how long should I be walking my beagle?

Question
Hi! I really appreciate you taking the time to answer my question.  I have a beagle that is about 15 months old.  We haven't had her very long and I just now started taking her for walks to try to get her used to being on a leash, because I'm pretty sure she never did with her previous owners.  Anyway, the last couple of days we walked for about 40 minutes in the evening, as we live in Las Vegas and the evening is the only time when it is cool enough to take her out.  Even though it is still 95 degrees, that is about as cool as it gets.  But the last few days when I took her for a 40 min. walk, when we got home she pretty much got a drink of water and layed down on the tile floor with her tounge hanging out of her mouth.  She seemed like she was really exhausted and I was just wondering if that was too much for her, or if that is how they are supposed to act after a nice long walk..  Also, do you have any tips for me to get her to walk nicely next to me without barking at every dog or person that she sees??  I have been trying to work with her on that, but I'm not sure what the right method for that is..  Thanks so much for all your time.  I really appreciate it!!

Answer
Hi Sheila,

I think if I walked 40 minutes in 95 degree heat, my tongue would be hanging out too! (And I'm not wearing a fur coat!)

Yes, walking your dog in the coolest part of the day is a good thing, but when the "cool" part is still in the mid-ninety's it's still rather warm for a dog. Don't take long walks or over-exert your dog in the summer. A 15 minute walk in that kind of heat might still be a stretch, but try that, and see if your dog acts as exhausted when you return home. She's still going to drink a lot and pant when you come back, but if it seems excessive, then shorten your walk even more. Consider these walks light exercise. If it's possible a short walk (5-10 minutes) in the morning, and another short walk in the evening is best when it's so hot.

When it's so hot, bring along water and make frequent water stops during the walk for the dog.

Not only is the temperature high, but the sidewalks may be too hot for the pads of the dog's paws. They'll burn. General rule is: if the sidewalk is too hot for you to walk barefoot, it is too hot for your dog to walk on.

Enrolling in a dog obedience class would give you the quickest results when it comes to training your  dog to walk at "heel", which means nicely, and quietly at your side. Of course, you can try this on your own, but if you're having trouble getting your dog to listen and learn, then I hope you will consider taking a class. Your veterinarian can probably refer you to one, or you can find them listed in the yellow pages.

You can learn about training a dog to "heel" here:

http://www.tutorials.com/04/0430/0430.asp

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfDW8Y56EcU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5Oy5AANTpw

It might help your dog if you used a "no pull harness" or a head halter, such as a "Gentle Leader" or a "Halti", rather than using a standard neck collar.  These products give you an extra measure of control over the dog, when the dog pulls. When using a head harness, you have to allow time for your dog to get used to wearing it.  You can read about using a head harness here:
http://www.dogtrainersearch.com/xcart/catalog/Gentle-Leader-Head-Collar-p-2.html

Barking at a passerby can be handled by only allowing two or three barks, and then say "Quiet." Immediately interrupt his barking by surprising him. You can shake a can of pennies or use a squirt bottle or squirt gun filled with water and squirt it at his mouth.  Then, while he's quiet, say "good quiet" and pop a tasty treat into his mouth.

Your dog is not human, which means he really does want to please you. Your job is to figure out what his actions mean, to understand that his behavior is just typical of dogs, and offer gentle but firm guidance toward good behavior.

The Beagle was bred to work on instinct more than under command by a human, and therein lies much of the problem.... but they can and do learn to trot along politely with you. Be very patient with her because a Beagle is amongst the hardest dogs to train.

Best of luck!
Patti