Bloodhound Information: Personality, Exercise, Grooming
Group: AKC Hound,
KCGB Hound
AKC Ranking: 45
Also Known As:
Flemish Hound
About
Bloodhound
Origin and History
of the Breed
This breed is more than
one thousand years old. It was perfected,
not created, by monks of St. Hubert in Belgium.
Later the dogs were brought by the Normans
into England and then to the United States.
It is also known as the Flemish Hound.
The Bloodhound thrives
on the hunt rather than the kill. It revels
in tracking and has been used to hunt animals,
criminals, runaway slaves, and lost children.
Today this plodding, sonorously voiced breed
is both tracker and companion. Although
affable in temperament, it is not easy to
obedience train.
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Bloodhounds are able to follow
any scent, even human - a rare ability in a dog.
This breed has been said to successfully follow
trails over 100 hours old. He is so determined that
he has been known to stay with the trail for over
100 miles. The Bloodhound is such a sure tracker
that the breed is used worldwide for rescue and
criminal searches. The Bloodhound's evidence is
admissible in almost every court of law.
Bloodhound Calorie Calculator
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A General Appearance of
the Dog
One of the most recognized of
the hound group, the Bloodhound is a caricature
of love and devotion. Their deep-set eyes droop
in an endearing way and their loose wrinkled skin
folds softly forward when their head is down. The
velvety large ears are soft to the touch but also,
along with the folds of skin, serve as collectors
of scent information that the nose will efficiently
use while tracking.
The Bloodhound is a very powerful,
massive hound with a very well-muscled neck, and
a back that is extraordinarily strong for the dog's
size. Powerful shoulders allow the dog to work for
long hours without a break. The tail is long and
is carried in an elegant curve above the top of
the back.
Coat Color
The colors of the Bloodhound are
black and tan, liver and tan, and red and sometimes
tawny. The darker colors of the breed are sometimes
interspersed with lighter or badger-colored hair,
and sometimes flecked with white. A small amount
of white is permissible on chest, feet, and tip
of stern.
Coat Type
A short, fairly hard coat of hair
covers the body of the Bloodhound. The hair is softer
on the skull and ears. The coat of the Bloodhound
is extremely weatherproof.
Height
Males 25-27”
Females 23-25”
Weight
Males 90-110 Lbs.
Females 80-100 Lbs.
Personality
Temperament of the Dog
Bloodhounds are determined, responsive,
gentle, affectionate, and sensitive. They are good
with almost anyone they come in contact with and
will be friendly with them. They are reserved with
strangers initially but warm up to them soon.
The breed is extremely affectionate,
neither quarrelsome with companions nor with other
dogs except dogs of the same sex on rare occasion.
The Bloodhound’s nature is somewhat shy, and
equally sensitive to kindness or correction by his
master.
Early training of any kind is
recommended and needs to be followed for the better
enjoyment for both pet and owner. They can be stubborn
on a trail and refuse to be called off if he is
not ready. A trip in the woods off-lead will surely
guarantee your Bloodhound a wild run and cause for
YOU to find HIM wherever his nose takes him.
When the breed is inside they
remain calm, quiet and affectionate.
Having the rare ability to follow
a human scent, the Bloodhound uses his sharp sense
of smell and determination and stamina to walk almost
endlessly in pursuit. Therefore, the breed requires
exercise in a fenced yard or on lead daily. Invisible
fencing will not contain the drive to follow scent
that this breed possesses.
Bloodhounds, in general, are delightful
characters, and are lively, entertaining, and very
loyal. They crave constant love and attention from
you and your family members.
Better suited to an indoor
or outdoor lifestyle?
Bloodhounds love to bay and therefore
should be in an area that is not largely affected
by loud sounds. They also need a rather large yard
and room to run. Bloodhounds will not be moved by
their master when on a scent, and therefore need
an enclosed yard with a fence. They should also
be kept on a leash when outside of a yard or house
due to their disobedience. Bloodhounds do best in
rural homes with a patient owner or one familiar
with the breed.
Bloodhounds can never be kept
in an unfenced yard. Instinct will always set them
wandering off on some trail.
They can be protective of their
domain, if no one is home, but out on a trail, they
will welcome anyone. Some will bark and let you
know when strangers are around. They can live in
harmony with other dogs and household pets. Bloodhounds
have a tendency to howl, snore, and drool a lot.
He may also sniff inappropriately.
Are they suited to homes
with kids?
The Bloodhound is great with children
of any age and will be tolerant of their activities
and contact almost to a fault. They welcome strangers
so will not be protective or serve as a watchdog.
Activity
Level
How Active is the Breed?
Bloodhounds love a good run and
need a lot of exercise. They should be taken for
a long, daily walk. They have an incredible level
of stamina and can walk for hours on end. They would
greatly enjoy hiking with you, but keep in mind
their urge to investigate any interesting scent.
Do not overtire them with walks until they are fully
grown. The Bloodhound is a big dog that grows rapidly
and needs all its energy for developing strong bones,
joints and muscles. This is a breed that needs to
take a direction of training and stay with it so
the dog will not become confused.
If field trials are something
you would like to participate in with your Bloodhound,
then it would not be fair to expect a calm walk
in the park to transpire with your pet on lead as
well.
How Much Exercise Does
the Dog Need at every stage of its Life?
Young puppies need to play catch,
fetch and tug-of-war in addition to short walks
on lead. The Bloodhound is a large-boned breed and
needs lots of time for these bones to develop properly.
Long walks should lengthen as the dog matures and
not be rushed until his body is ready.
Grooming
The smooth, shorthaired coat is
easy to groom. Groom with a hound glove and bathe
only when necessary. A rub with a rough towel or
chamois will leave the coat gleaming. This breed
is an average shedder.
Toenails need weekly clipping.
Care should be taken to keep their ears clean of
debris and ticks as they are floppy and hang low
to the ground, picking up all kinds of dirt while
trailing.
Bloodhounds are inherently clean
and tend to care for themselves well but their ears
can have a distinctive doggy odor which is offensive
to some people. Earnest frequent cleaning by you
will go a long way in keeping this to a minimum.
Health
and Care
Genetic Problems
Bloat is a health issue to most
large dogs, but Bloodhounds can be particularly
susceptible to it because of their deep chests.
You should feed two or three small meals a day instead
of one large one. Avoid exercising your Bloodhound
immediately after meals.
The Bloodhound is prone to hip
dysplasia and luxation of the patellas. Testing
of the bloodline will help to keep this to a minimum.
Sleeping on a padded bed will help ease any discomfort
of these areas after a long hunt and avoid calluses
on the joint areas.
Some Bloodhounds tend to get entropion,
where the eyelids turn inward but a careful breeder
will be watchful of this.
Breeding the Dog and any
Cautions
Check with your breeder to determine
a proper mate for your Bloodhound.
Litter Size:
8-10 Puppies
Life Span: 10-12
Years
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National Breed Clubs
British – The Bloodhound
Club – http://bloodhoundclub.co.uk
Association of Bloodhound Breeders
UKC considers this a ‘vulnerable native breed’
– one of British origin whose numbers are
declining
US – American Bloodhound Club - www.bloodhounds.org
Other Recognition: CKC, FCI,
AKC, UKC, KCGB, CKC, ANKC, NKC, NZKC, APRI, ACR
Rescue Link
www.bloodhounds.org/page3/page15/rescuegroups.html#rescuegroups
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