BloodHound Dog Breed
A Bloodhound (also known as the St. Hubert Hound) is a large breed of dog bred for the specific purpose of tracking human beings. Consequently, it is often used by authorities to track escaped prisoners or missing persons. It is a scenthound, famed for its ability to follow a scent hours or even days old, over long distances. Combining a keen sense of smell with a tenaciously strong tracking instinct, bloodhounds have proven their worth as the archetypal trailing dog.
Appearance
Bloodhounds weigh from 80 to 110 lb and stand 23 to 27 inches high at the withers. The acceptable colors for Bloodhounds are black and tan, liver and tan, or red. In the Middle Ages, they also occurred in other solid colors, including white (known as the Talbot hound). The colors appear in other breeds descended from the early Bloodhounds, however. Bloodhounds possess an unusually large skeletal structure; most of their weight is concentrated in their bones, which are very thick for their length. The coat is typical for a scenthound: hard, and composed of fur alone, with no admixture of hair.
Temperament
This breed is a mellow, cheerful, affectionate dog who is nonetheless tireless in following a scent. Because of its strong tracking instinct, it can be willful, and somewhat difficult to obedience train. However, with the proper amount of time and effort, this can be achieved.
Affectionate, gentle, and even-tempered, they make excellent family pets but, like any large breed, may require supervision when around small children because of the possibility of knocking them over with their bulk.
Health
As with most large breeds, their life expectancy is only 8 to 12 years.
The Bloodhound is prone to hip dysplasia, and is one of the breeds that is the most frequent victims of bloat. Consequently, Bloodhound groups are attempting to concentrate funds for research into bloat at a small number of veterinary schools, in order to increase the likelihood of obtaining valuable results.
Bloodhounds require relatively little maintenance to their coats beyond brushing and infrequent baths. Their long, pendulous ears should be inspected frequently, as they are prone to ear infections, and their drooping eyelids can be a source of trouble.
History
The bloodhound was, according to legend, first bred ca. AD 1000 by monks at the St. Hubert Monastery in Belgium. Undoubtedly, its origins do reside in France, home of many of the modern Hound breeds. Its excellent tracking skills were drawn on in breeding other scenthounds, such as the Coonhound, Swiss Jura Hound, Bavarian Mountain Hound, and many others.
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