Bloodhounds are a world-famous dog breed, often considered the top sleuth hounds. Their noses are the best on this planet. They can track a missing human for days through rough terrain. They can even track people over bodies of water.
But they’re not just working dogs. They also make fantastic family companions. They’re gentle, large dogs with minimal needs.
Characteristics of Bloodhounds
Body size. Bloodhounds are a large dog breed. The males are usually larger than the females.
The average height for a male bloodhound ranges from 25 to 27 inches. Females are usually between 23 and 25 inches at their shoulders.
The average weight of a healthy male bloodhound is between 90 and 110 pounds. Healthy females range from 80 to 100 pounds. Be sure to talk to your veterinarian if you’re worried that your pet is too far under or overweight.
Keep their large size in mind before deciding to bring a bloodhound home. They can be difficult to transport. You’ll need to take their needs into account when planning future trips. Also, make sure you have enough space in your home for everyone to be comfortable.
Body shape. Bloodhounds have sturdy builds with low chests and muscular legs.
Their heads taper slightly as they approach the muzzle and should be about a foot in length. Their ears are set low on the skull, and are thin, soft, and incredibly long.
A key bloodhound trait is their deep wrinkles. The skin on their heads and necks is loose enough to fall in deep folds — particularly on their foreheads and the sides of their faces.
How long do bloodhounds live? Bloodhounds live reasonably long lives for their large size. Their average lifespan is 10 to 12 years. You can expect at least a decade with your pet if you get one of these dogs when they’re still a puppy.
Coat. Bloodhounds have single coats that are short and smooth.
These days, they only come in three different color combinations. These are:
- Black and tan
- Liver and tan
- Red
There aren’t any standard marking patterns for these colors, but there are some common trends. For example, the black and tan variety tends to have their black coloration on the muzzle and back with the tan color everywhere else.
There used to be many more coat color options for bloodhounds. The first dogs brought to Europe, before the Crusades, were actually pure black or pure white. But these color options were bred out when the bloodhound was refined in Elizabethan times.
Eyes. A bloodhound’s eyes are deeply set into the dog’s skull. Their lower eyelids are heavy and dragged down. This contributes to the breed's classic look.
Eye color ranges from deep hazel to yellow.
Personality. The bloodhound personality can be a bit divided. They behave differently when they’re hanging out at home compared to when they’re tracking a scent.
At home, these dogs are docile and affectionate. They love spending time with their families and are very attuned to your moods.
But on the trail, they become stubborn and relentless. It can be very difficult to deter or distract them once they’ve found an interesting scent. They were bred to be this way, and it’s part of what makes them such a unique breed.
In general, the bloodhound temperament is quite shy but very loving.
Caring for Bloodhounds
Grooming. In terms of grooming, bloodhound care is relatively simple. You should brush them weekly to keep their dead hairs from getting onto your furniture.
The brushing will also spread your dog's natural oils and promote new hair growth. Both of these things will keep their coat shiny and healthy.
Give your dog regular baths to keep them from getting too smelly. The breed does have a strong tendency to develop a characteristic dog odor.
You should also regularly check their wrinkles and long ears for signs of irritation or infection. Wipe them with a soft, wet cloth if you find any dirt. Then thoroughly dry off the area.
Trim their nails when needed and brush their teeth daily to complete their grooming routine.
Feeding. Make sure that your pet has access to clean water at all times.
The breed will do well on most high-quality dog foods. Either find a brand that your dog prefers or make the food yourself. Just make sure that you talk to your veterinarian about all of your dog’s nutritional needs.
Also, make sure you know what human foods are safe for dogs to eat before giving your dog any table scraps.
Exercise and Mental Stimulation. Bloodhounds sometimes come across as a lazy breed. But they were bred to relentlessly follow a trail for hours, and even days. This means that they need daily exercise to stay healthy.
A long walk with plenty of good things to smell is their favorite activity.
They also need moderate amounts of mental stimulation. Since they were bred to work in packs, they sometimes enjoy the company of other dogs.
Playing with other dogs and with their human family can benefit both their mental and physical health.
Veterinary visits, medications, and immunizations. Your veterinarian is the best person to determine all of the vaccinations that your pet needs, but all dogs should get a core set.
This includes vaccinations for:
- Canine parvovirus
- Distemper
- Adenovirus
- Parainfluenza virus
- Rabies
These can begin as early as six weeks of age. There are also other non-core vaccinations that you can discuss with your veterinarian.
Dosages for flea and tick medications are based on your dog's weight and used as needed. Oral and skin-based applications are available from your veterinarian or other distributors. Heartworm medication is also recommended year round in all parts of the U.S.
Many of these medications can be effective against a variety of pests and parasites, so talk to your veterinarian to figure out the best one for you.
Health Problems to Watch For With Bloodhounds
As a large dog breed, there are a number of health concerns that you should keep in mind while raising your bloodhound. These include:
- Bloat. This is a serious and possibly life-threatening condition that can affect large dogs. It’s actually the leading cause of death in bloodhounds. Their stomachs become swollen. Get your dog to the vet as soon as possible if their stomach is swollen and they pace or act restless, or try unsuccessfully to vomit, all of which are signs they may have this condition.
- Hip dysplasia. This is a common problem in dogs where their hip joint isn’t properly formed. It can lead to arthritis and make movement painful.
- Elbow dysplasia. This is a similar condition to hip dysplasia, but at the elbow joint.
Special Considerations for Bloodhounds
Bloodhounds are a unique breed of dog, so there are special considerations to keep in mind before bringing one home.
You should never let your bloodhound off-leash, and you need to make sure that the leash you use is strong. You’ll need this leash as soon as your dog picks up an interesting scent or you won’t be able to control your pet. They won’t hesitate to wander off if not on a leash.
They’re also great at digging holes and will burrow right under a fence if left unsupervised.
They’re only moderately good with others. The AKC rates them a three out of five for attitudes toward, and interactions with young children, other dogs, and strangers. Socialize them early to help handle this issue.
Bloodhound traits include stubbornness. They can also be difficult to train because of their stubborn natures. For the best results, start their training as soon as you can and be as consistent as possible. Remain gentle and use lots of positive reinforcement. These dogs are very sensitive to your emotions and you don’t want to stress them out.
They do drool much more than other breeds. Make sure you’re comfortable with drool before bringing a bloodhound home.
Bloodhounds can also bark a lot. This is helpful when they’re out tracking but might be a problem in your home.
History of Bloodhounds
No one knows the exact origins of the bloodhound. They’re likely one of the oldest hound breeds that still exist today.
The first written description of a bloodhound-like breed comes from the scholar Aelian — who was writing in the third century.
The breed was greatly refined in the middle ages, mostly by the monks who ran breeding programs out of their monasteries. They’re most likely from the Abbey of St. Hubert, which had a fantastic program for creating scent-hounds.
Although bloodhounds were originally bred to track game like deer and wild boar, the breeders’ focus shifted during medieval times and bloodhounds became the human tracking masters that they are today.
From the 14th century on, the breed appears in numerous examples of English writing, from factual descriptions to stories with elaborate chase scenes.
The name bloodhound first appears in writing in 1330. The most likely origin is the term blooded hound which refers to their fancy breeding since it means of noble blood.
Bloodhounds were used to develop other breeds as well, including the black and tan coonhound.
They’ve long been used by police departments to track missing people. To this day, with all of our technology, no one has been able to create an artificial nose anywhere near as precise as the bloodhound’s.
