Editing Beagle (section)

==Temperament==
[[File:BeagleNiniJule.jpg|thumb|left|Beagles are happy to rest]]

The Beagle has an even temper and gentle disposition. Described in several breed standards as "merry", they are amiable and typically neither aggressive nor timid, although this depends on the individual. They enjoy company, and although they may initially be standoffish with strangers, they are easily won over. They make poor [[guard dogs]] for this reason, although their tendency to bark or [[Howling|howl]] when confronted with the unfamiliar makes them good watch dogs. In a 1985 study conducted by Ben and Lynette Hart, the Beagle was given the highest excitability rating, along with the [[Yorkshire Terrier]], [[Cairn Terrier]], [[Miniature Schnauzer]], [[West Highland White Terrier]], and [[Fox Terrier]].<ref>{{harvnb|Fogle|1990|pp=176–7}}</ref>{{Ref label|C|c|none}}

They are ranked 72nd in [[Stanley Coren]]'s ''[[The Intelligence of Dogs]]'', as Coren places them among the group with the lowest degree of working/obedience intelligence. Coren's scale, however, does not assess understanding, independence, or creativity.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://petrix.com/dogint/70-79.html | title=The Intelligence of Dogs. Ranks 70 to 79 | work=Ranking of Dogs for Obedience/Working Intelligence by Breed | access-date=26 October 2011 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111024040905/http://petrix.com/dogint/70-79.html | archive-date=24 October 2011 | df=dmy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/canine-corner/200907/canine-intelligence-breed-does-matter |title=Canine Intelligence—Breed Does Matter |work=Canine Corner. The human-animal bond |publisher=Psychology Today |first=Stanley |last=Coren |date=15 July 2009 | access-date=26 October 2011}}</ref>
Beagles are excellent with children and this is one of the reasons they have become popular family pets. Beagles are pack animals; they are prone to [[separation anxiety in dogs|separation anxiety]],<ref>{{harvnb|Kraeuter|2001|pp=77–8}}</ref> a condition which causes them to destroy things when left unattended. Not all Beagles will howl, but most will bark when confronted with strange situations, and some will bay (also referred to as "speaking", "giving tongue", or "opening") when they catch the scent of potential quarry.<ref>{{harvnb|Kraeuter|2001|p=96}}</ref> They also generally get along well with cats and other dogs. They are not too demanding with regard to exercise; their inbred stamina means they do not easily tire when exercised, but they also do not need to be worked to exhaustion before they will rest. Regular exercise helps ward off the weight gain to which the breed is prone.<ref>{{harvnb|Daglish|1961|p=55}}</ref>