ABR E16

So, you decided to get a beagle. Where should you get one and what can you expect.

Transcript

Alaska Beagle Ranch

Episode 16

Hello everyone and welcome to the Alaska Beagle Ranch. I’m Dave Dorsey and I manage the ranch in Wasilla, Alaska. There are 13 beagles and 1 basset with the ranch right now. Shiloh 2 is one of our beagles and is with a foster. We’ll talk about that in a little bit.

Thank you to all our listeners. This week we had new listeners from the United Kingdom, Canada, and Germany. I hope you like what we have for you here. We appreciate your support. The Alaska Beagle Ranch has over 500 downloads since we started.

You can help support our podcast by donating on PayPal @Beagle Ranch 907.

So, you decided to get a beagle. Should you purchase one from a breeder or should you adopt one? But first, let’s get up to date on what’s happening at the Alaska Beagle Ranch.

Update on Jasper:  Jasper has been adopted and is very happy at his new fur ever home. I’m getting daily updates from his new human and she says she’s in love.

Shiloh 2: Shiloh 2 is a 6-month-old beagle / tagdterrior mix and a real cutie with a sweet dogality er ah personality. We’ve cut off receiving applications this weekend and I’ll be contacting the potential adoptee’s this week for an interview.

You can see these pups’ and others photos on our Facebook page Alaska Beagle Ranch or our Twitter page @beagle_ranch.

Today’s show is dedicated to Bill. A basset who identifies as a beagle. 

Awesome! You’ve decided on getting a beagle. You’ve done your research on the breed and know the pros and cons. Now you want to know where to get one and why.

Let’s start with breeders. 

First, consider adopting a pup in need from a shelter or rescue group, as it will help save a dog’s life. You may be able to find a beagle at a shelter. If not, you may want to adopt from a private breeder or a reputable online agency such as akc.org. Just make sure the breeder is reputable and treats their dogs as part of the family. 

Please do your research on the breeders you’re thinking about. There are good ones and there are bad ones. I googled for beagle breeders in Alaska, and I got 4 hits. 3 Had broken links so, I can’t tell you anything about them. So, I repeat, do your research on the breeders you’re thinking about.

The fourth one is Kenai River Beagles. I’d put them in the good column. I’ve never met them or visited their kennel, but we are friends on Facebook. What I see and read is that they are a caring beagle breeding facility. They have both AKC and CKC registered beagles. Contact them at kenairiverbeagles@outlook.com for when they expect to have a litter available. These little cuties go fast, so don’t wait too long.

After I retire this spring, I’ll contact them about doing an interview on our podcast.

Why would you adopt a rescue, Beagle?

The beagle population in Alaska is small compared to the lower 48. So your not going to find a lot of them available like in the southeastern US. First, check the shelters. Alaska Beagle Ranch does have an agreement with the Matanuska Susitna Borough Animal Shelter and the Anchorage Animal Care and Control. They contact us when they have a beagle available and we go pick it up. So, contact us if you’re in south central Alaska. But in other areas, please do contact the local shelter, rescues, and SPCA. There are so many good ones, they’re too many to mention here. We do have agreements with some rescues on contacting us when there is one available or if someone is surrendering, they will send them our way.

Adopting a Dog is a Big Adjustment

Having a beagle in your life can be quite an adjustment, which will require a few hours of your time each day. This interaction will include feeding your dog twice a day, going for walks, playing, and cuddling with it, grooming, cleaning up poops, and tending to its various needs.

Having said all of this, I can attest to the fact that having beagles takes a lot of time! However, I love it and wouldn’t give up any of my pups for anything!

Adopting a rescue beagle is a big decision for you and your family, and there are many things to consider. Keep in mind that your cute, new pup will become a member of your family for many years to come. Therefore, you will want to choose carefully and wisely.

Chances are the beagle you’re looking at isn’t a puppy. It can be just a couple years old or a senior beagle. It possibly came from a home with little training and that’s why it ended in a shelter or rescue. Some have not been treated well or need on going medical care. In other words, they come with luggage.

You’ll need to be patient. You probably won’t know what ghost are in their closet. Give it time. They won’t forget the bad stuff, but they can fall in love with you and the care you can provide. 

Senior beagles are my preference. They have earned a good retirement home with lots of love and care. The beagle who’s whitening face would tell you a lot if it could. They like a warm lap and some good belly rubs. No, they won’t be with you as long as a young beagle would be, but they still have a lot of love left in them. The look in their eyes when they see that you care is priceless. 

It’s time for Beagle Spotlight: Bill came to ABR last summer. His humans were moving out of state and starting a new life and Bill couldn’t go. I knew his humans and they said they wanted Bill to come to ABR because they like how the pups here are treated. I couldn’t say no and glad I didn’t. 

Bill is an exception and has become such a part of the ranch. He’s a good size boy weighing in at 70 pounds, twice as much as the other pups at the ranch. Since he’s twice as big, his bark and baying is twice as loud and deep. He’ll give his opinion and back talks. Don’t you go near his food dish unless you’re going to refill it. He loves to play tug a war and fetch. He also thinks he’s a lap dog.

Bill you big lug, thank you for making your way to the ranch.

Shoutout: Shoutout to everyone who applied for adopting Shiloh 2.  No, he can’t go to everyone’s house, but for those who Shiloh 2 doesn’t go with, I hope you apply for others in the future.

Alaska Beagle Ranch is a nonprofit and we depend on donations to help us with our mission. What is our mission? Our mission and our goal are for every beagle, especially in Alaska, has a happy home. For our beagles to be happy, they need to be healthy. We only adopt out healthy beagles, so we need your help in paying their medical bills to get or keep them healthy so they can find their forever home. Beagles that can’t be adopted out become resident beagles at ABR. Their medical, food and upkeep can be costly. We know that the economy isn’t as good as we would like for it to be. Just a few dollars add up and goes a long, long way. You can find us on PayPal @Beagle Ranch907 or go to our Facebook page of Alaska Beagle Ranch and you can find links to PayPal and our Amazon wish list.

Looking for a sponsor. If you have a business or product that is dog related and you’re looking to sponsor or advertise on a dog related podcast and you like ours, give me a call Dave 907-202-4226. It can be dog food, treats daycare, training or whatever. It doesn’t have to be strictly for beagles. Let’s talk about it. 

We are also looking for some wonderful fosters. There can be a lot involved in being a foster, so think it over. Some of our beagles might have special needs like having to go to the vet, or they might need to take meds and maybe it might need some additional training. Of course, they always need some good loving. Sorry, but you must live in the Matanuska Susitna Valley area, specifically near Wasilla or Palmer. Email me at akbeagleranch@gmail.comor call us at 907-202-4226 for more information. Remember, our goal is for every beagle, especially in Alaska, has a happy home.

Thank you for listening to the Alaska Beagle Ranch. If you know someone who is looking to get a beagle, please share our podcast with them. All the episodes will tell you what you need to know about beagles. If you have any questions about beagles and if they are right for you, email me at akbeagleranch@gmail.com or call us at 907-202-4226. You can follow us on Facebook at Alaska Beagle Ranch or on Twitter at @beagle_ranch. 

Be sure to like, follow, subscribe, review, and maybe send some feedback or ideas. See you at Alaska Beagle Ranch next week.

Your host is Dave Dorsey

Ring Leader is Macy

Outreach Managers are Duke 1 & Shiloh

Writer & Editors are Duke 2, Pearl, and Charlie

Voice over Specialist is Bill

Audio Engineers are Lilly & Spot

Graphic Designer is Winston

Administrators Xena & Josie

Guest Relationship Manager Roger