Bloodhounds: description, feeding and care

Bloodhound is a large hound breed with an ancient history dating back centuries. She is known as an excellent tracker, able to catch the subtlest odors, so these dogs have always served people.

With their folds and “flowing” outlines of the muzzle, they resemble bassets, but their composition is completely different - they are taller and more muscular.

Let's talk about the features of this breed, known since time immemorial and in demand to this day around the world.

Bloodhound has other names that sound very magnificent: “royal hound”, “dog of St. Hubert”, “purebred hound” or “blood hound”. Obviously from English “blood” the name of this breed came about, but there is another version connecting the name of the breed with its ability to find prey by the smell of blood. It was she who inherited the bright features of the ancient hound, but was improved through breeding work.

All hounds have a long history, and the first surviving references to dogs that are similar to blood date back to the 7th century. The breed was always crossed with others, and in their present form, these dogs were bred in the 13th century in Belgium. The monks of St. Hubert Monastery bred them to catch poachers operating in the forests.

It was the representatives of this breed who guarded the palace of the English king Henry VIII.

They caught dangerous criminals, which rendered a huge service to law enforcement officers. Among them is the legendary Nick Carter, who participated in the capture of 600 lawbreakers.

In the 18th century, dogs helped Americans catch escaped slaves. It was difficult to hide from them, because thanks to their phenomenal instinct, animals found them even a hundred or two kilometers away. But in Russia their popularity was not so high.

It is known that Peter I and Peter II kept the bloods, then the breed was forgotten, and only in the last century they became interested in it again and began to popularize it in our country. Today, purebred hounds are found all over the world, although this breed is not one of the most popular.

The father of modern bloodhounds consider Edwin Bru. It was he who owned the first breed standard. The first club of bloodhound lovers was created in 1897.

The characteristic appearance of the blood does not allow him to be confused with anyone. Consider the main features of the appearance of this breed.

The growth at the withers of these dogs is quite large. For males, this figure is 68 cm, and for females - 62 cm (plus or minus four centimeters). Males weigh between 46-54 kilograms, females 40-48 kilograms. Breed life expectancy is 12 years. But with good care, this time may increase.

The head of the blood has an almost square shape, which is clearly visible when you see the profile of the dog. Folds from the cheeks and forehead hang rather strongly, especially when lowering the head, and in males this feature is more noticeable.

The lips of the dogs are soft and rather large, while the lower one is smaller. The nose is large, has a black or brown lobe under the color of the lips.

Dog jaws usually have a bite of “scissors” or straight. The eyes have shades from light brown to dark brown. Redness of the eyelids is quite acceptable, it is easy to notice due to sagging eyelids.

The ears are located quite low, if you feel them, it seems that they are velor - their surface is so pleasant. Thanks to the strong, but at the same time rather long neck, bloodhounds tirelessly sniff the earth, chasing the victim. This breed holds its tail right at the level of the back, slightly bending.

The dog’s gait to trot has a uniform step, the movements are flexible and light, the dog does not get tired for a long time. The hind legs are well repelled, the steps are the same for both the front and hind legs. The skin should be well supple only on the head, on the rest of the body it has good elasticity, but does not lag behind just as easily. Folds should be located on the forehead and cheeks.

Even if they are too big, it does not harm the dog’s eyes. The dog’s body is covered with a stiff and short coat, due to which the dog tolerates the change of atmospheric phenomena.

Toward the bottom of the tail, the pile lengthens slightly and becomes even tougher, and the softest cover is on the muzzle and ears - there the coat is the softest and most pleasant to the touch.

• Black-red - usually the dark areas on the body of these dogs are located on top. There is an option when black is concentrated in the area of ​​the spine, and the rest of the body has tans.
• Brown-red - color zones are located on the same principle as in the first example.
• Red (red) - at the same time, it is desirable that the hue changes in the direction of darkening, and not vice versa. Color spots are not clear, light elements are possible in dark places, white marks are undesirable.

Bloodhound has the following defects:

• deviation from standards;
• unbalanced nature (timidity or aggressiveness);
• too bright an iris;
• malocclusion;
• light nose and lips;
• nose color that does not match the color;
• white spots in the wrong places, as well as too large spots of this color.

Let's talk about the features of this breed, which can be both positive and negative.

Examine them before deciding if this breed is right for you.

Pros.

1. Friendliness. He loves the host society, supports his offers to play, is always glad to soak in the hands of a person, and with pleasure allows himself to be stroked.
2. Excellent scent. This is most appreciated by hunters, because such an assistant as blood is difficult to find. As for everyone else, they can teach the dog tricks to find someone from family members or friends. Of course, there is little practical benefit from this, but it looks very funny. For example, you can ask the dog to find dad in a large park and he will immediately take a trail.
3. Charm. The cute appearance of these dogs captivates and makes you fall in love at first sight. Blood eyes are a little dreary, but very kind. They are able to charm anyone.
4. Easy care. Dogs are reasonably healthy in nature, so you don’t have to “babysit” much with them. Usually their excellent health does not fail.

Minuses.

1. Thirst for hunting. Owners of dogs of hunting breeds face this. Blood may suddenly become interested in a smell and go in search of its source. We have to keep it mostly on a leash.
2. Credulity. It’s hardly possible to make guards out of it. The nature of these dogs does not imply protection; they are trusting and kind to all people. Even a trainer has a hard time explaining that he should be on his guard with strangers. He will still be glad at the sight of people and will not be able to harm anyone if necessary.
3. Weight. Due to the large size (and the weight of a large dog is comparable to the weight of a slender girl), a dog can create many problems. Of course, this applies to ill-mannered dogs that the owners did not deal with. His strength is enough to drag off the owner on a leash without paying attention to his objections.
4. Stubbornness. In this, the hunter bloodhound is similar to his "colleagues" dachshund and beagle, however, in his case this is not so obvious. Raising him as a “good boy” or “girl” is not so easy, you need to show cunning and perseverance. And aggression will not help you, all that can be achieved by this method is to lose the dog’s confidence.

The kindness of the bloodhound makes him a favorite not only of adults, but also of children. He has fun in the company of all household members and he is not jealous of other dogs if they are in the house.

A guest or a neighbor may well scratch him behind the ear - the dog will only be happy.

Owners of a private house will constantly see pits and dug up beds, as the dog is always looking for something. I’ll have to try to explain to him where to dig.

If you love sports, the dog will happily support your good undertakings. Blood gladly goes for a run with the owner, while you can put on rollers, he will be happy to run with you.

Dogs of this breed are loved by large companies consisting of other people and dogs. For this reason, in large families, the purebred hound feels as comfortable as possible. The reason for the character is that these hunting dogs are used to living in packs and constantly communicate with each other and with people. If you can keep several individuals, then all of them will be only happy. However, other breeds usually also do not cause protest in the blood.

Difficulties in keeping a dog of this breed can arise only because of its voice.

To such moments occurred as rarely as possible, wean the dog from the habit of barking since puppyhood. And even in this case, there is no guarantee that he will be completely repaired. The dog may bark again in a stressful situation.

By the way, due to the barking bloodhounds, which are recognized as weak guards, able to scare away a person with bad intentions.

Barking them has a low timbre with a hoarse sound and can sound quite frightening.

Dogs can perform well the instructions of the instructor who is hired to deal with them. For the same reason, this breed finds good contact with the policeman who hired it. The process of getting used to a new person does not take too much time for a dog.

The desire to do the work for which they are intended has a strong influence on the dog, and she happily gets down to business.

It is very important for him to sniff out something all the time, look for and unravel the tracks. Representatives of this breed feel best when they live outside the city. There are more places for games, and their barking will not annoy the neighbors living through the wall.

Space is especially important for puppies, because they need enough space where they will run, play and physically develop.

The appetite of this breed is pretty good, like many hunting ones they are prone to gluttony, but it is worth remembering the limitations - the amount of food consumed should not exceed 20% of his body weight.

Food should satisfy the dog’s need for all vitamins and minerals. A particularly balanced diet is important for puppies, because what they eat at a young age will determine their health in adulthood. Like all dogs, bloodhounds are very fond of meat.

It is better to give low-fat varieties, such as beef, rabbit or poultry, scalding the fillet with boiling water. Fish and eggs are also quite acceptable and useful on the table of your four-legged friend.

You can buy at the pet store various useful goodies in the form of special bones.

In addition to the above products It is extremely important to feed the pet with dairy products and cereals, including oat, rice, pearl barley, etc.

It is this menu that can fill the animal's need for proteins, fats and carbohydrates.

Vegetables and even fruits are also needed for the normal functioning of your pet's body. Knowing the omnivorous bloodhounds, it is worth trying to enrich their diet with plant food, for sure he will like something from the assortment of fruits you proposed.

Thanks to such a love of food, you can motivate your pet to carry out commands well. For a piece of goodies, he is ready for a lot, even to step on the throat of his pride and become a diligent student.

In general, the cunning and flexibility of a person in training these dogs is quite an important point, so for the sake of such an important thing, you can resort to tricks.

Keeping a dog of this breed is not so difficult. The hair needs to be combed with a special brush only once a week - at the same time you will massage the dog, so that he will not resist the procedure, and you will have to do it every day during molting.

Drying the hair with a hairdryer is not worth it, pat it well enough with a bath towel. So his coat will shine and delight you with its healthy and well-groomed appearance.

Ears are a distinctive feature of the blood. Of course, they serve as its decoration, "highlight", but at the same time, dust often accumulates on them. To prevent them from becoming dirty, wipe them with a damp cloth several times a month. This will give the dog a more well-groomed appearance and will serve as a prevention of possible ear diseases.

Bloodhound's expressive eyes are his vulnerable spot, and therefore need careful care. The eyelids have a special shape, which contributes to the accumulation of dirt, because dust easily gets into such folds. This is fraught with the development of inflammation and even conjunctivitis. If during the examination of the dog you notice dirt or excessive redness, wipe them with a strong tea leaves.

If you experience more serious problems, such as a twisting of the eyelids or suppuration, do not delay a visit to the veterinarian.

If your pet rarely walks in nature, and mainly in an asphalt yard, then its claws will not grind enough. In this case, the owner needs to trim them yourself. You can easily find accessories for clipping your claws in the pet shop.

These energetic and cheerful dogs need exercise. If you do not play with him, then he may find himself an occupation that you will not like at all.

Play outdoor games with him, and to make them more interesting, buy toys at the pet store. It can be pulling, “plate”, a ball or other valuable acquisitions.

It is difficult for a dog to wear it, and with an insufficiently active lifestyle and overeating, she is completely at risk of obesity. Prevention of any disease is a balanced diet that enriches the dog's body with the necessary vitamins and minerals, prevents the collection of extra pounds, but allows it to get a boost of energy.

Especially important control the puppy’s nutrition, since by doing so you are laying the foundation for his health for years to come. For detailed practical recommendations on feeding your four-legged friend, consult your veterinarian - he will offer you a healthy diet for every day.

This process is inevitable due to the structure of the muzzle and body of the bloodhounds. If you do not want to wipe them from the dog's face, and this feature of this breed annoys you, then do not start such a dog at all.

For a good and loving owner, this issue is easily solved. Have napkins ready to clean the dog’s face, and then this phenomenon will not be a problem.

A harmoniously developed dog can be raised from a puppy only in one case: you will have to be patient and devote enough time to the training process. As already noted, the physical force applied to these proud and masterful hunters does not bring positive results.

Some owners of these dogs are even of the opinion that these dogs must not be ordered - they must be requested.

It is up to you to decide which tactics to choose when dealing with these dogs, but it will be useful to get expert advice.

1. Do not spend more than 15 minutes working out commands; this will tire the dog.
2. Each time, complete the session on the positive side when the dog has completed some command and received a reward in the form of goodies. This will fix her positive reflex.
3. If the life of your blood is boring and monotonous, you will not take him to parks or other busy places, you will not play with him, then damage to furniture in the house is inevitable. Try to organize leisure that will fill his life with impressions. Toys are not that expensive, and you can always organize a “search for things” for him.

During estrus, the dog needs special care. If the offspring are not part of your plans, keep them firmly on a leash for a walk.

If the female lives in the house adjoining territory, then during this period keep her in a closed enclosure.

The most successful days for a romantic date are 11-15.

As for the males, early mating is no less harmful to them. So a couple is unlikely to form good offspring, and they themselves can undermine the health of both the reproductive system and the whole organism. Before the hour X dogs need to be walked well, but they should not be fed.

First, they need to be taken to neutral territory, where they can get to know each other and play, and after such a “prelude”, the couple needs to be taken to the dog.

If they try to start the process already during the meeting, then they should not be disturbed.

It so happened historically that this breed is not very popular in our country, so acquiring a puppy can be problematic. You can buy a baby for the soul without the prospect of exhibiting for 30 - 40 thousand rubles. A breeding class dog, which is allowed to participate in competitions and breeding, will cost about twice as much. However, these puppies will not have a high enough rating to win.

Bloodhounds are born hunters and this cannot be taken away from them.

And in the case of this breed, he will also always be looking for something and poking his curious nose into all your affairs. If you are ready to get this smart and kind, but proud dog, then contact specialized breeders. Your new family member will certainly conquer all household members and become a real friend to them.

A movie about the breed of bloodhounds can be seen below.