Meet the Beagle

This is Kioko. She's gorgeous, isn't she? Kioko is a beagle. She's my beagle. She's a beautiful, funny, affectionate, and friendly dog. She's killing me.

I've loved beagles all my life. I have begged my husband for a beagle for years. I harrassed him for one, even. We knew all about the breed and the challenges we might face with a beagle. Being a man who strives daily to give me every single little thing I want in this life, he gave in one day and gave me his husbandly hominus dominus to go out and obtain a beagle of my very own.

We live in Okinawa, Japan at the moment, and so I had no idea where to find a reputable breeder. A friend of mine got her Dachshund puppies, who are very well-adjusted and healthy dogs, from a pet store that fronts for local breeders here in Oki. In The States, I would know better. Here...I didn't know how to find a breeder, a friend recommended the place, and I REALLY WANTED a beagle pup. So...I made the tragic decision to go to this pet shop...checkbook and heart wide open. That afternoon, I met and purchased the beagle that would become Kioko Lily Nix. If I had any inkling of what I had just gotten myself into, I would've run screaming from the store.

I didn't, though, so I didn't, and now I'm stuck with her forever and ever...or at least for the next 15-17 years. None of the problems we're having are Kioko's "fault," but they are nonetheless very difficult for a first-time dog owner to properly handle. To get straight to the point, I think I'm going to burst into flames before I get through potty training this dog.

This blog will be devoted to keeping a record of all the trials, frustrations, new methods, and--yes--happy moments that come to me while I raise Kioko into an adult beagle.

This isn't going to be easy, and I'm already at the end of my emotional rope here. It is my sincere hope that by journaling all this out as we go along, I'll be able to see some progress and gather some fortitude for the future. There are many lessons that prospective beagle owners could learn from Kioko's story. So...if you're considering a beagle for your own family...or if you're a dog owner struggling with house training complications that go beyond anything that anyone will admit to or deal with in any dog training book, then stick with me. Perhaps I'll stumble across something that will help you.

God bless the beagles,
March 14, 2008