Can Beagles Be Kept Outside?

I am thinking about getting a dog, and I am not sure if the Beagle is right for me, but whatever dog I get, I would like to keep them outside most of the time. I spend a great deal of time outdoors, and I would like to build a place to keep my dog, whatever dog I eventually adopt.

Uncertain of which dog breed is right for me and my needs, I decided to do a little research today and discovered this information.

Can Beagles be kept outside?

Beagles can be kept outside during the day if the pet parent or family members are out outside with them, but there are too many potentially dangerous variables outside to leave your Beagle unattended outside for more than a few minutes. They are a breed of dog that thrives best when they are in close contact with those they love most, their family. 

Traditionally, they were bred to be hunting dogs and lived in packs where they stayed outdoors with their human hunting companions. 

This, however, does not mean that they can be kept outside all night, for long periods or when their family is inside or away.

This is never a good idea for any dog breed, regardless of their physical abilities and strengths. 

Beagles can be kept outside for a bit of a while if their family members go inside, but they will likely want to be right beside them, involved in whatever they are doing. 

As their breeding dictated, they spent a lot of time in a hunting pack, and yes, during those moments, they spent a great deal of time outdoors, even sleeping outside. 

When they did this, we need to remember that they were a part of a “pack,” which meant they might have slept outside, but where they slept was adequately insulated to protect them from the weather and keep them safe. 

Depending on the pack, they also slept all huddled together in their “pack” with many dogs together, anywhere from five to twenty or more. 

This is not to say that Beagles can not be kept outside for a certain period, as they do enjoy the outdoors, but they should be supervised and brought in from time to time depending on the weather the family lives in.

For any dog to be kept outside, they need first to have the physical attributes that would allow them to sustain and survive diverse weather conditions and adverse situations.

Most commonly, the dogs that can do this are sledding dogs.

That being said, Beagles are not dogs that should be kept outside all the time.

Beagles can be outside for any length of time if their pet parents or family are outside as well. This is because Beagles were bred as hunting dogs that lived in packs. 

They are most comfortable and feel their happiest when they are in the company of others.

For this reason, Beagles should never be left alone outside for long periods as it will affect their emotional happiness and can potentially affect their physical health.

Traditionally as hunting dogs, they lived in packs, and while during this time they would spend their time outdoors, including sleeping, it was different than how they would live today.

Historically when Beagles were in packs for the hunt, they would live all together. 

This could include anywhere from five to over twenty dogs that spent their time together, including sleeping.

When they slept, they would sleep in a covered and sometimes securely walled-in area that protected them from the elements of the weather and kept them safe. 

Aside from that, because there were so many dogs in a pack, they were never alone or lonely and had each other for companionship and warmth.

Today for most families and pet parents leaving their dogs outside might mean a fenced-in yard, all by themselves, where anything can happen. 

There are huge variances in life outdoors in a hunting pack and life outdoors today all alone.

This doesn’t mean that a pet parent or family cannot leave their Beagle keep their Beagle outside, but they should always supervise the Beagle and bring them in from time to time to check on them and make sure everything is okay.

Is there any way to teach my Beagle to like spending their daytime outside if I am not out?

No, there is no way to teach your Beagle to like spending their daytime outside if you are not out with them. While it is likely that they will enjoy this time, they will be too concerned with where you are and what you’re doing and want to be with you.

When they first go outside, they might enjoy it for a few minutes.

Time will vary from dog to dog. Eventually, however, they will want to come inside, see what you are up to, and be by your side involved in your activity or wanting attention.

It may be possible to gradually increase the time a Beagle spends outside during the day comfortably by providing numerous entertainments like obstacle courses, toys, and things for the scent, but they should always be supervised.

This can increase their time outside without their pet parent or family, but depending on the dog, they may still crave your attention and forget about all the fun, more interested in you and where you are. 

This is a part of their nature and breeding and something that will be hard to break.

Aside from that, there are many other things to consider when leaving any dog outside for an extended period that pet parents must think about beforehand.

What kind of problems can come up if I leave my Beagle outside without supervision?

The kinds of problems that can come up if you leave your Beagle outside without supervision include, of course, issues with the weather.

Depending on the pet parent or family’s region, weather patterns can be drastic or have sudden changes that happen fast. 

Rain, snow, sleet, hail, extreme heat or cold, and thunderstorms can all happen and sometimes without much notice. 

It is never a good idea to put a dog outside if the weather is questionable, and they should never be left outdoors when the weather is changing or questionable.

Aside from the weather, other problems can come while your Beagle is outside if they aren’t supervised. There is the possibility of escape, even in a fenced-in yard. 

Even the tiniest, slowest, or least interested dog can find a way to escape and sometimes pull a Houdini in their pet parents.

For Beagles, this can be a real possibility if they catch an exciting scent that has them focusing, and they leave or escape the yard to check it out. 

Before long, they could be miles away, depending on the dog and what they are scenting.

Another issue can be the ingestion of foreign or dangerous plants or objects. 

No dog is immune to this trait, and we as pet parents will often find out Beagle or other dog sniffing something, licking it, biting, or tasting something, they shouldn’t.

When left outdoors, the Beagle could do just that and end up causing health issues that can be mild or severe and sometimes need to be addressed with their veterinarian.

Another problem is wildlife, and this again depends on where the family lives. It is possible that the Beagle could meet wildlife that could harm them. 

It is easy for us as humans to forget about the bear or bobcat that lurks in the woods or mountains behind our home or a few miles away. 

However, these are real dangers for some of us and our fur babies. It can take but a few minutes of unsupervised time outside for an animal to come along and harm our loving Beagle.

In a way, dogs are like our children. 

While they never fully grow up and move out as a human child does, they forever depend on us for the rest of their lives. 

Since they are like our children, they need to be cared for as such, including supervising them while they are always outdoors.

Don’t get me wrong, if you live in a clustered neighborhood where there is nothing but other houses around you and the yard is fenced, it may be possible to give them a few minutes of private free play, but again anything is possible.

If you can think it, they can do it, and mother nature can bring it. 

It is better to keep a close eye on your Beagle than regret it later.

Final Thoughts

Spending time outside is a great way to have fun and be healthy but leaving your keeping your Beagle outside all the time is never a good idea.

As pack animals, they thrive best being close to their loved ones, not to mention many things that can happen outside alone.

Rather than keeping them outside alone, find activities that you and your Beagle can do together so you can both enjoy time together and live a healthy life!