The Amazing, Placid Bloodhound

Dog breed info
Bloodhound
Weight: 80 — 120 lbs
Height: 23” — 27”
AKC Rank 2008 #41
Lifespan: 7—10 yrs
Group Hound
Origin England

Dog Breed Info – The Bloodhound

Breed Overview

Origin: Middle Ages. Original function, tracking. Today, search and rescue. Drools profusely.

The Breed probably goes way back to ancient times. This dog got the reputation of tracking scents of actual blood, which is not right. They followed the scent of animals of the “blue blood” hunting “Royalty of England.” This breed has been known in America since the mid 1800’s. They gained the reputation as “slave trackers.” They have since proved to be one of the most useful breeds, especially in law enforcement. They use their amazing sense of smell to track lost persons and criminals. After the person is located, the dog’s job is finished.

It’s ironic that many people were afraid of the Bloodhound because they thought the name indicated the dog tracked actual blood and had a hunger for the blood, which is idiotic. The breed is well known in America but not one of the more popular house pets.

“How To Train Your Blo9odhound” is a 96 page hardcover book that gives you information about getting the dog, caring for it and basic training you can do at home. Bloodhounds are intelligent, complex dogs and one small book won’t cover every aspect, but the book has a 5-star customer approval rating This is a worthwhile book for lovers of the breed.

Trainability

Can be stubborn. They will track a scent without training but needs formal training in obedience commands. This is a big animal and must be controlled at all times. clicker training works well but takes a lot of repetition.

Crate Training

Want to crate train your Bloodhound puppy? It’s easy and if you’re interested, take a look and you’ll see what to do. Crate training your puppy will save many headaches and problems.

Potty Training

Some Bloodhound puppies can be difficult to house train, potty train, toilet train, housebreak or whatever you want to call it. If you have a puppy, decide if you want to crate or paper potty train it. For the best results, we have a page at Crate vs Paper Potty Training which will help you decide and from there you can get all the information you need to get the job done. Always praise the pup profusely when she goes potty in the RIGHT PLACE so she knows she has done a good thing. Either method will work for this breed.

If you have an older dog, take the dog outside every two hours until she gets the idea which door leads to her potty area. Older dogs catch on to the potty or housebreaking pretty fast once they are shown what to do.

Temperament

For all it’s calm manners at home, the Bloodhound is a tireless tracker when out searching for something. The dog is tough, stubborn and independent, yet it is so gentle and placid that it is extremely trustworthy around children. This is not the “lazy” dog portrayed in folklore, but instead is an active companion. It is not the easiest dog to train. This dog can be reserved with strangers. Once this dog gets on the trail of a scent, you can’t call it off. Thus, it must be exercised in a safe area.

Bloodhound puppy, quiet as usual.

Friendly Toward Other Dogs

Somewhat. This is not an aggressive dog. The Bloodhound may be wary of some dogs but generally is friendly.

Friendly Toward Other Pets

Yes, very much a family dog. Should get along with family pets.

Friendly Toward Strangers

Yes, generally accepts people, especially if socialized properly as a very young puppy.

Playfulness

No, not very playful.

Yes. Very affectionate. Needs to be with his family Bloodhounds are gentle, docile loving family dogs that need human interaction.

Good with children

Yes. this breed is laid back and quite tolerant. Older kids might enjoy this dog. Very young kids could get injured. Probably not playful enough for the interests of some children,

Good with Seniors over 65?

No. Too big, too much exercise required.

Living environment

House with a big, fenced yard. The dog should never be out of the yard with out a leash. He will find a scent and disappear.

Energy level

Exercise needs, daily

Moderate. The Bloodhound is not a race horse, but has great endurance and needs good long walks daily. It needs plenty of exercise.

Fairly good. Will alert to people at the door.

The very intelligent scenthound, the Bloodhound.

No. Too friendly. The Bloodhound instinct is to track but not harm his prey.

Clean facial wrinkles daily due to excessive drooling. It’s essential to keep the wrinkles clean and dry to prevent infection!

Ear tips drag in food and need cleaning daily. The ear canals need regular cleaning too. Dog needs a bath frequently in warm weather.
Brush weekly or more to remove dead hair.

Bloodhound Breeders

In the event you decide to go looking for Bloodhound puppies, be SURE to find reputable breeders that really know what they are doing. Be sure the puppy has been VERY well socialized and started in obedience training. It’s not often that Bloodhound puppies turn up in dog pounds and shelters but you might check anyway.
Bloodhound Breeders with puppies for sale.

Bloodhound Rescue

In the event you are seriously considering the adoption of an older dog and are looking for a Bloodhound Rescue group or groups in your state, here are several links that might help:
Petfinder – Bloodhound RescueAt this time, there are only 266 dogs listed as available by Petfinder for the entire USA, so this breed is a bit scarce. Go online and search for Bloodhound Rescue or other types of kennels.
Adopt A Pet This is an interesting site but the Bloodhound Rescue groups seem to be rare so check online. Also, try your newspaper ads for kennels and dog pounds and foster homes for the breed.

Health Issues For The Bloodhound
Below are the illnesses or medical problems listed for the breed by various vets.

This is basically a healthy breed. Don’t let the list below scare you! Your own dog will probably never have ANY of these problems. These are medical issues this breed is prone to that have been listed by various veterinarians at different times over the past decade or so and some pertain to puppies and very young dogs that a breeder would deal with.

The information contained herein has been gathered from numerous books by veterinarians and is intended as general information only. Every dog and situation is different. You must see your vet. Our information is for general interest only and not intended to replace the advice provided by your own veterinarian.

Skin fold dermatitis—Infection normally affects the folds on the face where moisture and dirt are trapped in the skin folds causing inflammation. The vet will give you a cleansing shampoo to fight the infection and an antibiotic cream of some kind. In severe cases where the problem won’t subside, surgery might be the last resort to remove a few folds. Commonly found in bulldogs, mastiff’s, Bloodhounds, Pekingese and Pugs.

Other health problems could occur with Bloodhound. If you notice any problems with your dog, take it to the vet immediately. This website is for general information only and is not intended to, in any way, be a medical guide.

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