Dog Training - Hounds

[canislupus]

Can anyone suggest why you have difficulties in training a hound to come on command?

[woofgang]

well hounds generally are bred to hunt and to function in a pack....they don't come back to the hunter, the hunter keeps up with them. Having said that, what breed of hound are you thinking of specifically?

[canislupus]

Thinking about a Beagle - but was adviced that they are very difficult to train in particular - recall and I was wondering why this would be the case.

[kita1]

The words 'Beagle' and 'recall' don't really go together!

Beagle's tend to get a scent (eg rabbit etc) and will follow it to the ends of the earth! They go completely deaf and totally oblivious to anything except the scent.

No amount of training can get rid of the instict they were born with - after all that is what they are bred for.

[Illyria54]

A friend of mine had a Beagle and it was great in the house/garden but let it off lead on the common and oh boy! once it took off with it's nose to the ground and was gone all weekend! I love the breed but definitely wouldn't want one, I would be too worried every time I took it out.

[lankeela]

Apart from not coming when called they also howl a great deal.
They are as has been said a pack breed and thrive better when in a pack situation.

[woofgang]

I have known people with beagles (my hairdresser has one) who do come back when called but they are deffo in the minority..Having said that, I believe that breeders are rcognising that dogs with a strong hunting instinct and nothing else are likely to lead unhappy lives as pets (which is what most beagles are these days) and are selecting for a "modified" character