Mary Allen
William the Conqueror is said to have brought bloodhounds to England as early as the 11th century. Because of their extraordinary sense of smell, they have since been highly valued sniffer dogs.
While that doesn’t sound like a family pet, the Bloodhound makes an excellent companion dog: easygoing, affectionate, good with children, and much more active than their teary eyes would suggest.
Bloodhound – Dog with an extraordinary sense of smell
Care
Grooming a Bloodhound requires little effort. The coat should be brushed through every now and then to remove dead hair. The ears need a little more attention. They should be checked regularly for dirt, and it’s a good idea to wash the ears well right away (e.g. after they’ve been in the food bowl). Most specimens have drooping eyelids – eye drops with vitamin A are well-suited care products.
Temperament
Gentle and affectionate, very boisterous when young, friendly, persevering, with a powerful voice, but not a “barker”, independent, and very good sense of smell – it is said that the Bloodhound’s nose is two million times more sensitive than that of humans.
Upbringing
The Bloodhound traits that are bred require a lot of patience and skill when it comes to training. As usual, the most important thing is consistency – a Bloodhound can use his melancholy gaze very skillfully and uses it often enough when it comes to getting his way.
When it comes to obedience, one should not ask too much of dogs. Although they are and remain gentle, they are still very stubborn and do not follow every command. The dogs should not be stressed too much – for example by long hikes – before they are fully grown. Bloodhounds grow up quite quickly and need all their strength to reach the later “format”.
Compatibility
In general, Bloodhounds are very good with children. However, care should be taken not to allow children to tease the dog too much – the Bloodhound is so good-natured that it will put up with any “suffering”. Welcome and unwanted visitors alike are warmly welcomed. Bloodhounds get along well with dogs or other pets and be kept together very harmoniously.
Movement
The representatives of this breed have an almost unbelievable, not to say “inexhaustible” stamina. If you want to keep the animal as a house dog, you have to give it plenty of exercise on a regular basis. For your own safety, you should never unleash him, the temptation to follow a trail could be too great.
The same applies, of course, to the garden, which should therefore be well fenced. The fur protects the dogs well against the cold so that they are also suitable for keeping in a kennel – always provided that they have sufficient opportunities for exercise.