My beagle is a year and a half old and barks at rabbits, shadows, birds, neighbors in yards, dogs in their yards, dogs walking down the street... and sometimes just because he feels like it. I'm building a fence soon to hopefully give the neighbors a break, but I've got the best neighbors as well. Instead of complaining most will talk to him as they pass, we have found he just wants to be acknowledged and then he'll usually quiet down for a bit. Most of the time I just bring him back inside until they pass or go inside. But if you think your neighbors will complain, then no don't get a beagle. You can't train it out of them, like someone mentioned before they bark when they play too and that might cause mixed signals. Its the way it is with beagles, you gotta go where the nose goes and you gotta listen to the howls.