- We want to get her a dog bed so she'll have "her place" in the family room. We tried to give our old dog dog beds in his outdoor dog house, but no matter what we gave him, he just chewed it up and strewed it across the yard. We're hoping this one will like "her place" and will use it often. I'm not sure whether to get her a small or a medium. Do dogs like a small bed so they can feel cozy with sides rising around them, or do they like to spread out in a larger bed?
For a dog between 15-30 pounds you would need at least a medium-size bed. Small beds are generally for dogs under 15 pounds. As for what type of bed--you're going to have to wait until you get your dog to know. I would buy a cheaper bed to start with. If you find that your dog likes to burrow under blankets, you may want to consider a "cave" bed. If your dog likes to sprawl out, you may want to consider a wide pillow-like bed. Then there's my dog, who likes sleeping on hard, cold surfaces. You just never know.
- When we had an indoor cat we used to lure him to the areas we wanted him to stay with fresh-grown catnip in a bowl. Is there anything similar to make a dog like her bed?
There's no dog equivalent to catnip, but most dogs are either food-motivated, toy-motivated, attention-motivated, or a combination thereof. You need to get to know your dog to find out which one she is. With a Beagle, she'll likely be food-motivated. That means you can lure your dog to her area with treats. If you do wind up getting a crate, you can search "crate games" on the Internet to help your dog get used to a crate.
- People talk about crate training. We have a large bathroom with ceramic tile flooring, where she could not possibly do any damage (famous last words). We're thinking of getting a baby gate so she could be kept in that room, if we have company or whatever -- and if we do that, I don't see any point in having a crate too. I'm confused about why people get crates.
You can use a small bathroom in place of a crate, but you should also think about long-term. Do you want that bathroom back at some point? A Beagle isn't a big dog--they can live 15-16 years or more. Do you want your dog to take over your bathroom... for years? Because crates are most often used as your dogs "room." You get a crate that is big enough for the dog to stand up and turn around easily. Once the dog is used to the crate, she can sleep in it, be put in it when company comes over, eat in it, etc. (Note: to sleep in a crate, your dog will likely require a crate bed or mat). Crates don't just serve to housetrain dogs (although they're great for that), but also serve as a place your dog can call her own. A lot of dogs love their crates. It also prevents your dog from getting into things if you don't trust her at home, alone and loose.
Now, if your dog turns out to be very trustworthy and you can let her run loose (at least in a portion of your house), then perhaps you don't need a crate. You may still want a crate, though, for its benefits.
- How often does an indoor /outdoor dog need a bath? Because our old dog never came inside, she didn't get many baths.
Completely indoor dogs can probably go a few months without a bath, depending on whether they are short or long haired dogs. Most dogs still get oily, though, after awhile. What is your oil and smell tolerance?
If a dog also goes outdoors, I would bathe the dog once every two weeks. Why? Because your dog is treading on the same ground she's using the bathroom. That ground is also full of bugs, bug excrement, bird poo, pollen, dirt, fungus, plant matter, etc. And then she's coming back in the house with all that. To think about it almost makes you want to bathe her every time she comes back inside, but that is way overkill. Once every two weeks is healthy for the dog and for you. More often than once every two weeks can be rough on the dog's skin.
- When our big, outdoor fellow was in his prime, I used to buy two of the largest bags of dry food at a time. How fast will a small dog go through a bag? I don't want to keep too much laying about the house, but I also don't want to find myself running back out just for dog food when we've only had the critter-dog for a week.
You'll probably be feeding her about 1 cup of dry food per day, but commercial dog foods have feeding amounts on the package. This is a guideline. If you find your dog is getting too hefty using the guideline, then cut back. If your dog loses weight (and you can feel her ribs), give her more. If your dog seems like she's starving... she's probably not. A lot of dogs will eat far more than they should. Gauge her look to know if you are overfeeding or underfeeding her. I buy a 50 lb bag of food for my two small dogs. They get 1/2 cup per day each (so 1 cup for both of them). It lasts me about 2 months per bag.
- What else should I be considering before bringing home an indoor dog?
If you ever plan on giving her freedom of movement around at least part of the house when you're not around, consider a doggie door. With a secured back yard, it's a blessing to not have to worry about letting the dog out.
You may also want to consider what boundaries you want to set up. Some folks (like me) are fine with the dog getting up on the furniture, or sleeping in the bed. Others do not allow the dog up on the furniture, and have the dog sleep in a crate, or on a dog bed. Start with your boundaries from day one. If your dog jumps up on the couch, tell her in a firm, but not angry, voice ("nuh uh"). Then when she gets off the couch, give her a treat. ("Nuh uh" is better than "no" because we tend to say "no" a lot in everyday conversation, and it will lose meaning to a dog).
- Any positives or negatives concerning Beagles? She's super cute and affectionate but not super high-energy, and in our eyes she stood out from the rest of the dogs. She did growl at the Chihuahua-Terrier mix we were also considering, but since she'll be an only-dog, that didn't concern us much.
I don't have any Beagles of my own, but I have friends who do. One has a Beagle mix that is a ball of energy. The other has a pure-bred Beagle, who is laid back and rather quiet. While you can look up general traits of breeds, you're going to be getting an individual. She may or may not fit the general traits of her breed. At 7 years old, she shouldn't have some of the more annoying puppy habits (chewing, for example), but you'll never know until you start living with a dog.
