your hand. This video also shows a similar technique you can try.

Provide chew toys for your Beagle

Chewing is a natural instinct for dogs and has many benefits. These include keeping your dog occupied and helping with dental health. However, one of the main benefits of chewing for a dog is that it is extremely relaxing.

When a dog chews it releases endorphins to their brain making them feel happy, calm and releases stress. For more on the benefits of chewing and the best chew toys for your Beagle see here.

Use dog meditative music

There is plenty of music designed specifically to relax and calm a dog. You can either purchase dog relaxation music on Amazon or there is plenty of free dog anxiety music on Utube.

Recommended products to calm a dog

ADAPTIL Calm Home Diffuser for Dogs

This is a diffuser you plug into a powerpoint that releases dog appeasing pheromones that give then a calm feeling. To us, these scents are odorless and are only perceived by dogs and provide a strong signal of security and comfort. The diffuser will cover an area of up to 700 sq. ft. It comes with a diffuser head and a vile that lasts up to 30 days. Replacement viles are also available on Amazon.

Rescue Remedy

This is a well known homeopathic remedy that has been around for 80 years. It is quite commonly used by humans to feel relaxed, calm and stress-free. As a dog groomer, I have used Rescue remedy with great success when working with highly anxious dogs. Easy to use as you just put a drop or two on the tongue.

Summary – How to calm a Beagle

It is not uncommon to hear a Beagle owner ask when will my Beagle calm down or how do I calm down my Beagle. They are high energy, intelligent and can be independent dogs.

The above suggestions may be able to help you keep your Beagle in a calmer state of mind. However, the most important thing you can do is provide them with sufficient exercise, both physical activity, and mental challenges. Let us know in the comments what has worked for your Beagle.

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