Can a beagle be left alone?

There are always situations when you have to leave your Beagle alone. Be it when you have to go shopping, have a doctor’s appointment or a private party. If a beagle can be left alone and whether it is even suitable for working people, we clarify in this article.
A Beagle can be left alone between 3 and 5 hours, if you have accustomed him to this properly from the beginning. It is important to get your Beagle used to being alone in small steps, slowly, and not to throw him right into the deep end.
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At what age can i leave a beagle puppy alone?
When you pick up your puppy from the breeder, he is usually between 9 and 11 weeks old. You are now taking him out of his familiar environment, separating him from his mother and siblings.
The most important thing is to give your Beagle puppy the time to get used to his new environment and to build The most important thing is to give your Beagle puppy the time to get used to his new environment and build trust with you and the other residents of the house.
After a certain acclimation period of at least one week, you can slowly start training with getting your Beagle used to being alone.
How long can you leave a Beagle alone?
You can not make a blanket statement about how long a Beagle can stay alone. This can vary greatly from dog to dog.
You should keep in mind that no dog likes to be alone and no dog should be left alone for 8 hours.
With the right training, a Beagle can definitely stay alone between 3 and 5 hours.
Beagle, leave alone in dog crate
A good way to get your Beagle used to being left alone is to use a dog crate.
Especially with the Beagle you have to be careful when you leave him alone. You may have a Beagle that gets inventive and opens your cupboards looking for something to eat when he is alone.
That’s when it can make sense to have him in a crate while you’re away.
A dog crate is a safe retreat for many dogs. There they are shielded from outside influences and it gives them a piece of security. Dogs love to lie in a kind of cave.
You can observe that many dogs also like to lie under the table or generally protected in some way. It simply gives a feeling of security.
But even to this dog box, your Beagle must sometimes first get used to. Of course, there are also dogs that just go in and feel comfortable right away.

Getting your beagle used to the dog crate
To get your beagle used to the crate, you should also take it step by step and definitely not just put him inside.
If you just put your puppy in the dog crate and close the door, he will have a negative experience right away.
So it is important to proceed gently and patiently and not with a crowbar. Your dog must have a positive experience with the dog crate.
- First place the dog crate in the place where it will be in the future. This way your dog can get used to the b
- Then you can start making the box more interesting for him. On the one hand, you can throw treats into the box that your beagle will eat. On the other hand, you can give him his food in the box. The good thing is that beagles are usually very greedy and will not skip a meal.
- So, step by step, you get your Beagle used to the box and associate it with something positive, namely food or treats.
- The moment your beagle goes into the box, you can give the command “Box”. In this way, your beagle will associate the command with going into the box. Later, you can use the command to send him into the box. Be it when visitors come or you have to leave the house.
- Over time, as the box becomes a habit for your Beagle, you can also put things in the box that will make him stay there longer. For example, a great toy like a Kong or other chew item. Anything that is interesting to your dog and will make him stay in the box longer. The most important thing is to never push your dog into the box, but let him go in on his own.
- If your Beagle, or any dog in general, should take the toy out of the crate, take it away from him and put it back in the crate. This way your dog understands that the great toy or treat is only in the crate.
- The next goal is for your dog to lie down in the crate – with the door open. So when your dog wants to come out of the crate, you block him and prevent him from coming out. The goal is for your dog to lie in the crate with the door open. Of course, you stay next to the crate the whole time.
- If your dog can now enter the crate calmly and stay inside, you can start to close the door for a few seconds. You stay there for the time being and do not leave.
- Then you can slowly extend the time when the door is closed and leave for a short time. For example, you can go to another room for a minute. You now gradually increase the duration of your absence.
It is important that you open the dog crate door only when your beagle is lying quietly inside. If you open the door when he is screaming, howling or barking, he will associate this and learn that the door will open when he makes his presence known. Then the next time you will have to shorten the duration a little.
In this way you get your Beagle used to the dog crate in slow steps and at the same time you can use it to leave him alone.
Suitable dog crates
The following dog crates are ideal not only for transport in the car, but also for use in the living room. The advantage is that they are relatively opaque and give your dog the feeling of a cave:
Petmate Vari Kennel Travel Crate*
- A dog crate should always be 4 to 6 inch (10 to 15 cm) larger than the dog. The dog must be able to stand in the box, turn around, and lie in it comfortably.
*Amazon affiliate/advertiser link
Train a beagle to stay alone
Of course, it is also possible to get your Beagle used to being left alone without a dog crate.
Once your puppy has settled in, start leaving him alone for a few seconds first. You can easily incorporate training into your daily routine.
- Leave the room, close the door and return after a few seconds.
- Increase the time of absence step by step
- Leave the house to get the mail, take out the trash, etc.
- Again, keep increasing the absence time
It is important that you do not say goodbye to your beagle effusively or greet him when you return and praise him for how great he did. Your comings and goings must become something normal for him.
Leaving the beagle alone without training
There are always dog owners who unfortunately don’t care about their dog as much as they should.
A beagle needs a lot of exercise and activity but some dog owners prefer to send their dogs to the garden instead of giving them a proper walk and others are just left alone for hours without getting them used to it first.
Beagles, like most dog breeds, prefer to be around their owners and don’t like to be left alone. If they are not slowly accustomed to this, not normal situation, the following behaviors can occur:
- Excessive barking, howling, yelping, crying.
- Stress related panting
- Your dog pees on the couch or in the apartment
- Destructiveness
In the case of the Beagle, it can additionally happen that they become very inventive and turn your apartment upside down. Beagles have a very good nose and besides the gift of being able to break out of any prison, like a garden, they eventually learn how to open your cupboards and raid them for edibles.
Before you leave your beagle alone
It’s important that you don’t just leave the house for several hours. You should properly exercise your beagle beforehand. A long walk or run and additional nose work is good to tire out your Beagle.
You can better leave your Beagle alone when he is exhausted and tired than when he is full of energy waiting for his walk.
Also, it’s important that you make sure your dog has done everything. It would be disastrous if your dog has to go out while waiting for you for hours. This could ruin all your training.
Beagle for full-time workers?
If you work full time, no dog is really suitable for you. No dog should be left alone for 8 hours or more.
If If you can arrange to take your beagle for a big walk before work, be home for lunch at your dog, and then take care of your dog again in the afternoon, this can work.
Alternatively, you can take your beagle to the office with you. The size and appearance usually don’t scare anyone and actually everyone likes the beagle.
Conclusion: Can a beagle be left alone?
Yes, with the right training from the beginning you can leave a Beagle alone between 3 and 5 hours. Of course, this is only a rough guide and can vary. You may also get a Beagle that can’t stay alone or can only stay alone for short periods of time.
If you get a dog, you should always have enough time and only leave him alone in exceptional cases. If you know from the start that your dog will have to stay alone for several hours a day, you should have a plan B like a dog sitter or dog daycare and factor that in financially.
© Przemyslaw Iciak-stock.adobe.com (Contributed image)