The Kerry Beagle is an energetic and playful breed. But how do you know whether you are ready to purchase a pet and if this breed is right for you? This information is absolutely necessary in making the decision to purchase a pet.
History
The origin of the Kerry Beagle can be traced back to late 18th century Ireland. Enthusiasts believe these dogs to have descended from such breeds as the Old Southern Hound and the Celtic Hound, though this has never been proven scientifically or otherwise.
Throughout its history, the Kerry Beagle has been most commonly used for hunting, scenting, and tracking game such as rabbit and raccoon, proving its superior abilities to work for hours on end while providing enthusiastic companionship.
The breed was threatened by complete extinction during the early 1900’s, due to lack of interest in hunting dogs. Credited for saving the breed are unnamed breeders, who worked feverishly and used the Chien d’Ariege in order to repopulate the breed to the stable numbers it remains at currently.
Today, while the Kerry Beagle has attained a regional popularity as a hunting and companion dog, the breed remains rather rare outside of its native Ireland.
Personality Traits
Best known for its energetic and outgoing nature, the Kerry Beagle is full of character. These active dogs love to keep busy with work and play, and thrive on strong and dependable relationships with humans. This breed is highly intelligent and generally easy to train. As a pet, the Kerry Beagle is obedient, loyal, loving, and very affectionate. These dogs are not suited for full-time indoor or apartment living, as they enjoy spending time outdoors, playing games such as fetch, and having plenty of room to run and play.
Train-ability
Due to its need for human relationships and willingness to learn, the Kerry Beagle generally responds well to basic training and commands. These bright dogs have the ability to learn to perform most any task their trainer is willing to take the time to teach.
Establishing immediate dominance, trust, and respect is key to successfully training the Kerry Beagle. This breed can be somewhat sensitive to criticism and respond best to positive reinforcement and reward-based training.
Benefits and Disadvantages of the Breed
There are many benefits to owning a Kerry Beagle, such as its no hassle, low maintenance coat. These active dogs are always on the go, and often quite amusing and entertaining to watch while at play. When properly socialized from a young age, the Kerry Beagle gets along well with children and other pets, known for its sweet and gentle approach to small children. This breed is obedient, loyal, loving, and very affectionate, making an excellent hunting dog, family pet, and companion alike.
Unfortunately, there are also disadvantages to owning a Kerry Beagle. This energetic and athletic breed requires large amounts of daily exercise and room to run and play outdoors. Anyone wishing to purchase this breed lacking the adequate amount of time and space to dedicate to the dog is strongly advised against doing so. A Kerry Beagle not receiving the proper amount of exercise and space will often act out by destroying property, chewing, digging, barking, whining, and ignoring basic training such as housebreaking.
The Kerry Beagle has a strong instinct to hunt and will occasionally indulge in a good chase. When on the run, these dogs are surprisingly quick, and may pose a threat to other animals, neighborhood pets, and small woodland creatures. The Kerry Beagle must be leashed or properly secured at all times when outdoors.
This breed’s incredible sense of smell can often lead to trouble. It is not unusual for the Kerry Beagle to dart out of doors or tear open a bag of garbage in order to follow a scent. Proper training can reduce these behaviors in the Kerry Beagle.
As previously mentioned, the Kerry Beagle remains rather rare outside of its native Ireland and can prove quite difficult to obtain. Individuals seeking to purchase this breed often encounter such challenges as inability to locate a breeder, extremely high prices, and being placed on long waiting lists.
Common Health Concerns
While the Kerry Beagle is typically known as a healthy and hearty breed, they do suffer from a few health problems, including: patellar luxation – dislocation of the knee, heart murmur, von Willebrand’s Disease – a blood clotting disorder, glaucoma, entropian – folding inward of the eye lid, ectropian – folding outward of the eye lid, sensitivity to anesthesia, and various dental issues.
Now that you know all about the breed, do you think you are ready to own a Kerry Beagle? Remember, purchasing a pet is a big decision and should be discussed thoroughly and seriously with your entire family.
Sources:
http://www.heydogs.com/k/kerry-beagle.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/kerry_beagle
