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My 4 month old beagle is developing a biting problem. Whenever we try to do something to him that he does not want us to do (ie: stopping from eating, moving while sleeping, stop from chewing, etc) he sometimes responds with a light growl and will bite. He doesnt bite hard, but you can tell he is not playing. Is this common in beagles? What might be the cause? Any suggestions?

>>My 4 month old beagle is developing a biting problem. Whenever we try to do something to him that he does not want us to do (ie: stopping from eating, moving while sleeping, stop from chewing, etc) he sometimes responds with a light growl and will bite. He doesnt bite hard, but you can tell he is not playing. Is this common in beagles? What might be the cause? Any suggestions?

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It's more common than it should be, because there's a lot of unscrupulous breeding of Beagles. Hounds are supposed to be laid-back dogs, but when people get greedy and breed dogs without care to keep the correct temperament, you can get some very nasty results.

It is possible, though, that a change in how you handle the dog could make dramatic improvement in his behavior. It's also possible the little guy has an ear infection or something causing it to be painful when you handle him. And it's possible he has been conditioned to respond defensively by accidental mishandling. Have your veterinarian check him out carefully, and find a puppy trainer to help you with the behavior. If you have children, you need to have the pup evaluated by a behavior specialist soon, to determine if he's safe to be around your kids or not.
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Kathy Diamond Davis, author, "Therapy Dogs: Training Your Dog to Reach Others," 2nd edition, and the free Canine Behavior Series at www.veterinaryforum.com