Why does my beagle stare at the wall

10 Common Beagle Behavior Problems and How to Fix Them

If you own a beagle, then you know this very well that BEAGLES ARE STUBBORN. This makes it a little more challenging to train them.

I am a parent of two naughty but adorable beagles, and over the years, I have stumbled upon various behavior problems.

So I decided to help my fellow beagle parents and made this list of 10 common beagle behavior problems and how to deal with them.

1. Barking Whining Baying Howling

Beagles are vocally expressive. They like to express their feeling out loud. You may have already heard them making different types of noises like barking, whining, baying, and howling.

Barking is normal. They like to bark just like people like to talk. But sometimes loud and excessive barking can become a little irritating for us.

Most owners unknowingly instigate their beagles to bark louder. When you scream at your beagle to stop barking, your pooch gets more excited and sees it as a competition. Seeing you shout, he may try to bark louder than you.

Beagles also bark to gain their owners attention. They are very clever at picking up small things. If they notice that barking gets them your attention, they will bark more often.

How to Fix it

The best way to deal with barking is by not reacting to it. When your beagle barks or whines or howls, do not respond, do not even look at him, keep doing what you were.

And once he stops barking for more than two minutes, give him a treat. By this, you are promoting the good behavior of your beagle without encouraging his barking.

2. Chewing around the house

Beagles like chewing. It makes them happy and satisfied. While its okay to chew on toys, whats not okay it to chew on furniture and other household things.

This problem is more common than you think. When I got Groot, my younger beagle, he was a zombie. He used to chew everything that could fit in his mouth. Furniture in my house still has all the scratches and teeth marks.

How to Fit it

The best way to stop unwanted chewing is to confine your beagle to his chew toys only. Please do not give him a chance to chew anything else. Here some of the best chew toys for your beagle.

Do not allow him to roam freely in your house. Instead, keep him in a room or in his crate with his chew toys.

You can beagle proof a room by removing all the unnecessary things that your pooch can chew.

You can also put him in his crate when with some of his chew toys. But make sure your beagle has been crate trained properly.

3. Ignoring Commands

Beagles are very smart and cunning dogs. They will stop following your commands If they realize they dont benefit much from following your orders.

Lets say if you stop giving them treats for a while for following your commands, they will start ignoring you.

Something similar happened to my neighbor. Her two-year-old beagle would listen to her only when she had a treat in her hands. And he would ignore all her commands when she had nothing in her hands.

How to Fix it

Your beagle needs some positive reinforcement to follow your commands. First, start giving him treats every time he follows your command. Gradually decrease the frequency at which you give the treats.

For instance, start with giving your beagle treats for every time he follows the command, then lower down the frequency to treating him for every 2nd time he follows the commands. And then after every three times.

Also Read: 7 Commands you Need to Teach your Beagle

4. Pulling on the leash

Beagles have a curious mind. You can say they are dogs with Hashtag WonderLust. Due to this, pulling on their leash is a common behavior problem among beagles.

When they out in the open, beagles are more interested in finding out the source of a scent than sticking beside their owners.

How to Fix it

Allowing your beagle to pull will motivate him more. Whenever he pulls on the leash, stop right there. He needs to understand that pulling will not get him what he wants.

Once he stops pulling and comes back to you, give him a treat, and continue walking. Soon he will understand that pulling gets him nowhere and stop doing it.

5. Biting

It is normal for young puppies to bite. They dont know how to interact with humans. It is your duty to teach them the correct way to communicate with you.

However, biting habits can continue to adulthood if you fail to teach them the correct way of interacting when they are young.

Soft play-biting is fine, but if it causes any type of pain, then you have to do something about it.

How to Fix it

Redirect your dogs behavior to a toy whenever he starts biting.

When he bites, make a low pitch, loud noise until he stops and then ignore him for some time. This will help your beagle to understand that biting hurts, and it will end all the fun of him.

If your beagle is still a puppy, then go through this guide of How to stop your Beagle Puppy from Biting. You can even watch this video:

6. Jumping

Jumping on people is not something you should promote. Beagles can jump for many reasons. They jump when they are excited, they jump to greet people. They jump when they want something that you are holding.

While jumping on you may seem cute, but it can be dangerous for you as well as your beagle.

How to Fix it

Whenever your beagle jumps on you, turn away. Do not motivate his behavior by greeting him back.

If your beagle jumps to grab things from your hands, or when you have his food, then give him the sit command before he jumps. If he doesnt sit, then wait and do nothing until he sits.

If he jumps on strangers and guests, then show him a treat and make him sit before you open the door.

In this way, you are correcting the unnecessary jumping of your pooch.

But this doesnt mean that you should never allow your beagle to jump. You can teach your beagle to jump on your command.

7. Digging

Not just beagles, but all the dogs love to dig, and theres a reason behind that. Back in the past, when dogs use to live in the wild, they use to dig a hole and sleep in it. It makes them feel more secure.

Even after being domesticated now, dogs still have this hiding of digging. It satisfies their natural instinct. You can watch this video to know more about this behavior:

How to fix it

Digging is perfectly fine, and you dont need to correct this behavior. However, if your beagle has been ruining your backyard garden by digging up holes, then there is something you can do.

Provide an area in your backyard to your beagle where he can burrow as much as he wants. Designate an area where he is allowed to dig and hide his favorite toy there. He will surely love this game.

And whenever he tries to dig in the garden area, distract him, redirect him to his designated area. Soon enough, he will figure it out where he is allowed to dig and where he is not.

8. Begging

Beagles make a squishy noise when they want something. Thats begging. Once it starts, it never ends.

While begging, their eyes suddenly become very soulful and sound as if they are crying. If your beagle learns that he gets what he wants when he begs, then he will do it all the time.

How to Fix it

The only way to fix this is by not fulfilling your beagles wish. Suppose, when you have your dinner and your pooch starts begging to taste some Pasta, do not give him that. Let him beg, but do not give him what he wants.

9. Aggressive Behaviour

Beagles are a breed of friendly dogs, and they rarely show any type of aggression. People often misunderstand common puppy behavior as aggression. So before you conclude that your pooch is aggressive, watch this video of signs that your beagle is aggressive:

How to Fix it

If you think your beagle is aggressive, the best way to deal with it is by consulting a professional dog trainer or dog behaviorist.

10. Separation Anxiety

Beagles are social and friendly dogs. While this is an excellent quality, it also makes them prone to Separation anxiety.

Beagles like to be around people, but when left alone, they can become anxious. Separation anxiety can lead to destructive behavior like chewing and accessive barking.

If your beagle starts barking every time you leave him alone in the room, then he is going through separation anxiety.

How to Fix it

Before leaving your beagle alone, give him some tasks to do like a kong. KONG is a must-have toy if your dog is going through separation anxiety.

Kongs are interactive toys that you can fill with dog food and let your beagle struggle to eat it.

Before leaving your house, give your offer him kong filled with dog food and let him get busy getting his food out of it.

Conclusion

Every behavior problem of your beagle is fixable. You just need enough time and patience. However, if you are unable to solve any of these issues, there is no shame in asking for help from a professional dog trainer.

Why Does My Rabbit Stare at the Wall?

A rabbit that has abandoned its usual activities to stare at the wall is a valid reason for concern. While its not uncommon for rabbits to spend long moments apparently gazing at nothing, their body language usually shows that they are either relaxed or attentive, giving you a clue as to what has caught their interest.

So, why is my rabbit staring at the wall? Most of the time, this is an indication that your rabbit is feeling ill or suffering pain. However, if your rabbit shows no other signs of illness, its possible that its sleeping, depressed, or simply choosing this position based on how well it can view the room around it.

In this article, well look at some common health issues that could be causing your rabbit to stare at the wall. Well also discuss precautionary measures you can take to keep your rabbit from developing these disorders. Finally, well look at a few reasons a healthy rabbit may engage in this behavior.

Your Rabbit is Sick or in Pain

Sitting back to the world and face to the wall is a common sign of a rabbit that is feeling poorly. This is because bunnies are prey animals and instinctively try to hide any signs of illness. By facing the wall, they may be avoiding contact and essentially trying to disappear by shutting out their surroundings.

Because rabbits are very habitual, a sudden deviation from their usual habits should always have you taking a second look. The more familiar you are with your rabbits normal behavior, the more quickly you will notice if something is not right.

Along with staring at the wall, the following signs are almost always symptoms of a health issue and should prompt a visitor at the very least a callto your exotic vet.

Loss of appetite: Rabbits are almost constantly nibbling or grazingwhich is why its essential to provide them with an unlimited amount of hay. This constant fiber intake is what keeps their digestive system working smoothly. A rabbit that has stopped eating likely has a digestive issue and can worsen quickly.

Abnormal poop or an absence of poop: Continual eating means continual pooping. Anything off with your rabbits fecal matter is cause for serious concern.

Avoidance or aggression: A rabbit that doesnt want to be touched or handled may be in pain.

Lack of energy and alertness: Unusual lethargy or disinterest, which sometimes takes the form of a rabbit staring at the wall, can both be signs of illness.

Abnormal vocalization: Rabbits growl when they are upset or dont want you near them. A sharp, teeth-grinding sound can also indicate that they are in pain, although the same sound (usually much softer) can mean they are happy.

Dull or thinning fur: Skin and fur condition is a good indicator of an animals overall health.

Weight loss, drooling, or swelling: Rabbits teeth continue to grow throughout their lifetime and can sometimes become overgrown. This not only prohibits your rabbit from eating properly, it can also cause sores within its mouth.

The sniffles: A bacteria infection may show up by compromising your bunnys delicate respiratory system, causing running eyes and nose and sneezing.

Hunched posture: If you are paying attention, its not difficult to tell if your rabbit is in pain, especially if its due to a digestive issue (which for rabbits, it often is). The bunny may be holding itself in a tense, hunched position and may press its stomach against the ground or shift repeatedly as if trying to stretch out the pain.

Odd movements: Stumbling, staggering, or a chronically tilted head can also be symptoms of pain or disease.

Common Illnesses that May Cause this Behavior

Although its important to take your rabbit to the vet as soon as you suspect a health issue, it can be helpful to know what you are dealing with. Knowing what causes these diseases will also allow you to implement preventative care. While we cant provide an exhaustive list of health issues that can lead to your rabbit staring at the wall, we will briefly cover a few of the most common ones.

Digestive Upset

Stasis is a one of the most frequently seen health issues in rabbits. It can cause painful cramps, gas, or even a complete blockage within your rabbits digestive system. The most common causes are lack of sufficient crude fiber, dehydration, stress, overgrown teeth, and internal infections. Although stasis is easy to treat if its caught early enough, it can also be fatal if left untreated.

The best ways to prevent your rabbit from getting stasis include:

• feeding the recommended serving of pellets and fresh produce along with an unlimited amount of grass hay
• making sure your rabbit always has access to fresh water
• allowing your rabbit plenty of time out of its cage to run around and stay active

Sore Hocks

A rabbit with sore, raw, or inflamed feet may have a condition known as sore hocks. This can be caused by the rabbit being on slick, hard, or wire floor. Arthritis, obesity, and other conditions can also cause sore hocks.

The best ways to keep your rabbit from developing sore hocks include:

• keeping them indoors on a comfortable, flexible flooring
• feeding an appropriate, well-balanced diet
• checking hocks regularly for any signs of soreness

Torticollis

Strokes, infections, cancer, and trauma may all show up in rabbits as torticollis, or head tilt. A rabbit whose head suddenly seems to have become permanently tilted to one side or who shows any other odd changes in motion like stumbling, should see a vet as soon as possible.

Additional Reasons Your Rabbit May Stare at the Wall

While a health check should always be your first step in determining why your bunny has taken to staring at the wall, there are a few non-health related issues that could be causing this behavior.

Eyes, Ears, and Nose

The first possibility is that your rabbit is asleep, as bunnies do sometimes snooze with their eyes open. Another thing to consider is that a rabbits eyes are on the sides of its headso when its facing the wall, its not necessarily staring at the wall. Its view is actually best to either side.

Some bunnies choose to relax in an area where they can see you or much of their surroundings. Try getting down on your rabbits level in the area where it most often sits facing the wall. Look around. Can your bunny see your favorite chair from there? Is most of the living room visible in its peripheral vision?

Finally, your rabbit may be able to hear something in the wall or on the other side of the wall that has caught its interestor it may like the scent of something near where it sits staring at the wall. Sounds and smells that are almost unnoticeable to us can hold a rabbits attention for a surprising amount of time.

Displeasure, Depression, or Fear

A bunny may occasionally show its displeasure by turning its back on you. If you notice that your rabbit takes up its position staring at the wall after you have done something to displease it, this may be the reason. The behavior of a rabbit staring at the wall can serve as an indicator of its discontent. Freezing in a single position can also be a rabbits response to fear.

As social animals, rabbits can also become lonely and even depressed if they are not getting enough enrichment or have recently lost a friend. Depression may have symptoms similar to physical illness, with your rabbit losing interest in its surroundings and zoning out in the corner.

Your first consultation, of course, should be with your vet to ensure that your bunny is in good health. If the behavior is not due to physical illness, try to draw your rabbit out by increasing the time you spend with it and enriching its lifestyle.

• Be generous with your affection.
• Offer plenty of healthy treats and fresh veggies or greens.
• If your rabbit is usually confined to a single room or hutch, allow it more time out of this area to run around and explore.
• Give your rabbit access to sunlight.
• Let your rabbit spend some time outdoors in a fenced area or on a leash. Just stay close by and keep an eye open for anything that could frighten or harm it.
• Provide bunny toys. These can be store-bought items or safe, chewable things like cardboard tubes or boxes and unsprayed fruit tree branches.

Conclusion

Rabbits are sensitive animals with complex systems, and the first sign of many diseases can be subtle. The sooner you notice a health issue, the less serious it is likely to be, so if your bunny has taken to staring at the wall, its important to consider whether it is showing any other symptoms of pain or illness.

Then you can look into addressing other possible reasons behind this behavior.