My beagle, Trooper is 9 years old and h'es my buddy. He's got some serious allergy issues and his skin gets really red and irritated this time of year. He stays on appoquel and an antibiotic. I had him allergy tested last week and am waiting for the results. He's been a blast that's for sure. I used to love it when he'd charge off the back porch and get in a mexican stand off with the whitetail does that come in the yard. He never caught the rabbit that hung out in the back yard, but he'd give it hell trying to catch him. Like one other poster noted, if he gets on a trail you're not going to get him back for awhile. Mine got after the deer once and it was four hours before he finally came back, exhausted.
We had him fixed and he bailed off the back porch with the cone around his neck and went after the deer one evening. I went after him and finally caught him about an hour later. I just knew he was going to tear his stitches up, but he didn't. I, on the other hand, tore the meniscus in my left knee chasing his butt and wound up having surgery about a year later.
Beagles, being short haired hounds, shed like nobody's business. Both my beagle and my boxer are house dogs so I have to vacuum at least once a day.
Trooper is a very loving and fun dog. Enjoy yours!
