Bloodhound
Noble and Dignified, Bloodhounds are one of the friendliest dogs you will ever find. They particularly do well with children and has an independent nature which makes it tougher for you to train them.
Average sizes and life expectancy of the breed
58-69 cm
36-50 kg
10-12 years
Belgium, France and United Kingdom
pure
hound
Characteristics of the Bloodhound
Predecessor of many Hounds who, like him, follow their prey by scent, the Bloodhound has no competition when it comes to following “cold tracks”, which have been left for hours or even days. This breed is completely friendly and companionable and particularly does well with children. Created in the 7th century, this bloodline was used to track down injured deer, which explains its English name, as they followed the trail of prey's blood. Soon after, his abilities were used to track humans. The big sniffer usually weighs between 36 and 50 kilos, and its height can reach 69 centimeters.
Coat
Bloodhounds have a loose and thick coat around their neck and head, which hangs in deep folds. Whenever their head hangs down, the skin falls into loose, pendulous ridges and folds, particularly their forehead and sides of their face. Their wrinkles and drooping face helps them to funnel scent, right from the ground and up to their nose. Bloodhound dogs mainly come in colours like black and fire, liver and fire or red. Sometimes these colours are a bit dark, where they can be often interspersed with lighter or badger coloured hair. As Bloodhounds have a short coat, keeping them well groomed is less challenging than long haired breeds. Hence, it is suggested to their owners that they maintain them with simple weekly hand brushing and washing off their lower legs, tummy and while they return from a muddy walk.
Pet Profile
Best Dog Foods For Bloodhounds
Being a big athletic dog breed, Bloodhounds need a large and varied diet. They also require a high protein and fat content like all other big dogs to support their overall growth and development. Having Omega fatty acids in the diet also go a long way in keeping excellent skin health in them. Owners can also add lean meat, fresh fruit and vegetables that endows the dogs with antioxidants which provides them strong immunity. When it comes to feeding portion, owners should know that puppies eat more than their adult counterparts. Ideal portion size of puppies up to six months would be 3-4 cups per day, divided into 3 meals. Once they cross six months of age, you should feed them 4-5 cups per day till the age of 1. Note that adult dogs need a little less calories than puppies and you can now divide the meals into 2 meals. Owners should give them enough exercise alongside feeding good food in order to keep up a healthy weight in them.
Grooming Your Bloodhound
As Bloodhound's coat is short and thin, their grooming requirements are not that extensive as the large coated ones. But you cannot entirely discount grooming because they get muddy whenever they go outside for a walk. Above all, they do experience shedding despite of having a short and thin coat. In order to reduce shedding, you need to use a firm bristle brush and a rubber hand glove to effectively remove the dead hair from the coat. Regarding bathing, it is of immense importance to the Bloodhounds as they acquire that doggy smell very fast. Washing them is also necessary as they have a saggy skin where a lot of dirt gets collected over a period of time. To reduce the doggy smell in them, buy a top-notch dog shampoo that keeps a healthy skin while also endowing the Bloodhounds with an energizing smell.
Taking Care of a Bloodhound
The Bloodhound needs a good dose of daily exercise, as it is a hunting dog. Created to track clues in any type of situation, it is necessary to keep an eye on it so that it does not run away, so it is important to offer activities in safe areas. Their ears need special attention as they are always in contact with the floor, and also with food - they fall into the pot while eating. It is necessary to clean them regularly to avoid problems in the ear canals.
History of Bloodhounds
Bloodhounds have been in existence for over centuries where they were once used by noblemen to track games. Their names come from the care which was taken to record their ancestry or bloodlines. Did you know that today's Bloodhound descends from the St. Hubert Hound which was created in 8th century France to follow difficult trails in search of deceptive games such as wild boar. William the Conqueror brought St Hubert Hounds with him when he conquered England in 1066. It was then that the Bloodhounds eventually flourished some 800 years later. Today, Bloodhounds are primarily employed by law enforcement agencies to sniff suspicious things and to track criminal activities.