Hunger-related drooling is a common issue for beagles and can be quite frustrating for both dog and owner. While there are also medical and injury-related reasons for drooling, most cases are simply due to your beagle being a very enthusiastic eater! Fortunately, there are several highly effective ways to help with this.
In this post, we will discuss 8 different ways to stop food-related drooling in beagles, with practical steps that you can start using today, while others may require a bit more effort on your part.
We can promise that you’ll see a huge improvement in your beagle’s drooling habits if you follow some of these top tips from our highly-experienced beagle owners!
Why Do Beagles Drool So Much?
Although there are several reasons why beagles drool, the number one reason is simply down to genetics. They are a high-energy breed made for hunting, and along with their strong sense of smell, loose lips, and low-hanging jowls, it’s the perfect recipe for a drooly little monster in your home.
We’re kidding, they’re not monsters. But they ARE greedy little chops!
Their constant drive to seek out food and scavenge for whatever they can get their paws on, creates a whirlwind of emotions in your beagle whenever they get a whiff of food.
Hunger-related drooling is simply a side-effect of the anticipation of food, however, its appearance is made worse by the fact that the drool escapes from the beagle’s mouth far easier than most other common breeds – due to the structure of their lips and jowls.
It’s a completely involuntary response on your beagle’s part, and while some beagle owners have simply come to accept this as part of their dog’s personality, we understand that it can become quite frustrating at times.
5 Reasons to Reduce Hunger-Related Drooling in your Beagle
Before we get into the different ways to stop drooling, let’s cover off why it is important to reduce hunger-related drooling in your beagle.
Whilst general slobber is nothing to be too concerned about, there are some things to take into consideration with a heavy-drooling breed, such as the beagle. These are:-
1. Skin Irritation for your Beagle
When your beagle drools, its saliva slowly drips through their jowls, and onto their chin and chest. This damp, and slimy environment is the perfect breeding ground for the bacteria found in drool, and is highly likely to cause skin irritation in your beagle, particularly in warmer weather.
2. Harmful to Others
Dog saliva in general can be harmful to others, especially to children and those with a weakened immune system (if they come into contact with it).
Most allergies that are often thought to come from dog fur, can actually be attributed to the proteins found in dog saliva. And hookworms (plus other parasites) can be transmitted to humans too.
3. Cleaner Clothes and Furnishings
One thing that often frustrates many beagle owners is the constant cleaning that is required to remove drool stains off of clothing, furniture, and other household items. And it can almost get to boiling point when their dinner guests are covered in it from the knees down!
4. Drier (and Safer) Home
If you have wooden or tile flooring in your home, drool can be a major slip hazard. We can’t tell you the number of times we’ve missed a patch and almost wiped ourselves (or the beagles) out by slipping over in it!
It may seem a little dramatic, but if you have young children or people with mobility issues in the home, it’s really important to keep on top of (extremely slippery) beagle drool.
5. Reduce Anxiety in Beagles
Drooling can be a symptom of stress and anxiety in beagles. If your beagle is constantly covered in slobber throughout the day because of food-related drooling, it could be due to their over-exposure to endless amounts of treats and snacks.
This also poses a particular problem for your beagle when they are left at home alone, as they find it difficult to cope without their food source (you), and can often lead to them developing separation anxiety.
8 Ways to Stop Food-Related Drooling in Beagles
So, now that we know why it is important to stop your beagle’s food-related drooling, let’s get into the different steps you can take to achieve this!
We’re speaking from experience when we say that there is so much you can do to help reduce the amount your beagle drools. The following list may give you a ‘AHA’ moment, or you’ll be likely to identify that you (or your household) can be guilty of indirectly causing your beagle to drool excessively.
Either way, here are our top tips…
1. Don’t Tease Beagles with Your Food
We totally understand. Your beagle’s food obsession is what gives them their cheeky charm and characteristics. But if you’re constantly teasing them with food, or waving it around in front of their face, it’s only going to make the drooling worse.
We’re not saying you should sneak around when you want to have a snack, but whenever you are eating something – do just that! There’s no need to make a big deal out of it or constantly look over at them to see how they’re coping, or how much they want what you’re having.
By ensuring they are not teased with food, they’ll understand the boundaries between when they are likely to get a snack, and when they can just take it easy for the time being!
2. Don’t Be a Treat Machine
We know how difficult it can be to say no to those beautifully big, beady eyes. But if you are constantly feeding your beagle (even small amounts), it’s only going to add to their drooling problem.
After your initial period of training is over, beagles should be weened off their endless supply of treats. Sure, they can have the odd treat here and there, but if they are being given them all day long – this is going to inevitably lead to further drooling.
Of course, we’re not saying you should stop showing affection towards your beagle, but try and find other ways to keep them entertained. Beagles need plenty of stimulation, and treats can play an important part in keeping them active, so use them wisely and make treats last longer than just simply handing them out.
3. Only Two Main Meals a Day
Routine plays a very important part in setting down expectations for your beagle and preventing unnecessary drooling. By only giving them two main meals a day (one in the morning and one at night), they’ll understand when they can expect their food bowl to arrive. For lunch, give them a healthy light snack – such as a whole carrot, which helps with their routine.
And for anyone that thinks beagles can’t tell the time – we can categorically say that they absolutely can!
In our household (and many others), as soon as the clock strikes 6 pm, we get a pushy little beggar who feels the need to tell us that it’s almost past her dinner time!
4. ‘Downgrade’ Their Treats
What we mean by ‘downgrading’ their treats is simply swapping out the more yummy, fatty, processed, or commercial treats for healthier alternatives. Due to the fact that they don’t smell or taste as appealing (as a hot sausage would), this will go a long way in reducing the amount your beagle drools. When they realize that their general treats are just average, they’re very likely to stop drooling whenever you crack open the treat jar.
Yes, they may not be as exciting, but over time they will get used to enjoying them just as much – just with a little less slobber!
We’ve written a helpful post on Ways to Get Dogs to Like Vegetables, along with 55 Fruits and Vegetables a Beagle Can (or Can’t) Eat.
Save the high-value treats (like liver cake) for special occasions to reward extremely good behavior – such as on a walk when your beagle comes back to you when called.
5. Don’t Offer Them Your Regular Snacks
If you want to know one of the best ways to stop your beagle from drooling all the time, then making sure that they are not given your regular snacks is one of our top tips.
We know, we know. This is the one thing we always have disagreements over in our household!
I am fully capable of adhering to this rule.
My partner, however, finds this concept a little more difficult to grasp!
You see, when you make a habit of letting your beagle have a piece of whatever you’re eating, they will instantly recognize it (through smell) and will always come to expect it. Whilst they are waiting for you to finish, it’s highly likely a puddle of drool is forming on the floor beneath them.
One way to easily combat this, is that they are given one of their own treats once you have finished eating yours. This way, they understand that there’s no need to wind themselves up over whether they are going to get a piece of what you’re having – the answer is always the same.
It’s not so much a problem when you’re eating something they don’t recognize, but if you happen to eat the same things every day, this tip will go far in stopping food-related drooling.
Of course, this doesn’t mean that you can never give your beagle a little bit of what you’re eating here and there. But if you want to stop them from drooling all the time, then it’s important to be consistent with this particular rule.
READ: 7 Best Online Training Courses for New Puppies
6. Keep Them Out of the Kitchen When Preparing Meals
When you let your beagle sit in the kitchen when preparing meals (and especially if your throw them scraps at the same time), then you can only expect that they will naturally be drooling…a lot!
You see, to your beagle, the kitchen is a magical place where all kinds of delicious food appear from. So it only makes sense that they would want to camp out there in drooling anticipation!
To stop this from happening, it’s important that you keep your beagle out of the kitchen when preparing meals. It may take a little time and patience to train your beagle to wait outside or in a certain area, but it will do them a world of good by reducing their anticipation and stress levels!
7. Don’t Leave Traces of Food Lying Around
As you know, your beagle has an incredibly strong sense of smell. So if there are any traces of food lying around, they’re going to be able to smell it – and therefore drool over it!
Make sure you clean up any mess straight away, and don’t leave anything lying around for them to find. This includes putting away all food items, clearing up dirty dishes, and wiping down surfaces where food has been prepared.
Counter surfing for leftover food is a surefire way to get your beagle’s juices flowing!
8. Provide Plenty of Chews and Toys
Beagles are natural chewers, so it’s important that you provide them with plenty of chew toys as a much-needed outlet for all that energy and excitement. This will help to stop them from getting too worked up about food, subsequently reducing the amount that they drool.
As beagles are classed as aggressive chewers, there’s quite a bit to watch out for. Here’s our list of the most appropriate and long-lasting chews for beagles.
You CAN Stop Food-Related Drooling in Beagles
Drooling is a normal response in beagles when they see or smell food, however, there are several practical things that you can do to help reduce it.
From not giving them a constant stream of treats, to ensuring all traces of food are removed, there are a number of steps that you can take to stop food-related drooling in beagles.
It may take some time and patience, but by following our top tips we’re confident that you’ll see a huge reduction in the amount of beagle slobber around the home!
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