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Bloodhound Food, Potty Training, Training, Tracking Training, Health Issues, and Ear Infection

Bloodhound ( also known as Bloodhound Dog) is a large scent hound originally bred for hunting wild boar and deer in Belgium, United Kingdom, and France. They are known for tracking people since the Middle Ages. Bloodhounds are popular for their ability to discern human scent over great distances even days later. They are used by law enforcement and police all over the globe to track missing people, lost pets, and escaped prisoners. Due to their strong tracking instinct, Bloodhounds can be somewhat difficult and willful to obedience training and leash handling. Although, they are excellent family pets since they are affectionate and even-tempered towards humans. Bloodhounds also have long and large jowls hence they are colossal droolers.

Bloodhound Dog Breed Introduction

Bloodhound ( also known as Bloodhound Dog) is a large scent hound originally bred for hunting wild boar and deer in Belgium, United Kingdom, and France. They are known for tracking people since the Middle Ages. Bloodhounds are popular for their ability to discern human scent over great distances even days later. They are used by law enforcement and police all over the globe to track missing people, lost pets, and escaped prisoners. Due to their strong tracking instinct, Bloodhounds can be somewhat difficult and willful to obedience training and leash handling. Although, they are excellent family pets since they are affectionate and even-tempered towards humans. Bloodhounds also have long and large jowls hence they are colossal droolers.

Bloodhound Origin | History

The progenitors of Bloodhounds, St. Hubert Hounds were developed by Hubert during the 7th century. Hubert was a Belgian Monk who later became the patron saint of hunters. He and his monks presented a pair of black and tan bloodhounds every year. For this reason, Bloodhounds are still referred to as St. Hubert hounds in the French-speaking parts of Europe.

A few centuries after the death of St. Hubert, the dogs that he created with his monks flourished. In 1066, William the Conqueror took some of the Bloodhounds to England when he invaded. Modern bloodhounds were developed from these dogs. In England, this breed was highly prized for its ability to hunt and track down wrongdoers. As of today, Bloodhounds have been primarily employed by police and law enforcement for the search and rescue work.

Bloodhound Lifespan | Bloodhound Life Expectancy AKC

According to AKC, the lifespan of Bloodhounds is 10 to 12 years. Based on a UK Kennel Club survey conducted on Bloodhounds in 2004, this breed had a median lifespan of 6.75 years. From the study, the oldest of the 82 deceased Bloodhounds died at the age of 12.1 years. According to the survey the leading cause of death was bloat followed by cancer. In another survey conducted in 2013, the average age death for 14 Bloodhounds was 8.25 years. Therefore, a Bloodhound can have a lifespan of 7 to 12 years.

Bloodhound's Photo
A Bloodhound’s Photo

Bloodhound Grooming

A Bloodhound has a short dense coat that may shed heavily once or twice a year during the seasonal change. However, some Bloodhounds mays shed all-year round at moderate levels. Weekly brushing using a hound glove, a rubber grooming mitt, or a medium-bristle brush is key in removing dead hair and dirt, promote new hair growth, and evenly distribute the natural oils present on the coat. When experiencing seasonal change, Bloodhounds should be groomed several times a week.

Bloodhounds should be bathed every 4 to 6 weeks to prevent them from developing a doggy odor. Before bathing, brush the coat to remove loose hair and dirt. Use a hypoallergenic shampoo and conditioner to bath your hound. After a bath, thoroughly rinse off the grooming products from the coat to avoid skin irritation. Remember to wipe the eyes on a daily basis using a clean damp washcloth or friendly canine wipes to prevent formation of eye gunk. Always keep a towel close to wipe the drool.

A Bloodhound has large floppy ears that are susceptible to recurring ear infections. Clean the ears on a weekly basis using cotton balls soaked in an ear cleanser solution to remove excess dirt, wax, or debris. While cleaning the ears, look out for redness, dark discharge, and odor since they are symptoms of dog’s ear infection. Clip the nails every two weeks using nail clippers. Overly grown nails are painful for your dog when walking or running. Remember to brush the teeth of a Bloodhound at least twice a week if not daily using a tasty canine toothpaste and toothbrush.

Bloodhound Shedding | Shedding Level

Generally, Bloodhounds are seasonal shedders that blow off their coats once or twice a year while preparing for seasonal change. Heavy shedding occurs during Spring and/or fall. However, some Bloodhounds might shed all-year round at moderate levels due to a thicker undercoat.

Bloodhound Coat

Bloodhounds have a short and dense coat that sheds heavily once or twice a year.

Bloodhound Hypoallergenic

A Bloodhound is not a hypoallergenic breed. It has long and large jowls hence it drools excessively. Bloodhounds also shed all-year round or seasonally. Shedding spreads fur and dander around the house which triggers allergic reactions in people who suffer from dog allergies. Dog’s fur, saliva, dander, urine, and mucus have a protein allergen that triggers allergic reactions.

Bloodhound Training

Bloodhound’s training should start at an early age most likely from the age of 8 weeks when they come home from the breeder. Early training helps this dog to learn good canine behaviors that it will use for the rest of its life. Bloodhounds are also intelligent, independent, and stubborn dogs. This may make training a bit difficult especially when they catch an interesting scent in the air. This a scent hound that will choose tracking a scent any day over following commands. To set up for a successful training, a pet parent should be the pack leader.

Owners may create the hierarchy of a pack leader by eating first and always getting through the door first before the dog as well as being firm and consistent when issuing commands. Eating first helps a Bloodhound to understand that the pet parent is the owner of all the valuable resources such as food, treats, and toys. Always train this breed in a safely secured yard or on a leash since Bloodhounds are well known for digging and escaping to follow a scent trail. Being a pack leader helps this breed to understand they are not in charge. Owners who fail to establish a pecking order make their pets to step up and be in charge. Bloodhounds were bred as pack dogs and have a distinctive desire to belong to a social group.

If a Bloodhound is allowed to do things that are disrespectful he starts believing that he is in charge than the owner. Pooches are not comfortable in a world where no one seems to be in charge. To raise a well-adjusted and well-mannered Bloodhound, immediately start socialization training after the puppy joins you home. Socialization training starts from the age of 3 weeks when the pup is with the breeder until the age of 16 weeks. A Bloodhound leaves the shelter for their new home from the age of 8 weeks. To socialize a Bloodhound, expose it to different people, situations, smell, sights, experiences, animals, surfaces, and sounds such as baby crying sounds, lawn mowers, whistles, washing machine, vacuum cleaners, and sirens.

Enrolling Bloodhounds in a puppy class after they are fully vaccinated also serve as a form of socialization. These classes provide a controlled environment when dogs can interact. It also enables the pet parent to have access of full information on how to train, identify, and correct bad habits. Bloodhounds are sensitive breeds to positive reinforcements methods such as use of treats, toys, petting, playtime, and verbal praise as well as harsh correction methods such as yelling, punching, kicking, shoving, beating, and use of choke or prong collars. However, they will still do things their way. From the age of 8 weeks start teaching a Bloodhound basic commands words that are potentially lifesaving. Some of the basic commands taught include sit, lie down, stay, come, heel, leave it, etc. Teach one basic command at a time until a Bloodhound understands before proceeding to the next command word.

For positive outcomes, pet parents may use clicker training as a form of reward when teaching basic command words. This training evokes a clicking sound after the dog performs well. It is immediately followed with a treat. Owners should avoid issuing a command while too frustrated or excited since the tone of the command would not sound the same for your pet. As with all-large animals, obedience training is a must do for Bloodhounds. This training teaches the dog to be well-behaved as a household pet. It will teach a Bloodhound not to jump on people, knock into small children, steal food from the table, or otherwise take advantage of their body size.
Fully house break a Bloodhound by creating a feeding schedule, potty training as well as crate training. Leash training should also start from an early age.

Bloodhound Potty Training

Before bringing a Bloodhound puppy home, choose a delegated place where it will be doing its business. The potty area should be far from the patio deck or BBQ spot. To set up for a successful potty training, remember that the bladder and bowel muscles strengthens as the puppy matures. An-8-week old Bloodhound will be able to hold for a period of 2 hours before eliminating while a 12-week-old pup is able to hold for period of 3 hours.

For positive outcomes, start potty training a Bloodhound between the age of 8 to 12 weeks preferably when it immediately joins you home. It may take 2 to 4 months before a Bloodhound is fully housebroken. Consistency, patience, and being firm is key with this training. For effective potty training, take a Bloodhound to the designated place immediately it wakes up, every 2 to 3 hours, after naptime, 20 minutes after meals and drinks, following an exciting activity such as car ride and playtime, and before bedtime. After the age of 8 months, the Bloodhounds should go for potty breaks every 6 to 8 hours.

When you take your dog to the potty area, it should always be on leash. Bloodhounds are well known for being stubborn when following a scent trail. Once you get to the designated area, utter the command word ‘potty’ or ‘toilet’ to give the dog the cue to do its business. Avoid interchangeably using the two command words to avoid confusing your dog. Remain in the designated potty area for a period of 15 minutes to allow the bladder and bowel muscles to relax for a pee or poo.

Before a Bloodhound is fully housebroken, it should not freely roam around the house unsupervised to minimize chances of having accidents in the house. A crate is an indispensable tool when potty training since it helps the pet parents to closely monitor the dog for signs that it wants to eliminate such as whining, restlessness, squatting, sniffing, or circling.

When a pet parent gets a Bloodhound eliminating in the house, he or she should utter a firm No and immediately take the dog to the designated toilet area. Remember to clean the mess using an enzymatic detergent or an iodine solution to completely get rid of the odor. Bloodhounds have a strong scent trail and will likely have accidents in the house after sniffing an accident spot that was only cleaned with a detergent. Prior to the age of 16 weeks, ensure you set an alarm to take your dog to the designated toilet area at least once a night.

Bloodhound Tracking Training

A Bloodhound has a tenacious tracking instinct and an extraordinary sense of smell which makes it an ideal scent hound for use by the law enforcement and police in the tracking of escaped wrongdoers, lost pets, and missing people. Bloodhounds that are used for search and rescue may start tracking training from the age of 8 to 12 weeks. However, Leon Whitney, a dog author, biologist, and veterinarian recommended that this training should start from the age of 18 months. Tracking training can commence by running short trails on a family member whom the Bloodhound puppy sees walking away, at first being from a visible distance and then going out of sight.

Although the pup may be familiar with the scent of the family member, it may be given a scent article to sniff, and later given a command to follow. During this training, Bloodhounds may also be introduced to a tracking harness which is put on the pooch just before the trailing starts and immediately removed after the dog has finished. On reaching the family member, a Bloodhound is given a reward in form of a lavish praise or even a treat. The trainer must generally know where the family member run to to avoid encouraging the dog if it is correct or wrong while on the scent trail.

If a hound is encouraged whether it is right or wrong it will learn to rely on the owner. If wrong, the trainer should give the Bloodhound the time to realize its mistake and correct it. As the tracking training progresses, the Bloodhound learns to trust its nose as the handler or trainer learns to trust the hound. After getting to the family member, Bloodhounds should progress to cold scent trails on strangers. The training sessions may diversify to laying a trail on a ground frequented by wild animals, crossing trails with false scents, and having a family member who start out with a companion who later leaves him somewhere along the trail.

In the long run, this will teach a hound not to riot on animal scents or change on to other humans. Bloodhounds should also train on a variety of places and learn to cope with various distractions. This breed may also be given a scent article that is yet to be handled by anyone in the area so that the dog learns to indicate to the trainer that the required scent is not there. If a Bloodhound is becoming discouraged during tracking training, the handler can revert to more simpler tasks so that it recovers its enthusiasm.

Bloodhound Temperament | Traits

  • Docile.
  • Tireless.
  • Affectionate.
  • Even-tempered.
  • Patient.
  • Noble.
  • Gentle.
  • Independent.
  • Determined.
  • Stubborn.
  • Easygoing.
  • Sensitive.

Bloodhound Exercise

This breed has moderate energy levels and requires at least 30 minutes of exercise everyday. This is a scent hound that should play in a well-secured yard since they are notorious diggers and escape artists who will not hesitate to follow an interesting scent trail. For this reason, they should also go for long walks while on a leash where they can sniff a lot. Some of the exercises that this breed may indulge in include playing fetch, hiking on leash, swimming, and jogging. Bloodhounds may also participate in agility, rally, tracking, and obedience trials.

Bloodhound Barking

Most of the Bloodhounds are not vocal. However, they are popular for baying. This is producing a distinctive deep chested sound after they catch a scent of something interesting in the air. A Bloodhound is also an intelligent breed that can easily learn to bark from another dog that is close by and loves to bark.

Bloodhound Growling

Dogs communicate through growling. Bloodhounds are likely to growl while playing, resource guarding food and toys, and also when in pain.

Bloodhound Height

The minimum height of a female Bloodhound is 24 inches( approx. 61 cm) and 26 inches ( approx. 66 cm) for male dogs. However, most male bloodhounds usually have a height range of 25 to 27 inches ( approx. 64 to 69 cm) while their female counterparts have a height of 23 to 25 inches ( approx. 58 to 64 cm ).

Bloodhound Weight

An adult male Bloodhound has a weight of 90 to 110 pounds ( approx. 41 to 50 kg) while its female counterpart has a weight of 80 to 100 pounds ( approx. 36 to 45 kg).

Bloodhound Size

Bloodhounds are large-sized hounds. However, Male Bloodhounds are slightly bigger as compared to their female counterparts in terms of height and weight. A Male Bloodhound has a height of 25 to 27 inches ( approx. 64 to 69 cm)  and a weight of 90 to 110 pounds ( approx. 41 to 50 kg)  while female Bloodhounds have a height of 23 to 25 inches ( approx. 58 to 64 cm ) and a weight of 80 to 100 pounds ( approx. 36 to 45 kg).

Bloodhound Aggression

Bloodhounds are neither aggressive with humans nor other dogs. They are affectionate, docile, mild-mannered, patient and friendly with children, and easygoing. However, just like any other breed, a Bloodhound can exhibit aggressive behavior if bred and socialized poorly.

Bloodhound Bite Force

A Bloodhound may have a bite force of at least 200 PSI.

Bloodhound Ear Infection | Ear Problems

A Bloodhound has extremely long floppy ears that lie close to the cheeks. Floppy ears cover the ear canal against dirt or debris. However, they also inhibit air flow to the ear canal which may easily lead to accumulation of moisture. Floppy ears also create a warm and dark environment for yeast and bacteria to thrive. Bloodhounds are prone to recurring ear infections. Some of the causes of ear infection in a Bloodhound include moisture accumulation, injury to the ear canal, excessive cleaning, yeast imbalance, excess dirt, wax, or debris, ear mites, and endocrine disorders such as hypothyroidism.

Bloodhounds are predisposed to three types of ear infections, externa, media, and interna otitis respectively. Although, externa otitis is the most common and results to the inflammation of the cells located in the external ear canal. If left unattended, the inflammation spreads to the cells located in the middle and inner ear canal. Inflammation to the cells in the middle and internal ear canal is media and interna otitis respectively. These infections cause deafness, vestibular signs such as blurred vision, dizziness, and disorientation, and facial paralysis.

Some of the signs that a Bloodhound exhibits while suffering from an ear infection includes redness, itchiness, pain, head shaking, rubbing of the affected ear against the surface, scabs in the ears, walking in circles, odor, swelling of the ear canal, dark discharge, and scratching the affected ear. Once a pet parent notices any of the above symptoms, he or she should book an appointment with the Vet. Upon arrival, physical examination will be conducted to look for symptoms of ear infection.

If the dog is in too much pain, it will be sedated in order to get a swab from the affected ear and facilitate thoroughly cleaning using a medicated ear cleanser solution and cotton balls. While going home, a topical medication and ear cleanser solution may be prescribed. However, in severe cases, oral antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medications are prescribed. Owners should ensure that Bloodhounds complete the prescribed medication to avoid recurring ear infections even if the symptoms go away.

Bloodhound Eye Problems

Some of the eye problems that affect Bloodhounds include:

Glaucoma – This is is the insufficient drainage of the fluid from the eye, hence, putting pressure on the optic nerve which causes a lot of pain to Bloodhounds.

Cataracts – A Bloodhound that is suffering from cataracts has cloudy and whitish eye lens which may progressively cause vision loss.

Dry eye – This is where the tear glands no longer produce enough tears to keep the eye moist which results to eye infections, itchiness, and soreness.

Entropion – this is where the eyelid rolls inward rubbing the cornea surface which results to chronic pain.

Bloodhound Health Issues | Health Problems

Bloodhounds are relatively healthy dogs that have a deep chest. Large deep-chested breeds are prone to bloat or gastric torsion. According to a UK Kennel Club survey conducted in 2004, 34% of the Bloodhounds in the study died due to bloat. This is a life-threatening condition that results to the swelling of the stomach. To avoid this condition, owners should not feed their Bloodhounds with one large meal a day, exercise them vigorously one hour before or after meals, and allow the dogs to drink large amount of water after eating.

AKC urges pet parents to familiarize themselves with the symptoms of bloat and what to do in such a situation. Bloodhounds are also notorious of consuming anything that smells interesting including car seats, batteries, and Television remote controls which may result to vet visits and surgery. Other health issues that affect Bloodhounds include glaucoma, entropion, cancer, hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, hypothyroidism, dry eye syndrome, heart problems, patellar luxation, seizures, and fold dermatitis.

Bloodhound Names

A Bloodhound parent may decide to find a name for the pet before it leaves the shelter for the new home or after spending a few days with the pet following adoption to understand the personality of the dog in question. Owners may get names inspirations from the coat colors of bloodhounds, their origin, personality, celebrity Bloodhounds, books, music, food, nature, names suggested across various websites, and historical figures.

Regardless of which name you will choose, ensure it will not make you embarrassed when uttered out loud in the public places such as parks and malls. Avoid giving your pet a name that rhymes with the command words since it will be confusing for your Bloodhound.

If a pet shares a name with guest who frequent your household or any family member, it would be creating a confusion recipe. Bloodhounds and other dog breeds better understand names that have vowels. If you settle with a long name for your pet, ensure you find a cute nickname for the dog.

Female Bloodhound Names

  • Matilda.
  • Dolly.
  • Zoey.
  • Bella.
  • Agatha.
  • Penny.
  • Harriet.
  • Iris.
  • Elsie.
  • Nora.
  • Nancy, etc.

Bloodhound Colors

A Bloodhound may either have a Red, Black & Tan, or Liver & Tan coat color.

Male Bloodhound Names

  • Alfred.
  • Hubert.
  • Eddie.
  • Winston.
  • Mac.
  • Sampson.
  • Ted.
  • Edwin.
  • Frederick.
  • Charles.
  • Frank, etc.

Bloodhound Harness

A Bloodhound is a scent hound that get excited after catching an interesting scent in the air. Therefore, it may not follow the commands issued if it has a scent to follow. Therefore, pet parents should ensure they have total control of their pets during walks. A Harness allows owners to control their pets better while on leash. Bloodhounds that catch a scent are also likely to pull as they follow the scent trail. If on a collar, the pressure will be exerted on the neck and throat and it will lead to coughing fits after the walk. Whereas, a harness evenly distributes the pressure across the back and shoulders.

Apart from Bloodhounds, other breeds of dogs include:

English Bulldog

Australian Cattle Dog.

Yorkie Poo.

Yorkshire Terrier.

Poodle.

Bullmastiff.

Mastiff.

Cavapoo.

Cavachon.

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.

Bichon Frise.

Chihuahua.

Irish Wolfhound.

Dogo Argentino.

Great Pyrenees.

Bernese Mountain Dog.

Newfoundland Dog.

Saint Bernard.

Jack Russell Terrier.

Morkie.

Maltese.

Collie.

Labradoodle.

Vizsla.

Rhodesian Ridgeback.

Goldendoodle.

Pomeranian.

French Bulldog

Havanese.

Pit Bull.

Boston Terrier.

Alaskan Malamute.

Border Collie.

Cane Corso.

Mini Australian Shepherd.

Australian Shepherd.

Dachshund.

German Shorthaired Pointer.

Labrador Retriever.

Golden Retriever.

Pug.

Beagle.

Rottweiler.

Great Dane.

Shih Tzu.

Chow Chow.

Dalmatian.

Doberman.

Greyhound.

Italian Greyhound.

Shiba Inu.

Siberian Husky.

Belgian Malinois.

Whippet.

Bull Terrier.

Rat Terrier.

Airedale Terrier.

Weimaraner.

Bloodhound Food | Feeding Chart

The amount of food that a Bloodhound feeds on depends on its age, metabolism, size, activity level, and body build. Bloodhound puppies have a high metabolism rate as compared to adults or senior dogs. Therefore, a Bloodhound puppy should feed 3 or 4 times a day immediately they start weaning until the age of 6 months. From the age of 6 months, Bloodhounds feed a total of two meals for life with snacks in between.

As earlier discussed, a Bloodhound is susceptible to bloat or gastric torsion. This is a life-threatening condition that results to the swelling of the stomach putting pressure on other nearby organs, cuts off the supply of blood and oxygen, and also puts tremendous stress on the heart functionality leading to shock and eventually death. AKC urges pet parents to be well-versed with the signs of bloat and what to do in such cases. To reduce the risk of bloating, Bloodhound owners should avoid exercising their dogs one hour before or after meals, feeding one large meal but instead to split the food into two meals, and should also not allow their pets to consume large amounts of water after eating.

Like other dogs, Bloodhounds should feed on the right amount of minerals, protein, amino acids, fatty acids, carbohydrates, water, and fats to maintain a healthy bone structure and weight. Depending on the budget and the time of preparation needed, pooch parents may feed Bloodhounds with dry food, wet food, home made meals, or a raw diet. Parents who prefer commercial dry or wet food should ensure the first three ingredients that are listed are proteins from a known source.

Commercial foods should also not have fillers, chemicals, meat by-products, additives, and preservatives. The same goes to the snacks given to the pets. Dry or wet food should also be formulated for large-sized puppies, adults, and seniors depending on the age of your Bloodhound. The best way to know whether you are overfeeding or underfeeding your Bloodhound is to take it to the vet to be informed about its weight and health. Although, you can also tell by checking the body structure of your pet. If a parent can feel the ribs of a Bloodhound under the coat, chances are they are being underfed. If pet parent cannot feel the ribs of the Bloodhound under the coat, then chances are that it is being overfeed.

When you get from a Bloodhound from a responsible breeder, there is a high possibility that you will want to switch to another quality of food than the one it was previous feeding on. Gradually do this by mixing 3/4 old food with a 1/4 new food for the first week. On the second week, feed your Bloodhound with the same amount of the new food and old food. On the third week feed your pup with 3/4 of the new food and 1/4 of old food. Totally switch off to the new food during the fourth week.

Bloodhound Types

There is only one type of purebred Bloodhound that may somewhat be categorized according to the coat colors; Red-coated Bloodhounds, Liver and Tan coated Bloodhounds, and Black and tan coated Bloodhounds.

Bloodhound Allergies

A Bloodhound is susceptible to different forms of allergies as discussed below;

Contact allergies – This allergy cause inflammation to the skin once it comes in contact with the allergen. Some of the contact allergens that affect Bloodhounds include grooming products like shampoos, plastics, lawn chemicals, carpet cleaning detergents, bed linens, medications, and latex. Contact allergies result to excessive scratching, licking, and biting of various body parts including paws, around the muzzle, and feet.

Food allergies – Rarely, Bloodhounds are affected by a true food allergy. Food allergies result in an immune response that is usually accompanied with a wide range of symptoms varying from skin issues such as hives, sores, crusting lesions, pruritus, and dermatitis as well as gastrointestinal stress such as acute vomiting and diarrhea as well as weight loss. Apart from food allergies, Bloodhounds are also affected by food intolerance. This is a gradual response to an offending ingredient in the diet and snacks of a dog. Some of the ingredients that cause intolerance in Bloodhounds include beef, chicken, lamb, turkey, eggs, milk, pork, soy, corn, fillers, wheat, preservatives, chemicals, additives, etc.

Skin allergies – A Bloodhound is predisposed to skin allergies due to food, contact and environmental allergies. Food allergies cause dermatitis, pruritus, hives, sores, and crusting lesions. Whereas environmental allergies result in atopic dermatitis. This is a condition that causes inflammation to the skin resulting in rashes, sores, lesions, and redness.

Environmental allergies – Some of the environmental allergies that affect Bloodhounds include fleas, mites, grass, trees, pollen, ragweed, house molds as well as dust and dust mites. Flea’s saliva cause flea allergy dermatitis that affect the back legs and underneath the tail resulting to intense scratching and biting until the skin around the bite area is raw. If left untreated, it may result in secondary skin infections. Symptoms of environmental allergies include itchiness on various body parts including groin, muzzle, ears, feet, paws, belly sides, and around the eyes, nasal discharge, sneezing, and congestion.

Bloodhound Eyes

A Bloodhound has deeply sunk eyes that correspond with the general tone color of the coat varying from yellow to hazel. However, the latter is preferred and rarely seen in tan and liver hounds.

Bloodhound Ears

Bloodhounds have extremely long floppy ears that lie close to the cheeks. The long ears play a role of preventing wind from scattering nearby cells while the nose of the dog is on the ground.

Bloodhound Tail

A Bloodhound has a long strong tail that is carried relatively high in a saber shape.

Bloodhound Teeth

Bloodhound puppies are born with no teeth. However, they start growing in from the age of 2 to 3 weeks until the dog has a total of 28 milk teeth between the age of 6 to 8 weeks. At the age of 12 weeks, Bloodhounds will start loosing their milk teeth as permanent teeth erupt. Between the age of 6 to 8 months, Bloodhounds should have a total of 42 permanent teeth.

Bloodhound Nose

A Bloodhound may either have a black or liver colored nose that helps it in scent tracking. Bloodhounds have nearly 300 million receptors in the olfactory sense which perceives the smell.

Are Bloodhounds Aggressive

No. Bloodhounds are docile, even-tempered, easygoing, friendly, and patient with kids. They are neither aggressive with other dogs nor humans. Although, as with any other dog raised and socialized poorly, Bloodhounds may exhibit aggressive traits.

Are Bloodhounds Smart

Yes. Bloodhounds are intelligent dogs. However, they may make training difficult since they are independent thinkers. They will also choose following a scent trail over commands.

Are Bloodhounds Hypoallergenic

No. Bloodhounds shed heavily in Spring or Fall when experiencing seasonal change. However, some dogs may shed all-year round if they have a thicker undercoat. Shedding allows fur and dander to spread around the house triggering allergic reactions in owners who suffer from dog allergies. Bloodhounds are also notorious droolers. Dog’s saliva, fur, urine, dander, and mucus have a protein allergen that cause inflammation in people.

Are Bloodhounds Protective

No. Bloodhounds are neither extremely protective nor territorial. They assume every approaching person is a friend. However, some may bark to alert when someone is approaching the house while others will allow the visitors to go unannounced.

Are Bloodhounds Easy To Train | Are Bloodhounds Hard To Train

Although Bloodhounds are intelligent dogs, they are not highly trainable. They are independent dogs that will not respond to a command if they catch an interesting scent in the air.

Bloodhounds Quick Facts

  • Due to their tenacious tracking instinct and a keen sense of smell, Bloodhounds are used for tracking missing people, escaped prisoners, and lost pets by police and law enforcements. As of now, a scenting device that is as accurate as the Bloodhound nose is yet to be invented.
  • They have extremely long ears that are prone to recurring ear infections.
  • Bloodhounds are large deep-chested dogs that are susceptible to gastric torsion, a life-threatening condition.

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