It is very common to use service dogs in society. There is an increasing number of dog types that are being used as service dogs. They are helpful when it comes to work services, emotional therapy for people who suffer from anxiety or depression, and even helpful to those with a physical disability. These are just some of the ways service dogs are helpful. Plenty of dogs are used as service dogs, one of which is Beagle. The question is, are beagles a good service dog or not? Actually, the answer is yes but only in emotional therapy and work service but not in physical disability services.
Beagles are caring, affectionate, smart, and loving, which makes them ideal for emotional support. Also, Beagles are skillful when it comes to hunting and tracking. That being said, they are used for sniffing bombs and drugs.
With wide range of existing breeds that can be used as service dogs, beagles may not be the best dog option for services that concerns physical ability. But they are very helpful in other services. Keep on reading to know more why how come beagles are good service dogs.
Personality and Traits of a Beagle
Before we tackle the topic on why beagles are good service dogs, let us first understand the personality and Traits of a Beagle.
*They have strong sense of smell
This personality is the reason why Beagles are used to sniff for possible bombs or drugs in a certain place. They have strong sense of smell which is why they are great when it comes to hunting and tracking.
It is important to understand that beagles are best to use for ground scenting. They excel in it. On the other hand, they might find it hard too look for the thing you want him to find out at air scenting. For instance, if dogs that excel in air scenting si beneficial for mountain rescue teams. In the case of Beagle, their long ears and large lips hinder the scent from passing through the nose.
This personality is important because it helps you understand their temperaments and at the same time when you should and should not use them as service dogs.
*Temperament
The temperament of a Beagle is undeniably caring, kid and dog-friendly, and gentle. Beagles are a moderate-tempered dog. Also, they are not too lazy to move but not too aggressive as well. But you should make sure to give him a proper exercise because they are still hyper dogs and they need to release that energy. It is very rare but there is a possibility that if you do not exercise your beagle, it may result in slightly aggressive behavior and anxiety especially when your beagle is always alone at the house.
Apart from that, beagles are a great family dog. They love interacting with humans and they are protective and loving. This trait makes them an ideal family dog. There is nothing to worry about if you have kids in your house because beagles definitely go well with kids. And the truth is, they love playing with kids because kids are active human beings who love to play all the time.
Beagles are also good with other dogs. That being said, it is more beneficial to your beagle if you have other dogs in the house. This is because you are no longer obligated to exercise him daily especially puppies because it is more likely that your beagle will play with other dogs.
Considering these characteristics, it is no wonder why some beagle owners say that such a breed does not make an effective guard dog. It because they can easily be swayed. However, because of their deep and loud bark, they make a good watchdogs.
*Beagle’s Overall Personality
Similar to what has been previously mentioned, beagles are caring, friendly, and smart. It is very unlikely for beagles to show destructive behavior. Unless someone did something to him or to his loved one. Nevertheless, the common complaint of beagle owners is the deep and loud bark of beagle. This is why beagle owners buy a spray that emits gas to make a dog stop barking. However, this may not be safe. Spray products contain chemical that is harmful to both you and your dog
One way to lessen frequent barking is by giving him regular exercise. Sometime beagles have plenty of energy and they do not know how to release it. Especially if they are always inside the cage. As a result, they just howl until they get tired. That being said, if you do not want you neighbor to call the police because of a noisy dog in the neighborhood, make sure to give him enough exercise.
On the off chance, you are a busy person who does not have time to exercise with your beagle, at least buy him a dog chew toy or an interactive plush toy to keep him busy when you are not around. And once you get home, you can even use this toy to play tug of war or game of fetch. It does not take too much time but your beagle will surely have fun.
*Training
Adult beagles are kind or hard to train which is why it is best to train them as puppies. Beagle puppies are most smart, active, and curious at that age. Also, it is the best time to introduce treats. In addition to that, they can be stubborn and hard to train because of their instinct to sniff all the time or hunt.
Beagles are somehow hard to train compared to other breeds. With that, the owner or trainer need patience and consistency with beagle puppies.
Why are Beagles Good Service Dogs?
*Beagles as work service animals
What makes beagle a perfect work service animal is because of their sense of smell. As mentioned in the earlier part of the article, beagles were once an effective hunting dog because of their strong sense of smell and amazing tracking skills.
Considering such skills workforce utilizes these in tracking and sniffing out different objects in a building, for instance. Service dogs are commonly found in the malls and airport. Because it is where plenty of foreign agricultural objects can be found. Also, sniffing dogs are used in order to prevent trafficking of illegal substance.
Other reasons why beagles are found in the airport. They are medium sized dogs with almost similar ability with that of large breeds. Their size can be seen as an advantage to some workforce because it is easier to control and less space is necessary without affecting the quality of work.
Apart from that, this breed is less scary compared to other sniffing dogs or law enforcement dogs that leave the passengers and people frightened.
*Beagles as Emotional/Therapy Support Animals
Aside from beagles being a great work service animals, they also make great emotional support animals because they are loving, affectionate, and loyal to their owners. There are many reasons why dogs are called the a man’s best friend. And it is because they will protect you with all their might and they will not leave you side. Also, your beagle will know if you are not feeling great or you are happy.
Beagles are great family dog because they are both human friendly and especially kid friendly. Moreover, they are active, loves to play with kids, and energetic.
Aside from that, this breed is sociable and loving. Because of this, they get easily attached with their owners. Both the beagle and the owner benefit from this. Beagles want attention and the owner easily find solace and peace of mind with this small loving creature. In addition to that, they are very much willing to provide attention and cuddles to their owners in times of emotional stress. As a result, it alleviates your stress and worries.
Beagle are good service dogs and a great emotional support animals when travelling. They are small in size and easy to bring anywhere. Because beagles are friendly and great in comforting their owners, you will get easily distracted from work or anything that worries you too much.
Are beagles good service dogs despite this friendly and loving personality? Yes, it is what makes them good service dogs. They comfort those who need emotional support. Because they are smart and alert, they know when their owners are experiencing mental stress.
*Beagles as Disability Service Animals
While beagles are good service dogs, they are not as effective as disability service for some reason. One reason is its size. Beagles are compact in size and not as big as other service dogs. A dog that can be used for disability service must be big in size so that they can carry their owners for whatever safety reasons. Apparently, beagles are too small to provide such support.
Aside from that, another reason is they get easily distracted by environmental factors because of their strong sense of smell. They may have good noses but it is a disadvantage if you will use them for physical disability service. In addition to that, they too energetic as a disability service animal. Persons with disability cannot keep up with the pace of the beagle.
That being said, the best type of dogs for disability service animals are those with lower energy and activity level that will make a balanced pace or their owners to keep up.
Conclusion
Despite their size, beagles are good service dogs thanks to their strong sense of smell. This personality makes them a great work service animal. Also, they are a loving and perfect family dog. They know when their owners are experiencing emotional stress and they are willing to cheer them up. They will support their owners emotionally and will help them get rid of stress and worries. However, because of their size, they are not as effective as a disability service animal. Aside from the fact that they can’t carry their owners for whatever safety reasons, they are too active and full of energy. This is not what a person with a disability needs because he/she will not be able to keep up with the dog. What he/she needs is a dog with low energy in order not to stress their ability.
