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Hill’s Brand Horizon

Bloodhound

dog Breed Profile

The bloodhound is a large dog with long droopy ears and wrinkled skin, especially on the face.

Attributes

Dolichocephalic (long face), droopy eyes, floppy ears (naturally), body folds (wrinkles)

Size

Weight

90-110 lbs.

80-100 lbs.

Height

24 in.

(at withers)

26 in.

Coat

Length

Short

Color

Black and tan, liver and tan, red

Care

Exercise

20-40 minutes/day

Energy level

Average

Longevity

7-10 yrs.

Needs

High

Traits

Barking

Moderate

Snoring

Low

Drooling

High

Digging

Low

Grooming Needs

High

Social Needs

High

Club recognition

AKC Class.

Hound

UKC Class.

Scenthounds

Prevalence

Common

The Bloodhound Dog Breed

The bloodhound can display full canine expressiveness with baying, howling and whining.

About the Bloodhound

The bloodhound is a large dog with long droopy ears and wrinkled skin, especially on the face.

Bloodhound personality

The bloodhound is a gentle, patient, noble and mild-mannered animal. He's especially good with children and is known to be exceptionally tolerant of tots who clamber over him. He also generally gets along well with other animals.

Beneath this mild-mannered demeanor, however, run deep streaks of determination and independence. A bloodhound has a mind of his own, and tends to make his own decisions rather than obey his owner's commands. This tendency is especially true if the dog has detected an interesting scent if that happens, he'll be single-minded in his determination to follow the trail as far as he possibly can.

The bloodhound is one of the most melodious members of dogdom. He can perform full canine arias that feature expressive baying, howling and whining.

What to expect

Bloodhounds can be wonderful canine companions, but they also can be a tremendous challenge. They are relatively slow to mature, hitting adolescence at about one year and not reaching full maturity until at least age two. During that adolescent period, the bloodhound is likely to be boisterous, clumsy, curious about any interesting scent and fearless about eating anything that smells interesting. This tendency to eat includes such inappropriate objects as TV remote controls, towels, batteries and car seats, which results in expensive post-tasting surgery to remove those objects.

This dog's long jowls make him a prodigious drooler, and with a quick turn of his head, he can hurl that drool as far as 20 feet. The bloodhound's tenacity and independence can make training a challenge. Patience and consistency is needed to teach him basic good manners. Do not let your Bloodhound off leash, except in a securely enclosed area. An interesting scent will spark a single-minded pursuit that will make the bloodhound impervious to his guardian's commands. Nevertheless, the bloodhound is an energetic breed that needs lots of exercise, especially  as a  puppy hood. Like other large dogs, the bloodhound's life span is relatively short, about 10 years.

History of the Bloodhound

The bloodhound has a long and noble history. The breed was perfected in the 7th century by St. Hubert of Belgium and his monks. Since then, these dogs have frequently been  associated with royalty. William the Conqueror brought several bloodhounds with him when he arrived in England in 1066, and modern bloodhounds are descended from those dogs. Meanwhile, back in Belgium, St. Hubert's monastery continued to present the king of France with a pair of black and tan bloodhounds every year. Even today, in French-speaking parts of Europe, these dogs are known as St. Hubert hounds.

Initially bloodhounds were used to track deer and other game. By the 16th century, however, they also were used to track people. Today bloodhounds assist with law enforcement as well as search-and-rescue efforts. Their abilities are so highly regarded that trails performed by proven trailing bloodhounds are admissible as evidence in court.

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