With our busy lifestyles and city living more and more people are living in an apartment. Just because you don’t have a yard doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t have a dog.
Many people consider a Beagle for an apartment dog due to their ideal size and friendly nature. But how suitable is apartment living for a Beagle?
Can you keep a Beagle in an apartment
Can Beagles live in an apartment? Yes, Beagles can live happily in an apartment on the condition that they receive the daily exercise and mental enrichment they require. It is also crucial they are trained well especially not to nuisance bark.
There will also be times when you will have to leave your Beagle home alone in the apartment. Again, this is fine as long as they are kept occupied and well trained. For tips on leaving a Beagle alone see here.
Beagles can live happily in an apartment on the condition that they receive the daily exercise and mental enrichment they require.
Can Beagles live inside or should they live outside
Beagles are an ideal inside dog as long as they receive the exercise and activity they need. Beagles are very loyal and love human company and someone to play with. Being inside with their human play companions is exactly want a Beagle needs.
If they live outside only they will crave human contact and companionship. This may result in them running away to seek adventure and company. Beagles are a notorious escape artist.
Beagles also have a short and not very thick coat. This means that in a cooler climate or time of year they will not do well outside.
Therefore, Beagles are best as an inside dog that gets plenty of time outdoors to run and explore.
How to train a Beagle in an apartment
Ensuring a Beagle is well trained is essential due to their independent and stubborn nature. Failure to meet this requirement will most likely result in behavior issues. See Beagle behavior by age for more details.
The key to training a Beagle is to provide leadership. Leadership is not about being the boss. It is the difference between exercising leadership, which is enabling and exercising power, which is limiting.
Beagles are loyal and they will be well behaved if they want to follow your leadership. Trying to force them will make them willful and stubborn.
The two main training considerations that relate to apartment living are to teach them not to bark and toileting training. For more on training a Beagle not to bark see below.
With potty training, it may be necessary to have a toileting area such as puppy pads or a grass dog toilet on the deck, in their crate, or in the bathroom. An adult Beagle can hold their bladder for a long period of time but will need to go outside at least twice a day if they don’t have an inside toilet area.
A Beagle puppy will need to go to the toilet every two or three hours. Unless you are able to take them outside ten times a day they will need a place they can go inside.
Do Beagles bark and howl too much for an apartment
Beagles can be a noisy dog which is not ideal for living in an apartment. However, as long as you are consistent with their training they can learn not to vocalize too much.
Beagles will generally bark for several reasons. The major cause of nuisance barking is boredom. As long as you provide your Beagle with sufficient exercise and enrichment it is a habit they will not get in to. Prevention is better than trying to fix the problem later.
Another cause of the barking is over excitement. This is easily fixed by knowing how to keep your Beagle calm when at home in the apartment. For more on how to calm a Beagle see here.
Teaching the “quiet” command to your Beagle is essential. This will teach them to stop barking on command.
Yelling at your dog to stop usually doesn’t work and often makes them bark more. To a dog you yelling is like barking. They think you are barking so they think they should bark some more.
With excessive barking, a dog will often get into a more aroused state the more they bark. The trick is to stop this state before it gets too high. Teach them a “quiet command” and provide redirection. This can be as simple as getting their attention from the first bark with a treat or toy they like.
Another approach to teaching a Beagle not to bark is to crate train them. With crate training, they learn that they will not be let out of the crate while they are making a noise. If they are barking and you release them from the crate they will learn quickly that barking gets them what they want.
Are Beagles too active for an apartment
Beagles were bred as a scenting hound to chase prey over long distances. They require at least an hour of exercise every day, preferably more. For a guide to Beagle exercise see here.
This daily exercise should include a daily walk of 30 to 40 minutes, but you can take them for long walks or hikes on days that you have time. Not all their exercise needs to be done outside. You can provide plenty of activity and exercise in your apartment by playing with toys or with you.
Beagles are a smart dog and also require plenty of mental stimulation and enrichment. This can be achieved by enriching their environment in the apartment. To learn about environmental enrichment for dogs see here.
How to entertain a Beagle in an apartment
Although it is crucial that your Beagle gets time outside to explore and exercise, there are many ways to provide exercise and activity for them indoors. Some suggestions include;
Stair exercise
If you live in an apartment you will have access to the stairs. Stair exercise is a great energy burner and muscle conditioning activity.
Walking upstairs or a hill strengthens the rear legs as the full bodyweight of your dog is on each leg as the step. As they descend the stairs they are using the opposing muscles for stability. For more on stair exercise for dogs see here.
Walk on a treadmill
Walking on a treadmill is not going to be a substitute for going for a walk, but a least it will provide some release of physical energy. Once your dog is trained to walk on the treadmill you can fit in any other small tasks you have to do while they walk. Obviously, you will need to stay nearby and supervise for safety.
Play with toys
There are many games and toys that can help provide exercise for your Beagle. This can include playing tug of war, fetch, or set up an indoor obstacle course. For the best type of toys for a Beagle see here.
Mental exercise and enrichment
Mental stimulation and enrichment is often an overlooked part of a dogs exercise routine. Providing mental exercise can tire a dog out just as much as physical activity.
All dogs need an outlet for their minds. If they are not provided the opportunity to challenge their minds they will come up with their own ways to achieve this. This usually manifests itself in bad behavior such as excessive barking, digging, escaping and other destructive behaviors. Read “Mental stimulation and mind enrichment for dogs” to learn about the 6 types or categories of mind stimulation a mental enrichment and some great ideas to provide this.
For more about how to exercise a dog in an apartment see here.
Conclusion – Can Beagles live in an apartment
Beagles can live happily in an apartment on the condition that they receive the daily exercise and mental enrichment they require.
If you are considering a Beagle as an apartment dog be absolutely sure you can devote the time and energy to provide the exercise, training, and companionship they require. If you are unable to make this level of commitment, getting a Beagle in your living situation would not be recommended.
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