So today it has been 4 weeks since we adopted Teddy. If you are a dog lover or a beagle owner you know that beagles are very stubborn and headstrong. He has been a handful!
Teddy came from North Carolina from a hunting dog breeder. He did not want to be a hunting dog and as a result he was treated very poorly. Teddy is about 2 years old and grew up locked in a box the size of a rabbit hutch. It had a screened floor so he could go to the bathroom while inside. He barely knew how to stand leave alone walk. He was kicked so hard in the side that it broke one of his ribs. I can feel the callous on the bone where it broke. He clearly trusted women more than men. He would not come near me when we got him home. He was so hand shy he would not take a treat from our hands. I did not know how I could ever train him.
We are now getting to the other side of his rescue. We have trained him to be fairly obedient on the leash which is a test for any beagle. He is house broken and goes to the bathroom outside now. Because we are building him an enclosure to romp in we go on long walks so he gets a lot of outdoor time. My wife and I have both lost a few pounds walking him. Instead of living in his crate he now roams the house checking things out. His fear is still there but it is totally diminished. He loves taking treats from our hands. He hangs out and chews on his bone. He gets us when he needs to go out. He gets along with our cat Milo who has been an angel allowing another animal into his home. Right now he is lying in front of me with his head on my foot. Proud to say Teddy is a keeper.
When he stands like this all stacked with his chest out and head up he is truly majestic. We are lucky to have such a fine animal.
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