Okay, so, the beagle… gotta love ’em, right? Cute little guys, but they need their space, just like us. Figuring out the right kennel size was a bit of a journey, lemme tell ya.
First off, I started by measuring my buddy, Max. From nose to tail, he clocked in at about 22 inches. And standing, he’s around 15 inches tall. Good to have those numbers handy. I remembered reading somewhere that you gotta give them enough room to stand up, turn around, and lie down comfortably. That makes sense, right?
So, I did some digging online. Saw a bunch of stuff saying 30-36 inches is the sweet spot for beagles. 30 seemed a little tight. Max likes to sprawl out, you know? I figured, better to err on the side of a little bigger.
- 30 inches: Seemed a bit small.
- 36 inches: Felt like a good starting point.
I ended up grabbing a 36-inch kennel. Set it up in the living room, threw in his favorite blanket and a chew toy. He was a little hesitant at first. Sniffed around, circled it a few times. I tossed a treat inside, and he went right in. Score!
But here’s the thing… It took a little while for Max to really get used to it. At first, he only went in when I told him to, or when there was a treat involved. I started feeding him his meals in there. That seemed to help. He started associating the kennel with good stuff.
One thing I definitely learned: don’t use the kennel as punishment. Ever. That’s a big no-no. You want them to see it as their safe space, not a jail cell. I made that mistake once, and Max wouldn’t go near it for a week!
Now, he goes in there on his own sometimes, just to chill out. Especially when things get a little crazy around the house. It’s his little den. So yeah, a 36-inch kennel worked out great for my beagle. Just remember to make it a comfy, positive experience for them.
Bottom line: Measure your dog, do some research, and don’t be afraid to experiment a little. Every dog is different. You’ll figure it out.
