In case you are thinking about adding a dog to your family, I would definitely suggest that you put beagles into consideration. They are among the most even-tempered canine breeds, thus making them awesome pets for any family particularly the ones with small children. We currently take care of two beagles in our home. One is already an adult and the other is still a puppy. I would surely love to have more in the future.
Beagles also belong to the friendliest canine breeds, and they enjoy being around humans. They adore nothing more than being cuddled, which I think is really sweet. There are even times when our beagles would join us in our bed, lie down by our side and allow us to hug them for warmth when it gets really cold at dawn. In case you are a person looking for a dog to have as a companion, you must really choose to have a beagle.
One other awesome thing about beagles is that grooming them is really very simple. All you have to do is bathe them regularly just like any other dog. No need for a haircut since they are short-coated pooches. And since they have a short coat, brushing is also not necessary. Although, we still brush ours just to pamper them, and you can do it too once you have one. They also do not shed too much so having them indoors is not a problem. The only most important thing that you have to keep in mind is to maintain the cleanliness of their ears. Just like any hound, they can have ear issues if not cleaned regularly. I remember when we just got our first beagle, she had ear mites - yikes! It was not our fault though. She already had it when we got her. Good thing our vet got rid of the problem. From then on, we always give our dogs (not just the beagles) antiectoparasitic treatment every month to avoid parasites. We never experienced any ear problem with other beagles again.
Beagles also love to play. Ours enjoy squeaky toys and fetching balls. If you like, you can buy animal scents from your local pet store and set up hunting games for them. They were initially bred for hunting so they will surely love it.
I find beagles are very gentle, so they can be great with children. If I will ever have a child in the future, I will never worry about them being together. I think they would even be great playmates. So in case you are thinking about getting a dog for your family or for yourself, a beagle will surely be a great option!
