Mabel was found in March, dumped, and roaming in a large hunting preserve. She was severely underweight and covered in ticks and fleas. Despite all of that, she was immediately friendly and just wanted love—even while we were pulling ticks off of her. For the first two weeks, she was so afraid of being indoors that she slept in our Florida room and would not come fully inside the house. With time and patience, she has warmed up and is now a total ham.
She is fully vetted:
Up to date on vaccinations
Microchipped
On Simparica Trio for fleas, ticks, and parasites
Personality & Household CompatibilityMabel is affectionate, playful, goofy, and has a classic beagle personality. She has discovered the joy of:
Having her own bed
Sharing human beds with people and other dogsShe loves snuggles, belly rubs, and light play/wrestling. She’s on the clumsy side when she’s excited on the bed, which just adds to her charm.
She currently lives peacefully with:
Multiple dogs
Cats
A ferret
A 9‑year‑old child
She has done well with all of them. She genuinely enjoys other dogs and likes to cuddle and play with canine friends. She’s estimated to be around 6 years old, but still has a good amount of play in her.
Known Challenges & Training NeedsGiven her history, I strongly suspect she was an outdoor dog and likely abused. She has physical scars, and behaviorally she tends to shut down with any negative reinforcement, so she absolutely needs a positive‑reinforcement, beagle‑savvy home.
Areas we are still working on:
Potty training:She’s made progress but isn’t 100% consistent yet. To be fair, we have two senior dogs who use potty pads, which makes things confusing for her. A more straightforward setup and consistent routine should help her continue to improve.
Resource guarding:
Mabel came to us extremely thin and food-insecure. She has gained over 10 pounds since arriving and looks much healthier, but she still guards food and will steal from other dogs if given the chance. She currently eats separately and does best with structured mealtimes. Her guarding has only involved growling and occasional barking—she has never bitten or made contact over resources in my home. She can also guard human attention and bed space a bit, so adopters should be comfortable with management and positive training around this.
Recall: Her nose is all beagle—once she’s on a scent, her recall can suffer. A securely fenced yard is strongly preferred, and off‑leash should be limited to safe, enclosed areas.
Chewing: She is still a chewer and is learning what’s appropriate vs. off‑limits. She does well when supervised with proper chew options and will need ongoing guidance here.
Ears: She has chronically yeasty ears and will need regular at‑home ear care (enzymatic washes and otic cleaner) to keep them comfortable.
Crate & vocalization: Mabel is not great in a crate at this point and is very vocal, as you’d expect from a beagle. She uses her voice outside and will bark at the door when she’s ready to come in. A home that understands beagle volume and doesn’t share walls with sensitive neighbors would be ideal.
Ideal HomeMabel would do best in:
A beagle‑experienced (or hound‑experienced) home
With at least one other dog of similar age and energy level for companionship and play
Ideally, with someone who works from home or is around a good portion of the day
A securely fenced yard, as we are still working on leash manners, and her nose can override her recall
She’s spayed, loving, and absolutely has the makings of an excellent family dog—especially for a family that likes a goofy, cuddly, vocal beagle and is willing to continue her training with patience and positive reinforcement.
Mabel has survived a lot and truly deserves a life that is much better than how it started. Won't you give her a forever home?
