Many people buy a beagle puppy on impulse. With their soft, sweet looks, joyful nature and happy demeanor, it's easy to fall in love with beagle puppies.

However, reality hits when these owners realize how much a challenge living with a beagle puppy can be. They are self-absorbed, hyperactive and destructive around the house. Leave one alone in your yard for several hours, and you'll understand what I mean.

If trained and cared for properly however, the beagle can be an excellent companion, loyal friend and an amusing pet to have around the house. As they are not aggressive, beagles are excellent with children and a lot of fun too! The following are some beagle characteristics and behavior you need to know about before making a decision:

Beagle puppies are highly active

Beagle puppies fill their time with fun-filled activities, and much of them involve destroying some of your belongings. They have loads of energy enough to keep them going throughout the day.

The best way to control them is to keep an eye on them when they are let to roam about the home. When you aren't at home, keep them caged up or enclosed. Note: Beagle puppies are intelligent. They are capable of learning how to open locks on cages, so be sure to keep that on check.

Beagle puppies are self-absorbed and stubborn

This means that they may not necessarily listen to you. If you discover a good way to capture your beagle puppy's attention though, then you stand a good chance of training him. Also, their self-absorbed nature means that they want to be at the center of your attention. Thus, if you have other dogs in the house, they can get bullied by your beagle.

Beagle puppies can be noisy

Beagles tend to bark and complain, especially when they are excited. Some even make that half howl and half bark beagling noise. Not all beagles are like that though. This means you've got to spend time correcting undesirable behavior.

Now, your next question is: Then, why are beagle puppies still one of the most popular dogs to have?

Despite some of their shortcomings, beagle puppies are possibly the cutest dogs on earth. They amuse you when you are weary from a tough day at work. And there never seems to be a sad moment in a beagle's life.

Beagles are pack dogs, and therefore get well with most any dogs (although they tend to compete for your attention). Their short fur is easy to care for, and as one of the older breeds around, they are pretty durable. Also, their relatively small, but strong, build makes them easy to handle. Ideally however, beagles should live in a sizeable home with adequate space or a yard to roam around in.

Finally, if you can accept the Beagle for what he is, be prepared to clean up the mess he makes and spend time on training, then the Beagle is an excellent dog to have. It's always a good idea to talk to other Beagle owners before you make a decision. Otherwise, you may not realize what you are getting yourself into, particularly when your beagle puppy doesn't behave as well as it looks.