Do Beagles Like To Cuddle? [Reasons They Do & May Not]

Beagles are a great dog breed to have as a pet and are known for their gentile temperament while also being a lot of fun! But what about cuddling? Are they open to this kind of interaction with their owners and do they generally enjoy it? I decided to do some research to find out for good! I’d like to share what I was able to find with you here today.

So do beagles like to cuddle? Beagles do like to cuddle, being an affectionate breed by nature. They typically desire to do so for warmth, to feel safe, and to relieve stress. While cuddling is a great way for an owner to strengthen their bond with their beagle, they can become over-reliant on attention and suffer from separation anxiety if left unchecked.

Beagles are happy, outgoing, and loving; it’s no surprise that they are such a popular breed for families – even with young children.

However, it’s always important to question whether our pets enjoy or like a particular activity.

We wouldn’t want to cuddle our dogs if they were not enjoying the interaction or if it was causing them to feel stressed.

There are certain dog breeds that actually do not like cuddling whatsoever. So what makes the beagle different?

Let us take a closer look so that you know exactly why, and how to approach and handle your beagle when it comes to showing affection and cuddling.

Table of Contents

Are Beagles Affectionate?

Beagles are widely known for their affectionate, gentle, and even-tempered nature.

They are considered to be great family dogs; excellent with young children and even other pets.

They are cheerful and love to give and receive affection from their owners and others around them.

They are generally very happy, upbeat, and playful and owners report that they have never seen their beagle snap at another dog, display food aggression, or get protective of their toys.

Equally, Beagles are very social and love to be in the company of others.

So much so that they may even be destructive, bark, or howl if they are left alone for too long a period of time.

This is known as separation anxiety and is commonly experienced in this breed.

Beagles are one of the most loving dog breeds and enjoy showing love to you. That’s what makes beagle one of the best to get.

Why Do Beagles Like To Cuddle With You

Beagles have a tendency to cuddle up close with their owners, but why is this?

The three main reasons are as follows:

For Warmth
To Feel Safe
To Relieve Stress

For Warmth

Beagles were known to be hunting dogs back in the day. Humans would typically pet train them so that they could take them hunting with them.

Historians have shown that humans used to cuddle their beagles back then in order to maintain warmth. This would protect them from dark cold nights.

Due to this, over time beagles became very socially comfortable with us humans and now love to cuddle with us.

Beagles love human touch and it’s quite normal for them to just come to you and start cuddling with you.

Beagles do tend to suffer from separation anxiety when left alone for too long, so keep this in mind.

Let’s now take a look a bit more at why beagles enjoy the physical act of cuddling.

The dictionary definition of cuddle is “the act of hugging and keeping close with someone”. A long time ago, the domestication process of wild dogs began.

During this time dogs were not kept as pets how we do today. Back then, dogs were kept solely as a means of protection for humans.

Humans and dogs used to sleep together in open forests in order to preserve body heat in winter like mentioned earlier. This has now become a dog thing.

To Feel Safe

You may have seen a bunch of puppies cuddling together before. This is obviously very cute, but it is a result of evolution. It helps them to feel safe.

One of the most vulnerable times for any animal is when they’re sleeping.

And even when kept as a pet, a beagle still feels the need to remain safe. Besides, dogs are pack animals and there’s safety in number.

Beagles being hunting dogs have learned their survival skills. Humans have evolved over time as well. We now use blankets as a source of warmth.

Beagles nowadays still prefer to use us as a source of warmth. This explains why beagles specifically love to cuddle and why they will show affection this way.

It’s not only about your beagle retaining a good sense of warmth, but it is more about the feeling of affection.

Relieve Stress

Cuddling has been scientifically proven to relieve stress in a dog.

This form of an expression raises a chemical known as oxytocin (known as the cuddle and social bonding hormone).

Interestingly, it raises in both dogs and humans during cuddling.

It’s very beneficial and explains why a beagle may seek you out.

Cuddling with your beagle will strengthen their trust in you and make your bond stronger.

It’s believed that dogs that bonded with humans were the ones that thrived and survived.

Over time, these dogs managed to breed, making the instinct to bond ingrained and passed down in future generations.

It made their bond with humans become even stronger!

Why Do Certain Beagles Not Like To Cuddle

The majority of beagles enjoy cuddling with their owners, and even with people who are relatively new to them. This is why they do not make good guard dogs and are generally not kept for this purpose.

That being said, there are always some exceptions. Not every beagle will like to cuddle; and equally, not all dogs will want to cuddle all the time.

Every dog has their own unique personality, preferences and of course, different contexts and situations will make a big difference to how a dog feels and responds in the given moment.

Generally, there are a few reasons why your beagle may not want to cuddle.

Some of these may be more temporary, whereas others are more long-term and deep-rooted.

The main ones are;

Too hot,
Its just their natural tendency/personality,
Lack of socializing as a puppy
Injury or Illness

Too Hot

If it’s a warm summer’s day, or the climate is hot outside, your beagle may not be in the mood to huddle and cuddle up to you. Don’t take this personally.

They are likely too hot and just want to cool down. Cuddling generates heat, and beagles of course wear a coat that naturally keeps them warm anyway.

If you notice your beagle is hot and generally looks hot and flustered, ensure that you give them sufficient time and space to cool down.

Also, look to offer plenty of water for them to remain hydrated and ensure they have access to shady areas.

Natural Tendency/Personality

Most beagles do enjoy cuddling, however, as mentioned above there are always some outliers.

Some beagles may be a bit more laid back, reserved, and like to please themselves. Some are just not into cuddling as much as expected.

Likewise, some beagles also may prefer to show affection in a different way other than cuddling.

If this is the case you should always respect the preferences of your dog. Never force it or put them into an uncomfortable position if they are not keen to do so.

Lack Of Socializing As A Puppy

This is another common reason why certain beagles may not like cuddling as much.

If they weren’t introduced to humans and other dogs at an early age then they will likely not be looking for these interactions now as an adult, therefore making them less affectionate than you would like.

For this reason, it’s always a good idea to introduce your dog to as many people as early as you can. Of course, you will want to do so in safe/controlled settings.

Illness Or Injury

This is likely the cause if your beagle has suddenly stopped cuddling as much with you.

It could be an event that has caused an injury, or it could be a long-term illness. Either way, dogs tend to keep themselves to themselves when they are hurt, in pain, and/or unwell.

A lack of affection along with other behaviors and signs are commonly shown – like a limp or tendency to sleep more.

If you suspect your dog is ill and/or injured, make sure to take them to a vet to get them to checked out.

You may find with some suitable treatment that they respond with more cuddles!

How To Get Your Beagle To Cuddle More

So if you find that your beagle is one that doesn’t cuddle as much with you as you may have initially hoped, then what are some things you can do to encourage this interaction?

Beagles are known to be pleasers. For this reason, be sure to reward your beagle for affectionate behavior.

This will show them that you enjoy it and you are looking for this kind of behavior.

Offer healthy treats when and during affectionate interactions with your dog, and be sure to give them a good belly rub too.

Since your beagle will want to please you, they are likely to continue replicating the behavior you promote.

If you want your beagle to show affection to you then you should make it a point to show affection to your beagle.

Try and set specific days and time to just spend some good old one on one time with your beagle. Take this time to brush their coat and just relax with them at home.

Keep in mind that the more love you show to your beagle, the more it is likely to reciprocate it back towards you.

Finally

Beagles generally love to cuddle; it’s in their nature and they have a natural tendency to please and express affection to their owners.

If you have noticed that your beagle is not showing you as much affection as you would like, you now probably have a pretty good idea of some factors that may be causing it.

Sometimes there are things you can do to build a closer and more trustful relationship with them. In turn, you should like to experience more affection from then.

At other times, you may need to accept the fact that your dog is less forthcoming when it comes to cuddling and affection – it may just be how they are.

Still, you can still promote this behavior by rewarding and treating them whenever they do begin to get closer to you.

Ultimately, the beagle is a very affectionate, kid-friendly breed that is also known to be friendly towards new people and strangers.

While this does not necessarily make them a great guard dog as they are so rarely aggressive, it does make them an excellent pet who can bond closely with all in the family.