Beagles are known for incessant barking. They do it when they are trying to call attention to their needs and they also bark when they are bored. This is inconvenient when you want quiet but especially so when you have close neighbors. Daily exercise, toys and adequate attention from you can minimize the boredom. There are several progressively intense methods for quieting a beagle. Start with the least intense method and move progressively through the other methods if you need to. Be sure to give each method at least two weeks to gauge its effectiveness.
Instructions
Figure out why your dog is barking. He may wish to eat, play or go for a walk. Take care of his needs and see if the barking stops. If he is outside and there are aspects of the environment causing him to bark, move him indoors.
Reward your dog in those moments when she would have barked but didn̵7;t. Pat her, praise her and give her a treat. She will begin to understand that you desire silence and associate quiet moments with treats.
Do not respond if her barking is excessive. After ascertaining that there is nothing she needs, it may be best to ignore her. Beagles often bark a lot to get attention, especially if they have managed to get treats this way. Ignore her and say nothing. Even the word ̶0;No!̶1; could be construed as encouragement for her to continue.
Spray water on his nose and say ̶0;No!̶1; sharply to stop him. This will make him stop briefly. Use a spray bottle and spray lightly. It should be just enough to get his attention, not to get him wet.
Teach him when to bark and when to stop. Use a sound he usually barks at for this training. In ̶0;The Complete Idiot̵7;s Guide to Beagles,̶1; author Kim Campbell Thornton suggests using the sound of a doorbell. Ring the doorbell and as soon as your beagle begins to bark say ̶0;speak.̶1; After a few seconds, hold up your hand, say ̶0;Enough!̶1; and walk away. When the dog is silent, wait for a few seconds then give him a treat. Repeat this process until your dog responds to ̶0;speak̶1; and ̶0;enough.̶1;
Use a small bean bag or a shake can. A shake can is an empty soda bottle sealed at the top with about 10 coins inside. Throw the bag or can in the general direction of the dog as soon as he begins to bark unnecessarily. Do not throw it at him but rather close to him. The sudden appearance of the item and the sound of the can will stop the barking. Repeat this as often as necessary until he associates these items with unnecessary barking.