Bloodhound
Dogs
Bloodhound
Bloodhound |
Bloodhound
|
Alternative names |
Chien de Saint-Hubert
St. Hubert Hound |
Country of origin |
Belgium /
France |
Common nicknames |
|
Classification and breed standards |
FCI: |
Group 6 Section 1 #084 |
|
AKC: |
Hound |
|
ANKC: |
Group 4 (Hounds) |
|
CKC: |
Group 2 - Hounds |
|
KC (UK): |
Hound |
|
NZKC: |
Hounds |
|
UKC: |
Scenthound Breeds |
|
Not recognized by any major kennel club |
This breed of dog is
extinct |
Notes |
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A Bloodhound (a.k.a.
Chien de Saint-Hubert) is a large
dog. It is a
scenthound
famed for its ability to follow a
scent many days
old, over vast distances. This dog is often used as a
police dog
to track missing people, fleeing suspects, or escaped prisoners.
Appearance
Modern Bloodhounds weigh from 80 to 110 lb (36 to 50 kg) and stand 23 to 27
inches (58 to 69 cm) high at the
withers.
Bloodhounds now come in black and tan, liver and tan, or red. In the
Middle
Ages, they also occurred in other solid colors, including white (known as
the
Talbot Hound), but these no longer occur. The colors appear in other
breeds descended from the early Bloodhounds, though.
Temperament
This breed is a mellow, cheerful, relaxed dog who is nonetheless tireless in
slowly and steadily following a scent. Its laid-back attitude makes it somewhat
difficult to
obedience train. However, with the proper amount of time and effort, this
can be achieved.
Health
Like most large breeds, their life expectancy is only 10 to 12 years.
The Bloodhound is prone to
hip
dysplasia and
Bloat.
History
The ability to follow a scent has always been valued and superb scent
trackers were developed separately in lowland
Europe at the
St. Hubert Monastery and in
Britain. It was mentioned by Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius in his history of
the Roman Empire. This dog has been known as a breed since at least the
Middle
Ages. Its excellent tracking skills were a target as it was used in the
development--intentional or unintentional--of other fine tracking breeds such as
the
American Coonhound,
Swiss Jura Hound,
Bavarian Mountain Hound, and many others.
The name "bloodhound" has often been incorrectly thought to show the breed's
talent at following a blood trail. In truth, it was taken from "bloodstock"'
showing the breed's history with
aristocracy.
Miscellaneous
Scenting ability
Although all dogs can follow scents on the ground, in the air, and in water,
the Bloodhound's physical characteristics make it well-known in its ability to
follow a scent. Odors are picked up and identified by scent receptors in a dog's
nasal chambers; the larger the chambers, the better chance the dog has of
identifying even the smallest and least number of particles that provide a
scent. The Bloodhound's nasal chambers are larger than most other breeds. It is
believed that pendulous ears and moist, pendulous lips help to trap scent
particles, further enhancing its scenting abilities.
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