I adore the Beagle that I just adopted. He is active and loves to go for hikes and be right beside me at every turn.
I have never really had a dog before, but he seemed like the perfect fit for my active lifestyle when I chose him.
While I don’t know much about his breed, I want to know if I can expect him to be as cuddly as he is active, as I do like to sit down and snuggle quite often.
Do Beagles Like To Cuddle?
Beagles like to cuddle and snuggle because they want to be close to their loved ones all the time. While Beagles are independent thinkers with their own minds and ideas, this does not mean they don’t want attention. Bred to hunt and live in packs, Beagles are used to love, closeness, and cuddling.
Historically, Beagles lived in hunting packs where ten to twenty or more dogs might have been huddled together each night.
This brought each dog comfort, close connection and was the basis for their lifestyle at that time.
This has followed through into our modern world, where they still coincidently happen to be phenomenal hunting dogs.
Many pet parents who own a Beagle will quickly learn that everything they are doing, the Beagle likely wants to be involved in, or at the very least nearby, or have access to their loved ones.
If they don’t get the closeness and cuddling they need, Beagles are notorious for suffering separation anxiety and displaying challenging behaviors.
Therefore, they need closeness and cuddling because of their very sociable and affectionate nature.
They don’t mind closeness as this is how they worked and lived together in their pack of many while they hunted.
If a pet parent is not the cuddle and snuggle-up type, there are many other ways to provide affection and comfort to their Beagle that honors both them and their loveable fur baby.
Beagles were bred to hunt, and so they lived and hunted in packs that contained many other dogs, as many as five to twenty-five or more depending on the hunting pack.
Since this is historically how they lived, this trait of needing closeness and connection has followed through to the Beagles of today that are happiest when they are closely connected to those they love, snuggling, cuddling, or just hanging around.
The need for physical attention and emotional attention and nearness is not ideal for everyone, and some pet parents may find this too much to handle.
Anyone who has known and loved a friendly and affectionate Beagle knows there is nothing greater than the love of a dog.
Many people may think that the Beagle is a breed that doesn’t like to snuggle, cuddle or be close because they have definite ideas and are independent thinkers with a clear mind of their own.
This, however, is not the case as the Beagle loves nothing more than to be closely connected to their loved ones.
This is due to their breeding and background, and while each dog will be individual and have its own needs and wants the breed loves to cuddle, snuggle and be close.
Either way, the Beagles will still want closeness; it may just be in a different form.
For instance, a Beagle may not want to snuggle and cuddle all the time, but if you are outside gardening, they will want to be beside you helping, or at the very least digging somewhere nearby.
They will want to keep you in their eyesight and may wander off for a quick adventure if they caught the scent of something interesting but don’t be surprised if they second you move, the Beagle knows.
The Beagle will likely come to investigate what you are doing, why you moved, or simply grab a quick kiss and see if they want to participate in what you are doing too.
Such is the life of a dog owner, but even more so for those who own affectionate, friendly, and loveable dogs like the Beagle.
Knowing this, there are things that the pet parents must consider.
For instance, dogs like the Beagle that love to cuddle and be close almost all the time can have trouble if they are required to spend any length of time away from their loved ones.
The Beagle can suffer from separation anxiety.
They can also display destructive behaviors if their need for closeness to their loved ones is not met.
This can take the form of barking, scratching, digging, and any other thought of or unforeseen negative behavior.
They are independent, strong-willed, and have a mind of their own, but the Beagle is truly happiest when they are close, cuddling, and spending time with their loved ones.
Therefore, if the pet parents must leave their Beagle at home, whether for work or something else, they need to consider their dog and the situation.
Beagles will usually do best if they have access to another person while their pet parents are away.
Having a dog sitter, whether family, friend, or neighbor, come in and spend some time cuddling with them and taking care of them or taking them to a doggie daycare will be the best possible outcome for a dog of this nature.
Beagles, of course, should always be trained so they can be the best dog that they can be.
Aside from that, training can help them adjust to life’s ups and downs, including time spent away from their loved ones.
My Beagle is so cuddly and needs to be so close; it drives me nuts; what can I do?
If you find that your Beagles’ cuddliness and closeness are just too much to handle, some things can be done to provide you with some relief while meeting their need for affection and love.
The first thing is to attempt to show them affection in other ways. Playtime can be a great way to handle a Beagle that needs too much cuddle time and closeness.
They have a natural affinity for an active lifestyle, and playtime can be a great way to meet both of those needs, cuddle time and activity.
Next, if your Beagles’ need for closeness and cuddle time is driving you nuts, it can be helpful to find another way to be close to them.
Spending time each day or night sitting on the couch and petting them while watching tv or checking emails can be good.
This can provide you, the pet parent, with time to do what you need or want to do while filling your Beagles cup for attention and closeness.
Reading a book while letting them sit with you, and you offer some affection or anything you can think of can help them feel that connection while not driving you crazy because your own life is slowing down.
And finally, for the pet parents who are not very cuddly to begin with and somewhat more detached, having a close friend, family member, or neighbor come and spend some quality time with your Beagle can introduce them to new friends and give them the cuddle time they so need.
This last one can be a bit of a challenge since the Beagle will likely prefer this connection with their pet parents or loved ones, but with time, patience, and a lot of love from everyone, they will adjust and learn to accept.
They don’t need to cuddle with their pet parents and loving family; it is okay for them to cuddle with others too.
If none of these tips are helpful and you, as the pet parent, still find yourself struggling with the amount of affection and cuddle time your Beagle needs, it may be time to adjust your way of thinking.
Having a dog is about sharing your life and love with them like you would with another family member.
Telling your human children or significant other that now is not the time for cuddles or that you have had enough may be easy because there is no language or communication barrier.
With your dog, this can be difficult as they likely won’t understand on many levels.
Therefore, it can be helpful to adjust your lifestyle to include more shared moments but cut the amount of time you spend in each of those cuddle moments to something shorter.
Final Points
Cuddling is vital to our health, no matter whether we are dogs or humans.
Beagles are not different, and while they do need a lot more cuddling than other breeds to feel happy and content, it is not so challenging to accomplish.
With a bit of time management, some creative thinking, and a whole lot of kisses and hugs, you and your Beagle will always feel closely bonded because they love to cuddle so much!
