Bloodhound
The bloodhound is the oldest and most accurate scent hound in the world, developed in monasteries in medieval Belgium and France, and known in Britain from the Middle Ages.
Its trailing evidence has been accepted in courts for over a century.
It is a very large, heavy, loose-skinned hound with enormous drooping ears and deep facial wrinkles, all of which serve to gather and trap scent around the nose. A bloodhound can follow a trail days old over many miles. Everything else about it is gentle and rather slow: affectionate, tolerant, extremely stubborn, and entirely governed by its nose.
- Origin
- Belgium and France
- Size
- 36–50 kg, 58–69 cm at the shoulder
- Lifespan
- 10–12 years
- Coat
- Short, loose and hard
- Temperament
- Gentle, affectionate, obstinate, single-minded on a trail
- Exercise
- At least 2 hours daily, ideally trailing
3 bloodhound photos, newest first
Living with a bloodhound
The ears and facial folds need cleaning and drying several times a week; neglected wrinkles get sore and infected.
Bloodhounds drool copiously. This is not a fastidious dog.
A hound on a trail is unreachable, so secure fencing and a harness are essential — recall is not a realistic plan. Give the nose work: tracking is what settles this breed.
Deep-chested and at serious risk of bloat, which is a common cause of death in the breed. Hip and elbow dysplasia, entropion and ectropion, and ear infections are all frequent.
General guidance, not veterinary advice. Individual dogs vary, and anything about a specific animal is a question for a vet who has seen it.
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