Posted Date: 2003-06-11 17:01:04 By: slowjet
We were in your very same spot and yes, they can IF they are a couple years down the road. ANy puppy Beagle or other shouldn't be left alone for more than a couple hours in a crate. Solitude is good but not in 8 hour increments for puppies. We have a 2 year old female Beagles which we adopted from a rescue and after about a week ( long weekend) of my wife or I putting her in her crate for grocery store trips 1-3 hours we then strted going back to work. My wife luckily working 10 minutes from home would come home on her lunch break for about a week, after that we started staying away the whole day 8am til 5pm and she is fine. We of course give her things to occupy her time, Kong makes a wide variety of chew toys that you can hide snacks in that will occupy your Beagle. We slowly trained her into realizing that her crate was "her" den and now even when we are home if she is tired or wants to just get away from the nosey cats she plops down in her crate. With enough adjustment time and the Beagle being old enough (at least 2 years) there shouldn't be any problems, just be sure to give them lots of excercise when you get home. Oh, and DEFINITELY contact a rescue there are so many out there that need homes, if you are near Northern Virginia or in Maryland contact www.beaglemaryland.org
good luck! |