Bloodhound Information

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(St. Hubert Hound, Chien de Saint Hubert) The Bloodhound is a hound breed that has a powerful presence and massive build. Their jowls and hanging skin give the dog a dopey, mournful expression. The neck of this breed is very well muscled and boasts folds of loose, wrinkled skin. The back is extremely strong for the dog’s size, and the shoulders are strong and powerful. Forelegs of this breed are straight, well-muscled, and solid. The top of the Bloodhound’s skull is very high and pronounced. The eyes are dark in color and set deeply into their sockets. Their black noses sit atop their long muzzle. The breed’s elegant tail is carried above the topline of the back in a curve shape. The Bloohound has a short, comparatively hard coat that is softer around the ears and head. Existing coat colors for this breed include black & tan, liver & tan, and red & tawny.

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Character

The Bloodhound is kind, noble, loving, and even-tempered. They are a very mild-mannered breed that is excellent and patient with children. For this reason, the Bloodhound is a wonderful family pet. They love the affection and attention they get from children. They are highly energetic outdoors, and they are lively and determined as puppies. They are independent and require firm, gentle training. They have a propensity towards willfulness. Rather than following commands, the Bloodhound is likely to make his own decisions. They are kind and calm by nature, but they aren’t particularly receptive to orders. As puppies, this breed can be quite a handful, but they generally calm down by the age of 2 with proper training. Bloodhounds are devoted to their families, but they usually get along with other people as well. They are rarely aggressive, but they can be dominant towards other dogs of the same sex. They are likely to follow interesting scents, and they howl, snore, and drool regularly. Because of their natural sniffing abilities, this dog shouldn’t be kept in an un-fenced yard. They will flee if not on a leash.

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Size

23 – 30 inches
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Weight

80 – 110 pounds
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General Health

The Bloodhound is susceptible to bloat. For this reason, this breed should be fed 2 to 3 small meals per day. Some lines of Bloodhounds are also prone to stomach cramps. As with other large dog breeds, hip dysplasia is a concern. Padded beds are recommended to prevent the onset of calluses on the joints. Ears should be checked regularly for infections. Some Bloodhounds have a tendency to get entropion. This breed typically lives for 10 to 12 years. They average 8 to 10 puppies per litter.

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History

The Bloodhound is more than 1,000 years old. The breed was honed by the monks of St. Hubert in Belgium, and later brought to England by the Normans. The Bloodhound is also referred to as the “Flemish Hound”. Many other hound breeds like the American Coonhounds, Swiss Jura Hounds, Brazilian Fila Brasileiro, and Bavarian Mountain Hound trace their ancestory back to the Bloodhound. During the Middle Ages, the Bloodhound existed in a wide variety of colors. The white variety of Bloodhound was called the “Talbot Hound”. By the 1600’s, the Talbot Hound had died out as a breed, but its genes were passed down to many other breeds including white Boxers and tri-colored Basset Hounds. Today, however, the Bloodhound’s coat is black & tan, liver & tan, or red & tawny. Today the Bloodhound is heavily utilized as a hunting tracker and companion dog.

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Maintenance

The Bloodhound has a smooth, short-haired coat that is easy to groom and maintain. Hound gloves should be used to groom this breed, and baths should be given only as necessary. Rubbing this breed’s coat with a chamois or rough towel will add sheen and polish. The long, floppy ears of this breed should be cleaned regularly. The Bloodhound has a strong dog odor that may offend some people. They are average shedders.

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Ideal Environment

Bloodhounds can live happily in a small household or apartment if they are given sufficient exercise. They are relatively inactive indoors and are most content with at least and average-sized yard. They need lots of exercise and time to run around in open spaces. They like to go for hikes and walks, but owners should be aware of their tendency to follow interesting smells. This breed should be kept on a leash and in a fenced yard.

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Dog Training!

If you're having problems training your dog or getting control, you should read our review of DogProblems.com. Adam will do whatever it takes to help you whip your dog into shape. I've used them to help with my Great Dane as well as help friends train their dogs. It's the first place I go to help answer users Questions. Many training issues are too extensive to answer in this forum, which is why I refer a lot of the load to his site. Update: I've been using and recommending DogProblems for three years now. I, as well as my users, value the techniques we've learned. I get weekly emails from users who have become better owners from the information they received.

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Bloodhound Q&A

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How much does a 6 month female bloodhound typically weigh? I think mine is underweight?

A full grown female weighs typically 80-90 pounds. I would imagine a 6 month old female would weigh around 60-70. If you think your dog is underweight talk to your veternarian and if you don't have a vet you shouldn't have a dog....

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I have a litter of bloodhounds 12 reds I think? Someone just told me that my pups with pink noses are liver and the ones with the black noses are the red ones? I'm getting confued? Can anyone tell me any thing about the colors?

unsure on the red or liver but pink nose dogs are pet quality only and should not be allowed to breed.If registered dogs please sell all on limited registration.

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can anyone help me with the hound smell. what secrets can you give? I do the regular grooming but the odor wont go away. I have tried the doggy deodorants but they really dont help.

Try good old fashioned pure vanilla extract! It works, I have used it on my dogs matress's for years, they have their own childrens beds. Any way just sprinkle a few drops on a carpet, or wash an item down them apply vanilla liberaly! It works trust me!

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Has anyone ever seen a bloodhound english bulldog mix? I just got a puppy from my neighbor. Just curious to see what she will look like full grown.

Yes, We have a 1yr old bloodhound english bulldog mix. She is about 80lbs with a wrinkled face and a bulldog body. She is just the cutest thing we have ever seen. Also she loves to swim.

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Do bloodhounds like to swim?

yes- the one I have loves to swim - just like a lab

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when should i start serious training with my blood hound? he is 5 months and he is a bad boy. He jumps and bites when we aren't messing around

you should have started training as early as 6 weeks! You need to understand that now it will be harder to train your dog but it still can be done. You just have to be consistent and don't forget to used puppy treats! They work wonders. Or just use turkey breast lunch meat....that always does the trick.

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how much would a five to six month bloodhound need to eat??

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I'm considering getting a bloodhound, but need to know if anyone has problems with excessive barking. I know dogs bark and I can tolerate some, but constant barking isn't going to work.

no ours is not a barking but he does talk alot. He is the most talkitive dog I have ever had.

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I have a 10 month old son and we are considering getting a bloodhound puppy. How are they around small children? Are females generally better with children or does the sex of the dog matter?

I have a two year old male bloodhound named Lincoln, we got him when my daughter was about 19 months and I was pregnant with my third child. He was always sweet and gentle with our daughter who was anything but gentle and when the new baby came nothing changed. I think males are better though, I have heard of a lot more alpha female issues than I have male. But even as a puppy a bloodhound is big and very clumsy, small children are easily and usaully unknowingly knocked over.

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my bloodhound is almost 2 yrs old, and she is getting aggressive over nothing at all, and i am concerned about it. i don't know what to do about it, any ideas?

She might be an alpha female. Ours is like that. She dominates our male but has never shown aggression towards any humans. I try to deter ours by getting in front of her or distracting her.

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