Information, Facts & Origins of the Bloodhound
The
Bloodhound comes from the borders of France and Belgium. It is a
dog of large size with a strong body and powerful chest. It was
bred originally to hunt wolves, deer and large game. It's origins
can be dated back to the 700's and it is classified as one of the
Hound Dog Group which we go on to describe in detail in the
section at the bottom of this page. Name Facts and Dog Names: This dog's name is
often referred to as two separate words - Blood Hound.
The
Bloodhound - A Scent Hound
The Bloodhound
belongs to the collection of dogs referred to as Scent Hounds,
which specialise in following the scent or the smell of its
quarry. It wasn’t until the mid 1500's that hounds began to be
classified according to their purpose, i.e. sight hounds, scent
hounds, etc. Scent Hounds have distinctive characteristics,
features and traits which are perfect for their purpose. They have
large noses which have deep, open nostrils and their lips are
loose and moist, designed to pick up scent particles and follow
the trail of an animal. Their ears are long which concentrates the
scent on the nose. Their bodies are designed for endurance, an
essential asset when following any scent trail. Hunting takes
different forms and as man opts for hunting their quarry either on
foot or on horseback the scent hounds have been selectively bred
to produce small legs, to enable a man to easily follow on foot,
or longer legs suited to keep up with a man on horseback. Most
scent hounds were used in packs - making a loud, deep baying noise
alerting hunters to their location. As a pet the Bloodhound is
gentle, independent, stubborn, and above all mellow - it loves to
be part of the family. Its laid back attitude makes it somewhat
difficult to obedience train.
Information, Facts &
History of the Bloodhound Dog
The Bloodhound is famous for its 'dogged' ability to follow a cold
scent many days old, over vast distances. It is built for
endurance and can follow a scent across all of the main elements -
in the air, across the water and over land. The ancestors of
today's Bloodhound were derived from the Ardennes region in
Belgium and in Brittany in the 700's and were known as the St
Hubert strain after the monk Francois Hubert, who was subsequently
canonised and became the patron saint of hunters. St Hubert's Day
is remembered on the 3rd November when there is a traditional
blessing of the hounds at the little Chapel of St Hubert. The
Bloodhound is therefore known by the other names of the St Hubert
Hound and the French variant the Chien du St Hubert. The St Hubert
bloodhounds were crossed with other white French hounds and from
these
came the early Talbot hounds who came to England with the Talbot
family with William the Conqueror in 1066. The Talbot family, who
came from Normandy, and were later granted the title of the Earls
of Shrewsbury. Other names for Bloodhounds were the Sleuth hound,
Slot or Slough hound ('Slot' meaning to track). Their Latin name
was Sanguinarius. Monarchs traditionally gave gifts of dogs to the
rulers of other countries. The French King who sent St Hubert
hounds to Queen Elizabeth I and it is documented that the Queen's
favourite, the Earl of Essex, kept 800 of these hounds. Another
famous monarch, Queen Victoria, had several Bloodhounds which were
presented to her by Sir Edwin Landseer, who painted many famous
Bloodhounds. The name Bloodhound was derived, not from any blood
thirsty reasons as might be supposed, but because of the Royal
connections with the breed and the pure blood associated with it.
It was during the 1600's that hounds (although not necessarily
Bloodhounds) were really first used to hunt sheep stealers and
poachers. One of the first recorded arrests of a man by a
Bloodhound in the 19th century was in 1810. It took place in the
New Forest in England. The bloodhound’s name was besmirched by bad
press and novels such as 'Uncle Tom's Cabin' which told of slaves
escaping captivity and being mercilessly hounded by the
Bloodhound. Many people believed stories that Bloodhounds trailed
people out of a lust for blood! The poor bloodhound is such a
gentle creature with amazing scenting ability - so much so that
the Testimony of a Bloodhound's man trailing results is acceptable
in almost any court. The dog is still used as a police dog to
track missing people, fleeing suspects, or escaped prisoners.
Perhaps one of the lasting images people always have of a
bloodhound is his association with detectives and of course on of
his names is that of the Sleuthhound!
Description
of the Bloodhound Dog and Puppies - Coat and Colours info
The Bloodhound's coat comes in a range of the following colours:
Red, Black/Tan or Red/Tan. The coat is short, smooth &
weatherproof.
Dog
Health information - potential health problems of the Bloodhounds
All owners of dogs and puppies
are concerned about the health care of their pets and just as with
humans dog health issues arise from time to time. Resolving dog
health problems, including those of the Bloodhound, can prove to be
costly and it would be wise to consider the benefits of obtaining
dog health insurance. Diseases in dogs may occur because of
trauma, infection, immune system abnormalities, genetic factors,
or degenerative conditions. Common health problems and questions
occur in relation to the Bones, Joints, Muscles, Nerves, Ears,
Eyes, Teeth and the Mouth. Other, more serious, issues can relate
to the Digestive System, Heart & Respiratory Systems, Immune &
Blood Systems, Reproduction and Urinary Systems. Potential health
problems of the Bloodhound can include:
Hip and Elbow Dysplasia
(abnormal development of joints referred to as CHD - Canine Hip
and Elbow Dysplasia)
Entropion (the
inversion, or turning inward, of the border of the eyelid
against the eyeball)
Ectropian
Gastric Torsion
Online
Encyclopaedia of Common Dog Health Problems Please click the following link for additional
information which we have provided via our:
This describes the most common canine health problems concisely but simply without using medical jargon. A section on Dog and Puppy Vaccinations is also included offering information on each of the diseases, symptoms and effects for which immunization vaccines are available. Not sure of the name of the dog or puppy illness? A Dog Symptom Sorter is also featured. The Online Encyclopaedia of Common Dog Health Problems should only be used as an informational guide and when and if any dog or puppies health problems occur it is essential to raise any questions you may have with a Dog Health care professional.
Description
of the Bloodhound Dog and Puppies - Comparative Sizing
Pictures & info
The pictures above allow for a
useful sizing perspective between an average man (Five feet ten
inches) or an average sized woman (Five feet six inches) in
comparison to the average sized Bloodhound dog which we have
detailed above. These pictures are extremely important as they
provide an immediate and accurate visual representation of the
height
of an average Bloodhound compared to the height of a male or
female - essential information but unique to this
site. Use the pictures to help to estimate the size of this
breed of
dog to each the various growing stages of
children. Use the pictures to provide a guideline to the adult
size of Bloodhound Puppies. The pictures will also prove to
be invaluable when comparing the sizes and heights of other dog
breeds. The
dimensions will vary according to the sex of the dog or puppy.
Girl dogs, or bitches, are on average, 2 inches smaller than boy
dogs. Another useful piece of information when considering
puppies.
Information
on Grooming and Care of the Bloodhound Dog Breed
The Bloodhound
requires a high amount of grooming - its facial wrinkles require
daily cleaning. Regardless of the breeds, a certain amount of
grooming and care is necessary to keep dogs and puppies looking at
their best. Grooming consists of not only brushing out the coat
and bathing but also giving attention to the eyes, teeth, ears,
feet and nails. A regular routine also ensures that any potential
health problems are identified as quickly as possible, especially
important in puppies and older dogs.
Information
on the Temperament
and Character of the Bloodhound Dog Breed
The Bloodhound is a very sociable breed, enjoying the company of
humans, they are gentle, independent, stubborn, and above all
mellow - it loves to be part of the family and can be very
affectionate. Its laid back attitude makes it somewhat difficult
to obedience train. This dog makes a good house pet. It is
reserved with strangers and relies on its acute scent of smell
when encountering anyone or anything that is new.
Living
conditions and Exercise Requirements of the Bloodhound Dog
Breed
The Bloodhound dogs and puppies are not well suited to living in the
town because it
requires a
substantial amount of exercise. It must be exercised in a safe
area. It does well living inside or outdoors. The indoor
Bloodhound is messy - it drools a lot and leaves a trail of the
drooled substance. These dogs are reasonably quiet, only barking
when disturbed or for good reason.
BloodHound - Puppies Info and Names
The Puppies section, accessed via the Site Index, provides detailed information about Choosing the right puppy, Puppy Training, Puppy Care and Puppy Behavior, Growth & Development. We recommend that the following considerations should always be taken into account when choosingBloodhound puppies:
Budget
- Purchasing, training, equipment, medication and feeding
costs of the breed
Convenience
and Grooming time e.g. long or short hair
Personal
situation - time available and medical conditions such as allergies,
asthma or back pain
Exercising requirements for the Bloodhoundbreed
Living
Conditions for the breed - suitability for puppies
Family
- child suitability
Children and Puppies!
The pictures above allow for a useful comparison of sizes
providing an accurate portrait of the size of an average
Bloodhound- essential
information and unique to this site. It should also be noted that
the pictures feature adults. The size of puppies are naturally
considerably smaller and the full grown size of the animal can
easily be forgotten when confronted with cute puppies! The slogan
" A dog isn't just for Christmas - it's for life!" was necessitated
by well meaning people buying puppies at the Christmas, unaware of
the puppies growth rate. The pictures provided make it extremely
clear exactly how small puppies will develop and whether it will
suit the life and living conditions of the family.
Age
comparison between the Bloodhound Dog Breed and a Human
Age
comparisons between dogs and humans are always a matter of
debate - we hope that the following information clarifies the
situation. After the first year of life, a dog is equivalent to
sixteen human years. After two years, they are equivalent to a 24 year old, at
three years a 30 year old, and each year after, add 5 human years to determine
a dog's age.
Life
Expectancy of the Bloodhound Dog Breed
The life
expectancy for this particular breed is between
7 – 10 years.
Hound
Dog Breed Information
As implied by its name the Hound has been bred to chase a
quarry by sight or smell, or a combination of both senses.
Sighthounds have exceptional eyesight, combined with the speed and
stamina necessary to catch the intended prey once seen, typical
examples being the Greyhound and the Whippet. Hounds which rely
strongly on the sense of smell to follow the trail of a prey, such
as the Bloodhound, quite literally follow their noses, speed and
eyesight is of less importance.
Characteristics and features have been introduced and strengthened
by
breeding from animals who already demonstrated the desired traits.
Breeding for appearance was only introduced in the 19th Century.
Before this time dogs and puppies were bred to increase useful abilities and traits
helpful for the duties they were intended for. Thus, the
various hound breeds were initially introduced to help man
according to specific requirements such as:
Hunting
and running down small quarry
Flushing
out and Driving game
Vermin
Hunting
Guard
duties
Tracking
In
this day and age only a few hounds still undertake these tasks, but
nevertheless, they still harbour the skills and characteristics that made
the original Blood hound dog breeding program successful.
The
Hound Breed Group of dogs differ in that some hunt by scent and
others by sight. Many hounds are kept in packs, in outdoor
kennels. Any dogs and puppies belonging to the Hound breeds require a
significant amount of exercise as they have high stamina levels
suitable for hunting quarry. There are some breeds in this group
who make a distinctive ' baying ' sound - invaluable information
should be considering puppies. The pictures above allow for a
useful size comparison providing an accurate portrait of the size
of an average Bloodhound dog - essential information but unique to this
site.
Examples
of other Breeds within the Hound Dog Group
The Hound group of dogs includes the Blood hound
and all of
the following breeds:
Afghans, Foxhounds, Basenjis, Bassets, Beagles, Black and Tan Coonhounds, Bloodhounds, Borzoi, Dachshunds, English Foxhounds, Greyhounds, Harriers, Irish Wolfhounds, Norwegian Elkhounds, Otterhounds, Petit Basset Griffon
Vendeens, American Fox hounds, Rhodesian Ridgebacks, Salukis, Scottish Deerhounds
and Whippets.
Name Facts and Dog Names: This dog's name is often referred to as two separate
words - Blood Hound. Pictures and information about all of the above Hound Dog breeds,
together with all other dog groups,
may be found
on this website via the following links:
