How High Can Beagles Jump? (Explained)

Beagles are naturally energetic dogs. They can jump up to 4 feet in the air. But age, height, and agility are some factors that determine how high beagles can jump. Healthy ones can jump higher, up to almost 6 feet.

If you are concerned about your Beagle being jumpy, you need to find out why he jumps so you can redirect his target. It can be to get his favorite treat, his toy, or get your attention.

Stick around to know more in detail.

 

How much do Beagles like Jumping?

Food and playing get the beagles excited. When you bring them food or something to play with, they will jump to reach their expected target. Beagles are a determined breed. If they jump upon smelling food, it is not uncommon.

They tend to jump over objects or even use them to jump to other surfaces. This usually happens when they are motivated to get to something.

But most of all, Beagles are known for their notorious act of jumping over the fence.

When they meet their favorite people or when they come back home, their social instincts kick in. They jump to say hello. Dogs are known to use their muzzles to learn about their people.

Have you noticed that they don’t do the same with other dogs? That’s because the dogs are of the same height. To them, the only way is to jump up to greet their humans.

 

Is Jumping High Bad for Beagles?

As long as the Beagle jumps at a safe height and lands on a comfortable surface, it is pretty safe for beagles.

However, it can lead to certain consequences:

• Arthritis: While jumping can be a part of their training or exercise, overdoing it will increase the chances of arthritis.
• Pressure on joints: Jumping at a high distance can put pressure on their joints.
• Injuries: Jumping and landing on hard and rocky surfaces can lead to injuries. In addition to this, long jumps can injure the paws. They can also get hurt when they fall from a height.

To others, jumping can be dangerous. It can cause bruises or scratches and scare the guests away.

The ideal place for Beagles to jump is at a park with grass to provide them with a soft landing.

 

What is a Safe Height to Jump for Beagles?

The ideal height for a beagle to jump is 3-4 feet if done once in a while. Higher than this and they might dislocate their knee or bend their paws. Therefore, a 5 feet fence is a must for beagle owners.

Like we mentioned earlier, age is an essential factor in determining how high your Beagle can jump.

For Puppies

Puppies do not have the benefits of solid muscles to cushion the impact of their jump. Their bodies are still in the stages of growth. They can injure themselves while jumping from tables or the bed. And they will want to play all the time.

Puppies should not be jumping before they are 16 months.

Since puppies are equivalent to babies, they tend to get over-excited about everything. So, it can be tough to restrain them. As their joints are still growing, jumping can lead to hip dysplasia and spine problems.

But the habit of jumping develops at this stage. It would be best if you corrected their behavior when they are young. Beagles jumping may be an adorable sight to see, and our natural reaction is to play with them. However, this reaction cements their jumping behavior. It becomes a routine.

 

For Adults

Knee and joint injuries occur when your Beagle decides to jump and land on hard surfaces.

Jumping on grass is best as there is only a minor risk of injuries. On the other hand, house floors are very hard. So, prevent them from jumping on such floors.

On concrete paths, beagles should not jump more than 2 feet.

Rocky surfaces should be prohibited entirely from jumping.

 

For Seniors

Senior Beagles, should not, at any cost, be put in a position where they have to jump high. Their joints are not as strong as before. Jumping causes a lot of load on their joints and muscles.

Even if they tend to be less jumpy, some excitement might lure them. Jumping high can lead to fracture and joint injury.

 

How To Train Your Beagle To Not Jump

The basic command “sit” is the most important part of training. It will help you rein your jumpy Beagle back. You have to make them learn self-control by giving them what they want only when they sit.

Another important thing is to stop giving them rewards for jumping. Dogs are known to repeat any behavior that gets them what they want.

Author’s Note: Dogs hurt themselves when they jump from high surfaces like SUVs, trucks, high beds, and couches. To avoid this, you can invest in dogs’ stairs or ramps. Buy the ones that are foldable, easy to adjust, and lightweight yet sturdy. It won’t just serve its purpose for smaller dogs but also help older dogs with arthritis or physical injuries. Make sure their surface is not slippery for your dogs. You can take a look at AKC’s recommendations here.

For Visitors

Beagles are friendly and social. They get excited when they see familiar or new faces. You must not promote them jumping on people.

You can follow the steps below:

• Ask your friend to make a visit
• If your dog jumps upon seeing them, ask them to turn around and walk away simply
• Command your dog to stay. After they have calmed, ask your friend to come again
• If your dog stays instead of jumping then reward him

This can be applied when your dog gets excited to greet you when you come back home. You can also have someone else distract your dog with a toy. After approaching slowly, make sure that you create a route that takes them time to find you.

For when you are outside, approach slowly. Rules and commands will help. Be hesitant to take treats from strangers. Use a leash to step on when they try to jump on strangers. Lead them away from that person, calm your dog down and then reintroduce them. Tell people greeting your dog to be calm as well.

Give them treats or praise when they respond correctly.

Tip: You can have treats in a zipped plastic bag so they cannot smell them.

If you have guests arriving at home, you can put them on a leash for the first 15 minutes or so until their excitement lessens. Remember that your dog can scare away children or be unintentionally harmful to elders.

All you have to do is establish that calm behavior will get the rewards.

 

During Excitement

Beagles love food (You can check out the best dog food for beagles here).  They are also naturally curious creatures. Jumping when you bring them food or anything that they seem curious about is very common.

But you do have to teach them how to contain their anticipation.

• Stop at once if they start jumping on you.
• Stand still, don’t pay them any attention. Even a “no” is some attention.
• Avoid eye contact.
• Move only if they stop jumping.

Things to avoid:

• Don’t raise your voice, as dogs tend to jump when they are anxious.
• Try to control your knee-jerk reactions.
• Do not attempt to grab them when they are being jumpy.
• Do not keep them in crates unnecessarily in hopes of containing their excitement.

 

Conclusion

Jumping an average amount is acceptable. But when they jump too high and too often, that’s when you need to train them.

Besides this, jumping high can cause arthritis, joint problems, and even specific injuries that we listed above.

Make sure your Beagle is jumping from a safe height. Finding out why they jump and eliminating that will help you tame them. Keep in mind that change does not happen overnight. All the best!

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