Bloodhounds are an ancient dog breed, and its origin is not entirely known. It is however known that they have been perfected by monks in Belgium. The Normans first brought these dogs into England and the United States. Bloodhound is hunting dogs, but they love tracking more. Seeing that these dogs are scent hounds, they will loose interest quickly and rather follow the scent. These dogs are often used as companion and tracking dogs, especially to track down game, lost children and criminals.
Temperament
The Bloodhound is a gentle, tolerant, dignified, easy-going and adorable dog. They love to show affection, and are very good with children. They are good natured companion dogs that will allow children to climb all over them. The Bloodhound is very fond of attention, especially from children. Children should be taught however to not hurt these dogs as these dogs will not object at all. This breed full of energy, and are very lively especially when still young. These dogs have a tendency to be disobedient, but are very gentle in general. Bloodhounds will get along with everyone, and will welcome wanted and unwanted guests without warmly. Some will however bark to let you know when strangers are in the vicinity. They will get along fairly well with other dogs and pets in the family - they do however have a tendency to drool and snore quite a bit. The Bloodhound is able to go after any scent, even a human scent. This is a very uncommon ability in any dog. It is known that these dogs can follow trails that are over 100 years old. They will also stay on a trail for over 100 miles because they are so determined. These dogs should however be fenced in, otherwise they will wander off. Most Bloodhounds can not be walked off the leash.
Care
The Bloodhound does not require a lot of maintenance, but it is important to clean under the folds of their skin to avoid dry and itchy skin. They should also be brushed often to remove any excessive and dead hair, as they can shed a lot on a seasonal basis. This breed has long and droopy ears, and it should be cleaned frequently to avoid ears that are infected and painful.
Training
The Bloodhound should be trained in a firm, but also gentle manner. They can be stubborn, but owners of these dogs should be patient.
It is very important to be consistent when training these dogs, as they will know how to get around training by their pitiable looks. Although these dogs are not very obedient, they are very calm animals. They will often make their own decision rather than following the orders of their trainers.
Health problems
Although this is a fairly tough breed, they do have a few health conditions potential owners should be aware of such as hip dysplasia, gastric torsion, and elbow dysplasia, inversion of the eyelids and also excessive skin folds and wrinkles.
