Bloodhound​ - Hound Group

Bloodhound

Breed Group: Hound Group

Size Group: Large Dog Breeds

Origin: France

Height: 25”-27” (male) 23”-25” (female)

Weight: 90-110 (male) 80-100lbs (female)

Color: Black & tan, Liver & tan, Red

Lifespan: 10-12 years

Temperament: Independent, lively, loving, tolerant

 

Overview

The Bloodhound is oldest scent hound. With one of the keenest noses around, this pup is popular with law enforcement for search and rescue work or when tracking a suspect. They were often used to hunt in packs as dogs that would locate and detain but not kill prey. This breed was especially desirable on hunts for their stamina, these pups can walk for hours. Bloodhounds are easily identifiable by their wrinkled face with loose skin, enormous floppy ears, and large stature.

At home they can be an incredibly loving family member that is even tolerant of rambunctious children. They require a strong leader in the household or will just ignore you and do whatever they please. Even with a strong pack leader their nose just might take them away and find trouble anyway. They require lots of room to romp or they may howl out their frustration about it.

Border Collie - Medium Sized Dogs

Smartest Dog Breeds

EXPLORE SMARTEST DOG BREEDS

Top of Class

SMARTEST DOG BREEDS

Celebrity Owners

Mickey Mouse (Pluto is a bloodhound!)

Fun Facts

Bloodhounds can follow scents that are 12 days old.

Health

Bloodhounds are generally very healthy pups. Some health concerns to be aware of include entropion, dermatitis, otitis externa, cherry eye, hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, hypothyroidism, and bloat.

While you always hope your pet will live a long and healthy life, it is always a good idea to invest in pet health insurance.

Keeping your dog’s mouth clean and problem free goes a long way to your pup’s overall health. Dental hygiene can be the cause or can be the byproduct of other serious health issues.

Visual inspections can be performed to keep track of the signs of potentially waning oral health. These signs can be anything from bad breath to abnormal chewing to loss of appetite.

Keeping ahead of these warning signs can pay dividends. A preventative approach can delay and stop many of the common dental problems from arising.

Oral health can be tackled in five basic steps:

  1. Brushing your dog’s teeth to prevent an undesirable buildup of plaque
  2. Feed your dog a diet where the high quality dog food has dental benefits
  3. Regularly give your dog dental toys and treats
  4. Use mouthwash, to help where brushing misses
  5. At the sign of any abnormalities, consult a vet. You can even do it virtually, from the convenience of your home.

Dogs are just like humans in that they can experience anxiety. The degree to which they are susceptible to anxiety and how they deal with anxiety is breed specific. Left unchecked, initial signs of anxiety could give way to an anxiety disorder. The symptoms of anxiety disorders can lead to a myriad of behavior issues.

Knowing the signs and symptoms will best equip you to keep ahead of it and to nip it in the bud at the earliest signs. There are options available to help with anxiety.

Are You Covered When Your Pup Gets Sick?

Labrador Retriever​ - Sporting Group

Family Dog Breeds

EXPLORE FAMILY DOG BREEDS

Loving, Kind, and Safe

FAMILY DOG BREEDS

Grooming

The most important part about grooming your bloodhound is to get them accustomed to the process of grooming early. Have a dedicated area or table to do your grooming sessions. Get your puppy to sit still and go through all the sounds and activities of grooming so your pup will be more tolerant as he gets bigger. 

The facial wrinkles on your pup’s face will need daily inspection. Check that they are dry and without debris or smell. Smell is a sign you are nearing or already have an infection. Clean out the folds with a warm cloth and be sure to completely dry them afterwards. Check your pup’s ears each day as well. This breed is extremely prone to ear infections. Check to make sure there is no wax build up or any unwanted sand, dirt, etc. in the ears. Use a cotton ball with gentle ear cleaner weekly to clean the ears. Never use a cotton swab on your dog’s ears.

Bloodhounds will need to be brushed at least once a week with a rubber hound glove to remove dead hair and redistribute naturally occurring oils. This breed has very thin skin, it is best to avoid brushes with long or sharp bristles. Some owners choose to vacuum their pup’s coat with a vacuum hose (in addition to brushing). If you choose this method introduce the vacuum early so your pup will not be scared, gently work the vacuum over their body avoiding sensitive spots like the ears and near the rump.

Your pup will only need occasional baths like if he gets exceptionally dirty. Thank goodness for that. Bathing a bloodhound is an event. Wear clothing that you do not mind getting wet and have plenty of towels ready. Place cotton balls in your dog’s ears so they do not end up getting water in their ears. Wet your dog’s coat with warm water and then from top down apply shampoo. Be sure to clean and then thoroughly rinse all the wrinkles on your dog. Leftover shampoo can skin irritation. Some owners use a half water half cider vinegar rinse solution to ensure all the shampoo is removed. Dry your dog as best as you can with towels. Many owners will use fans to help their dog finish drying. While this is a good idea, your dog will also likely get too cold. Wrap towels around your pup while he dries if you are using a crate and fan. If you do not secure your dog in a crate, be sure the temperature he is drying in does not allow him to get too cold.

Clip your pup’s nails regularly. Brush your pup’s teeth several times per week.

Cost

$450 – $1,200

Exercise

Bloodhounds require around 2 hours of activity per day. A few words of caution, as they grow, do not allow your pup to over exercise (extending jogging or running as an example) before they are fully grown as this can lead to skeletal deformities. Additionally, they have absolutely no sense of road danger, so to protect them, they must be leashed or in a securely fenced in area at all times.

Nutrition

Your full-sized bloodhound will eat around 4 cups of food per day over 2 meals. This breed is prone to bloat which is an immediately life-threatening condition where the stomach overfills and flips in the torso. You can help avoid this situation by monitoring the rate at which your pup eats. The exact amount of food your dog will need will vary depending on age and activity level.

 

We’ve taken a look at some premium dog foods, high in nutrition here.

Are You Feeding Your Dog The Best Food?

hypoallergenic Barbet

Hypoallergenic Dog Breeds

EXPLORE HYPOALLERGENIC DOG BREEDS

For Those With Allergies

HYPOALLERGENIC DOG BREEDS

Training

As with all dogs, early socialization with humans and other dogs is essential. Early training is highly recommended for bloodhounds as they can become set in their ways. With this breed you must establish a strong pack order. A meek owner will be ignored completely. Positive reinforcement training that is filled with treats will be the best method. If you use harsh criticisms, it will likely cause your dog to become withdrawn and anxious when you are around. This breed is known to be independent and stubborn. Approach all training sessions with patience and good humor.

Proper training is essential to ensuring the safety of your dog and those around you. Having your dog come when they should, and in general having them listen is something you want to address early in your pup’s life, as it will pay dividends down the line. There are many tried and true training programs to accomplish this training – faster and better than you might think!

Unless you’re living on a farm, or have the space, a yipping dog, or one that barks all day when you are gone could be an issue with the neighbors and/or landlord. Historically, dogs would bark to communicate with the rest of the pack when hunting and bark as a warning shot to predators eyeing up their flock. Barking is deep rooted in dogs and manifests itself in many ways and for a variety of reasons.

Just like any habit or instinct, there are effective ways you can train this issue away.

The Best Dog Vitamins and Supplements To Keep Your Pup Healthy. Period.

Tibetan Mastiff​ - Working Group

Cute Dog Breeds

EXPLORE CUTE DOG BREEDS

Awww -- Cute!

CUTE DOG BREEDS

Supplements

A solid Glucosamine Supplement for hips and joints will go a long way to helping your furry friend.

Other helpful supplements include full-spectrum hemp oil or CBD oil. Fish oil skin and coat supplement.

Ensuring a comprehensive preventative vitamin and mineral plan is essential to keeping your dog healthy. Truth is, there are vitamins and minerals that your dog needs, but doesn’t produce naturally. While many of these vitamins and minerals can be found in your dog’s current diet and dog food, the question becomes, are there enough vitamins to ensure they aren’t deficient.

Poor nutrition can lead to some of the most common health issues, such as weak joints, compromised immunity, increased allergies, and low energy.

Vitamins play a vital role in your pet’s health and overall life expectancy. Here are some multivitamin and joint relief options.

As regulations around marijuana have eased, the emergence of CBD oils for humans and dogs have sprung up.

Just to begin to dispel the negative stigma, CBD extract comes from Hemp, marijuana’s cousin. Unlike its cousin, there are no psychoactive qualities in CBD oil. An emerging number of clinical and institutional studies have shown the wide variety of healing qualities in CBD, including pain management, and the containment of seizures and epileptic episodes.

Explore this remedy further to see all the health benefits that have transformed the lives of so many dogs to date.

Have You Tried CBD For You Dog's Health?

Field Spaniel​ - Sporting Group

Hunting Dog Breeds

EXPLORE HUNTING DOG BREEDS

The Outdoors is Their Home

HUNTING DOG BREEDS

The Good

Great for families with little kids
Wonderful service dog

The "Ruff"

Will follow his nose no matter what
Lots of exercise required
Saint Bernard​ - Working Group

Companion Breeds

EXPLORE COMPANION DOG BREEDS

They'll Be There For You

COMPANION DOG BREEDS

Other Dogs Like Bloodhounds

Beagle​ - Hound Group
Beagle
Bluetick Coonhound​ - Hound Group
Bluetick Coonhound
American Foxhound​ - Hound Group
American Foxhound
Irish Wolfhound - Big Dog Breeds
Irish Wolfhound

Dogs NOT Like Bloodhounds

Lowchen​ - Non-Sporting Category
Lowchen
Newfoundland​ - Working Group
Newfoundland
Taiwan Dog - Medium Sized Dogs
Taiwan Dog
Wire Fox Terrier​ - Terrier Group
Wire Fox Terrier

All Dog Breeds Lists

EXPLORE DOG BREEDS

Many Lists To Choose

EXPLORE DOG BREEDS

Annual Vet Bills: $1,500+

Be Prepared for the unexpected.