• Your beagle should have a collar and a harness and both should be clipped to the leash. If you are using a harness with the clip on the back of the dog, then you will need a leash coupler with two hooks to attach to both collar and harness or use two leashes. View Example
  • Martingale collars are harder for dogs to get out of. View Example
  • Leashes should be flat and 4-6’ in length. Never use retractable leashes with beagles, other scent hounds or shy dogs. They do not give you enough control. View Example
  • Tags, including rabies tags, TBR tag, microchip tag and ID tag should be on the dog at all times, except when they are crated.
  • Never, ever let a beagle off leash unless he is in a secure, fenced-in area. Scent hounds will catch a scent and be gone before you know it.
  • Collars and harnesses loosen easily with use and should be checked regularly and adjusted accordingly.
  • New dogs of any kind, and especially shy dogs, should be carefully supervised even in a fenced yard, especially at first.
  • Fenced yards should be checked weekly for escape routes, evidence of digging and hazards, including dead animals.
  • Install 3 feet of coated fence wire at the bottom of a wooden fence, bent so that a dog can not get under the wire to dig under the fence. View Example
  • Doorways are tricky for shy animals – work with them to get them comfortable walking through doorways without balking or otherwise putting themselves at risk. Many are quite fearful of going through an open door past a person because in their former lives, many had their heads or bodies slammed in doorways for trying to escape. You will need to open the door wide and stand behind it so that they feel safe. To get them to go through a doorway, you may need to stand a distance beyond it to get them to follow.
  • Hand feed your beagle at first to help him or her develop trust in you.
  • Work to build a shy dog’s confidence through training. Confident dogs are less likely to panic.
  • Take treats with you on walks and be generous with them. If the dog ever gets loose, he or she will come back if they know you have good treats! (Make sure they are excellent enough to divert attention from scents.)
  • Always give your dogs treats when you call them in from a fenced yard. They’ll be less likely to avoid coming in.
  • Teach your dogs the “Back” command or something similar. You can use it when entering or exiting your home. A little beyond the “Wait” command, it tells the dog to back several feet away from the door and stay.
  • Teach your dog the “Wait” command for use in getting him or her out of the car.
  • If a dog starts fighting his collar (pulling back against it to try to get out of it), immediately give some slack to the leash. They will have nothing to pull against.
  • If he tugs and tries to pull out of his harness, immediately drop down to his level to pull the leash in. That seems to make shy dogs more comfortable and not so intimidated.
  • If you have dogs who love car rides and they escape out the door, try calling “You wanna go for a car ride?” and opening a car door, for them to jump in. Then drive them somewhere.
  • Walk dogs in quiet areas if at all possible.
  • If your dog ever does escape, reward him with treats and praise when he returns. He will equate returning to you with positive things! Never, ever punish the dog for coming home.
  • To prevent dogs from chasing cars, try teaching them to “sit” when a car goes by.

Adopting a Shy Dog:
http://content.breederoo.com/users/jane3dog/files/Adopting_a_Shy_Dog.pdf

Loving a Shy Dog:
http://www.mywoofgang.com/handouts/YPC/YPC_0908.pdf

Through a Dog’s Ear calming music:
http://www.thebark.com/content/calming-music-rescue

TBR is fortunate to have two dog trainers who volunteer their wisdom to the group. Here are their websites, both of which have excellent information:

Jane Marshall:
http://www.cheerydogs.com/

Patricia Tirrell:
http://www.confident-dog.com/