 Bloodhound - King of Tracking: The Hound with the Best Sense of Smell
The Bloodhound is good with children and other animals with his fabled gentle nature. He does have a tendency to drool, but is otherwise a very clean dog. The bloodhound is one of the oldest breeds of dogs that hunt by scent.
The breed goes back about 1,000 years to its first known origins in the Belgian monasteries. According to some sources these others take his bloodline back further all the way to Constantinople. This breed is distinguished from other dogs by their pendulous ears, loose skin and extraordinary well developed powers of smell.
From about the 16th century the Bloodhound has been used to track man. Until that time they were regarded as large game hunters and were used for tracking game such as deer, etc. The Bloodhound is so accurate in his tracking that their evidence has frequently been accepted in courts of law.
The introduction of dog shows in 1859 gave the Bloodhound breed a new life. They became companions and show dogs, and that has since become their only real role.
The coat of the bloodhound is relatively simple to care for, and needs very little attention. The occasional brushing or wiping of the short coat is really all that is required.
Those who do manage to obtain obedience titles from their hounds should be given the greatest respect for their achievement. The bloodhound is not exactly one of the greatest dogs in his/her abilities in the obedience ring. They are not stupid animals just highly independent.
As a result, training this hound can be very challenging. It is at times almost as if the distraction created by a scent can be total to the animal and difficult for them to overcome.
Some owners have theorized that the brain is on such an overdrive when analyzing the input from the nose that the remonstrations of a trainer must be as of almost no consequence to the animal. The trainer must seem to the dog more like the background noise of a radio turned down in volume so low that you can't quite make out the voice, than his/her disobedience being a conscious effort to ignore commands.
The Wikipedia also tends to confirm this when it notes that because of its strong tracking instinct, the Bloodhound can be willful, and somewhat difficult to obedience train.
However, these dogs are very sensitive to the owner’s correction and praise, so the difficulty can be overcome. The Bloodhound’s ancestry originates we are told, from a variety of hound breeds from France as well as Belgium.
The Bloodhound lives 10 to 12 years and on average produces litters of 8 to10 pups.
The coat of the Bloodhound comes in a variety of colors: red and tawny, black and tan, or liver and tan. The ears are thin and soft to the touch, extremely long, set very low, and fall in graceful folds, the lower parts curling inward and backward.
The dog’s body is quite regal in stature and very strong and muscular.
In the 3rd century A.D., Claudius Aelianus noted the Bloodhound in his Historia Animalium describing a dog that was unrivaled for its scenting powers and determination to stay on the trail until the quarry was located. The Bloodhound made its appearance in Europe long before the Crusades, with the first specimens being brought from Constantinople.
Bloodhounds trail for their owners and for enjoyment these days. During such events the bloodhound must complete each trail he starts. Should a fugitive be located in front of the dog, he must be kept there until the dog team arrives so the bloodhound can have the feeling of finishing the trail and "winning". This has not changed over the years, and occurs now much as it did in much the same way in earnest in the past, such as when a police officer who starts on the trail of a fugitive likes to be in on the capture with his hound.
These hounds need room to roam and high sturdy fences to keep them contained in your yard. Unless you have a love for the great outdoors and a real enjoyment of hiking, we suggest that you might do best just to admire these dogs from afar. Owners of this breed really do need to be dedicated to exercising their charges.
The Bloodhound is becoming increasingly uncommon and has been listed (January 2008) by the UK Kennel Club as one of the low registration rate breeds considered in danger of losing their bloodline, if the current very low pedigree registrations continue. (See Dogs in Danger.)
Do consider whether your doggy owning aspirations might suit you to owning one. It would be a great loss if no longer future generations were able to witness the stature and charm of a bloodhound.
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