QUESTION FOR PEOPLE WITH OLDER BEAGLES (9-12 YRS OLD).

[jon cornett]

I HAVE A OLDER MALE, HE WILL BE TEN IN JUNE. IVE NEVER HAD A BEAGLE OR BEEN AROUND ONE THIS OLD. AT WHAT AGE DO THEY START LOOSING OR FADING IN THERE ABILITYS. MEANING, WHAT AGE THEY MAY STOP HUNTING AS HARD, CHEATING TO STAY UP FRONT, GETTING SLOWER ETC. ANY INFO WOULD BE APPRECIATED.

[TomPA]

We have one 9 1/2 yr.s old ( actually I gave her to a friend to use as a pup starter but still think of her like she was mine) and she had a kidney removed last year. She still hunts all day but looks tired at the end of the day. She will run with the faster and younger dogs and come through from behind on a check and make them look foolish sometimes. She has been run regularly her whole life, whelpd 26 puppies and given regular care. I think she will probably be just run with pups after this hunting season though. Nobody can believe she is almost 10, her muzzle is just starting to grey. She still hunts all the way back to the truck if you don't leash her at the end of the day.

[DRamey]

My old female died Thanksgiving Day at 15. I hunted her until she was 12, then I let her run "yard " rabbits the last 3 yr. The past 2, she could do no more than walk fast. The last rabbit she ran was the past summer, then she lost the ability to climb the hills. I think the name of the medicine I gave her was Rimadyl. Someone correct me if that's wrong. Summer of 2001 she would wake me up when she made a pass close to the house. All night, (she must have been taking breathers between rabbits, though) not really driving them hard, but with a heart bigger than a Mack truck. I'm going to miss her until it's my turn, I'm certain. Hurts like a hogbite right in the heart. Take good care of those old hounds, they have literally given their lives to you.

[kjohns]

The first beagle I ran with (the one that got me addicted) is now 13 years old. It's my girlfriend's uncle's dog and he has owned him since he was 6 weeks old. The old man can still run a rabbit to the gun. Sure he's a little slower, but he will still hunt all day and all night if you let him. If its one of those tough days and their doesn't seem to be a rabbit within 20 miles, just give him some time and he will find one. Sometimes I think he has a tophat he's pulling them out of. My feeling is this, I've never seen a dog happier than a beagle running a rabbit. So if they are that happy doing it, when the old boy finally does go, I hope he's tearing through the brush, nose on the groud and just a singing away!!!

[Rabt Fver]

my best dog in my kennel will be 10 in Feb, she runs like shes 5. she keeps up with all the other hounds, but i can see she gets a little stif the next day. Her daughter will take her place eventully she is just like her.mother. keep them going as long as possible , its fun to watch them and correct the younger dogs mistakes