Bloodhound

Breed Profile

Best known of all the scent hounds, the Bloodhound has an incredible sense of smell. — Almost any court will accept the testimony of a Bloodhound’s mantrailing results. The sad expression and long, low-set, droopy eared dog was first used to hunt stag, but he became legendary as the dog used to track down criminals, fugitives and lost people. Intelligent, responsive, determined, and persistent, the Bloodhound is a tireless tracker.

An extremely affectionate dog with a gentle and sensitive nature, the Bloodhound gets along well with other dogs and adores children. He may be somewhat shy and is very sensitive but the breed makes a loyal and wonderful family companion.

He has a dignified and noble expression depicting wisdom and power. His skin is thin to the touch and extremely loose, more noticeably so around the head and neck where it hangs in deep folds. The coat is smooth, shorthaired and easy to groom. His colours are either black and tan, liver and tan or red. The darker colours being interspersed with lighter or badger-coloured hair, sometimes flecked with white. He may also have a small amount of white on the chest, feet and the tip of the tail.
 

Health Issues

Like all breeds, the Bloodhound is susceptible to some health problems — See the document Health Issues for the Bloodhound for a listing and information on some of the more common health concerns found in the breed.

If you are considering the adoption of a Bloodhound puppy, or any breed, it is very important to be selective in choosing a responsible and reputable breeder. Ensure that the prospective puppy’s parents have all health clearances. Breeding of any dog should not be done until after they have been proven to be free of evidence of significant hereditary diseases. (For more information on selecting a breeder, see the articles on the General Information page.)

Recommended Health Screening:

For the Bloodhound, the CHIC^{Note 1} database includes health screenings for:

• Hip Dysplasia;
• Elbow Dysplasia;
• Congenital Cardiac Database;
• Optional screenings include: Eye Examination by a board Ophthalmologist and Patellar Luxation

Additional Health Resources:

• Health Issues for the Bloodhound
• Health and Nutrition — Growing section of the Canada’s Guide to Dogs website which includes information on several health and nutrition related issues.
• Canine Health Information Center (CHIC) — Providing a source of health information for owners, breeders, and scientists that will assist in breeding healthy dogs. CHIC is a centralized canine health database jointly sponsored by the AKC/Canine Health Foundation (AKC/CHF) and the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA).
• AKC Canine Health Foundation — Working towards developing scientific advances in canine health.
• OFA – Companion Animal Eye Registry (CAER)
• Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA)
• Ontario Veterinary College (OVC)
• University of Pennsylvania Hip Improvement Program (PennHip)
• HealthGene — HealthGene Corporation is the leading provider of veterinary DNA diagnostic services in Canada.
• Labgenvet — Laboratory of Veterinary Genetics is a Canadian diagnostic laboratory that offers a comprehensive service of DNA tests for veterinary genetic diseases.

Training Resources

• Training — For training information, see this growing section of the Canada’s Guide to Dogs website for tips, articles, as well as listings of training centres across Canada.

Additional Information

• So You Want a Bloodhound! — by Bill Ledford
• The Judge’s Corner — This site is available in an effort to help Bloodhound exhibitors. It gives an idea of how judge’s like to see dogs presented in the ring, where they feel the breed has improved (or gotten worse) over the years, and also includes additional comments they may have.
• Bloodhounds: An Underutilized Resource
• Bloodhound Enthusiasts of Ontario — Yahoo! Group for all Bloodhound owners/lovers from Ontario.
• Clubs, Sports & Activities — For information on the many sports and activities you can get involved in with your dog.
• Working Dogs — The Working Dogs section of the Canada’s Guide to Dogs website provides information and listings of organizations that are involved in various dog jobs, such as Guide Dogs, Therapy Dogs, Police Dogs, Protection Dogs, and much more.

*NOTE 1: CHIC – The Canine Health Information Center “is a database of consolidated health screening results from multiple sources. Co-sponsored by the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) and the American Kennel Club (AKC) Canine Health Foundation, CHIC works with parent clubs to identify health screening protocols appropriate for individual breeds. Dogs tested in accordance with the parent club established requirements, that have their results registered and made available in the public domain are issued CHIC numbers.” To learn more, visit: www.caninehealthinfo.org

*NOTE 2: The Fédération Cynologique International (FCI) is the World Canine Organization, which includes 91 members and contract partners (one member per country) that each issue their own pedigrees and train their own judges. The FCI recognizes 344 breeds, with each being the “property” of a specific country. The “owner” countries write the standards of these breeds in co-operation with the Standards and Scientific Commissions of the FCI, and the translation and updating are carried out by the FCI. The FCI is not a breed registry nor does it issue pedigrees.