Bloodhounds: description, feeding and care

The Bloodhound is a large hound breed with an ancient history, measured in centuries. She is known as an excellent tracker, able to catch the most subtle smells, so these dogs at all times served people.

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

We will tell about the peculiarities of this breed, known from time immemorial and in demand all over the world to this day.

Bloodhound has other names that sound very majestic: “royal hound,” “St. Hubert's dog,” “purebred hound,” or “blood hound.” Obviously from the English "blood" and there was the name of this breed, but there is another version that connects 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 by selection works.

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

Representatives of this breed guarded the palace of the English King Henry VIII.

They caught dangerous criminals, which did a great 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 slaves who had escaped. It was difficult to hide from them, because thanks to their phenomenal instinct, the animals found them even a hundred or two kilometers away. But in Russia, their popularity was not so high.

It is known that the blood was kept by Peter I and Peter II, then the breed was forgotten, and only in the last century they became interested in it again and began to be popularized in our country. Nowadays, thoroughbred hounds are found throughout the world, although this breed is not among the most popular.

Edwin Bru is considered the father of modern bloodhounds. That he owns the first breed standard. The first club of the fans of the Bloodhounds was established in 1897.

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

The height at the withers of these dogs is quite large. In males, this figure is 68 cm, and in females - 62 cm (plus minus four centimeters). Males weigh in the range of 46-54 kilograms, bitches 40-48 kilograms. The lifespan of a breed is 12 years. But with good care, this time may increase.

The head of the blood has an almost square shape, which is clearly seen when you see the profile of a dog. The folds of the cheeks and the forehead hang quite strongly, especially when the head is lowered, and in males this feature is more noticeable.

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

The dog's jaws usually have a scissors bite or straight. Eyes have shades from light brown to dark brown. Redness of the eyelids is quite acceptable, it is easy to notice because of the sagging eyelids.

The ears are located quite low, if you touch them, it seems that they are velor - so nice surface for them. Thanks to a strong but quite long neck, the Bloodhounds tirelessly sniff the ground, chasing the victim. The tail of this breed holds right at the back, slightly arched.

The gait of a dog at a trot has a uniform pitch, 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 fore and hind limbs. 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 placed on the forehead and cheeks.

Even if they are too large, it does not harm the dog's eyes. The dog’s body is covered with a hard and short coat, due to which the dog tolerates a change in atmospheric conditions.

To the bottom of the tail, the pile is slightly lengthened and becomes even harder, and the softest cover is on the face and ears - the wool is the softest and most pleasant to the touch.

• Black and red - usually dark areas on the body of these dogs are located on top. There is an option when black concentrates around the spine, and the rest of the body has tan points.
• Brown-red - color zones are located on the same principle as in the first example.
• Red (red) - while it is desirable that the shade changes in the direction of darkening, and not vice versa. Color spots are not clearly defined, light elements are possible in dark places, white markings are undesirable.

The following defects are found in the bloodhound:

• deviation from standards;
• unbalanced character (fearfulness or aggressiveness);
• too light iris;
• malocclusion;
• light nose and lips;
• nose color not matching color;
• white spots in the wrong places, as well as too large spots of this color.

We will tell about the features of this breed, which can be both positive and negative.

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

Pros.

1. Friendliness. She loves the host society, supports his offers to play, is always happy to soak in the hands of a person, and allows herself to be stroked with pleasure.
2. Excellent scent. Hunters appreciate this most of all, because it is difficult to find such an assistant as a Blood. As for all the others, 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 instantly takes a trail.
3. Charm. The cute appearance of these dogs captivates and makes you fall in love at first sight. The eyes of the blood are a little dreary, but very kind. They are able to charm anyone.
4. Ease of care. The dogs are quite healthy by nature, so you don’t need to “nurse” a lot with them. Usually, excellent health fails them.

Minuses.

1. Thirst for hunting. Owners of hunting breeds are faced with this. Blood may suddenly become interested in any smell and go in search of its source. We have to keep it mostly on a leash.
2. Credulity It is hardly possible to make guards out of it. The nature of these dogs does not involve protection, they are gullible and kind to all people. It is difficult even for a trainer to tell the Blood that he should be on his guard with strangers. He will still be happy 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 slim girl), the dog can create many problems. Of course, this applies to ill-bred dogs, which were not engaged in the owners. His strength will be enough to drag the owner on a leash without paying attention to his objections.
4. Stubbornness. In this, the bloodhound hunter is similar to his “colleagues” dachshund and beagle, though 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. But aggression will not help you, all that can be achieved by this method, to lose the trust of the dog.

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 households and he is not jealous of other dogs if they are in the house.

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

Owners of a private house will constantly contemplate pits and dug up beds, as the dog is always looking for something. We'll have to try to explain to him where you can not dig.

If you love sports, the dog will gladly support your good beginnings. Blood gladly goes for jogging with the owner, while you can put on rollers, he will willingly run with you.

Dogs of this breed love big companies consisting of other people and dogs. For this reason, in large families, a thoroughbred hound feels most comfortable. The reason for the character - these hunting dogs are used to live in packs and constantly communicate with each other and with people. If you can keep a few individuals, they will all be happy. However, other breeds usually also do not cause a protest bill.

Difficulties with the maintenance of a dog of this breed can arise only because of its vociferousness.

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

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

Barking them has a low tone with hoarseness and can sound quite intimidating.

Dogs can perform well the commands of an instructor who is hired to practice with them. For the same reason, this breed is well in contact with the policeman who hired her. The process of getting used to a new person takes not too long for a dog.

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

It is very important for him all the time to sniff out something, look for and unravel traces. Best of all representatives of this breed feel living 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 quite good, as well as many of the hunters, 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 must satisfy the dog's need for all the vitamins and trace elements. Especially balanced diet is important for puppies, because what they eat at a young age will determine their health in adult life. Like all dogs, Bloodhounds are very fond of meat.

It is better to give low-fat varieties, such as beef, rabbit or poultry, scalded 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 delicacies in the form of special bones.

In addition to the above products It is extremely important to feed the pet dairy products and cereals, among them oatmeal, rice, barley, etc.

This menu is able to meet the animal's need for protein, fats and carbohydrates.

Vegetables and even fruits are also needed for the normal functioning of your pet's body. Knowing the omnivorousness of the Bloodhounds, you should try to enrich their diet with vegetable food, surely he will like something from the range of fruits you offer.

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

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

Keep a dog of this breed is not so difficult. You need to comb the wool with a special brush only once a week - at the same time you will massage the dog, so it will not oppose the procedure, and you will have to do it daily during the molt.

Dry hair with a hair dryer is not worth it, wet it well with a terry towel. So his coat will shine and delight you with its healthy and well-groomed appearance.

Ears - a distinctive feature of blood. Of course, they serve as its decoration, "highlight", but at the same time they often accumulate dust. To keep them clean, 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.

The expressive eyes of the Bloodhound are his vulnerable spot, and therefore need to be carefully cared for. The eyelids have a special shape, which contributes to the accumulation of dirt, because dust easily gets into such folds. It is fraught with the development of inflammation and even conjunctivitis. If you see dirt or excessive redness when you look at the dog, wipe it with a strong brew.

If you have more serious problems, such as inversion of the eyelids or suppuration, do not delay the visit to the vet.

If your pet walks infrequently in nature, and mostly in an asphalted yard, his claws will not be ground enough. In this case, the owner needs to cut them yourself. Accessories for cutting claws, you can easily find in the pet store.

These energetic and fun dogs need physical exercise. If you don’t play with him, he may find an occupation that you don’t like at all.

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

It is difficult for a dog to wear it, and if it is not active enough and overeating, it is even threatened by obesity. Prevention of any disease is a balanced diet, which enriches the dog's body with essential vitamins and minerals, prevents the collection of extra pounds, but allows it to get a boost of energy.

Especially important control puppy food, because by doing so you are laying the foundation for his health for many years.To get detailed practical advice on feeding your four-legged friend, contact the vet - he will offer you a healthy diet for every day.

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

For a good and loving owner, this question is easy to solve. Have napkins ready to clean the dog's face, and then this phenomenon will not be a problem.

To bring up a puppy of a harmoniously developed dog is possible only in one case: you will have to show patience and devote enough time to the learning process. As already noted, the physical force applied to these proud and masterful hunters does not bring positive results.

Some owners of these dogs even hold the opinion that these dogs can not be ordered - they need to ask.

What kind of tactics to choose when dealing with these dogs is up to you, but it is useful to familiarize yourself with the advice of experts.

1. Do not spend on training commands for more than 15 minutes, it will tire the dog.
2. Each time, complete the lesson at a positive moment when the dog has executed some command and received a reward in the form of a treat. This will fix her positive reflex.
3. If the life of your blood will be boring and monotonous, you will not take him to parks or other lively places, you will not play with him, then furniture damage in the house is inevitable. Try to organize leisure activities that will fill his life with impressions. Toys are not so expensive, besides, you can always organize for him a "search for things."

During estrus the dog needs special supervision. If the offspring are not included in your plans, keep her tight on a leash while walking.

If the female lives in the local area, then during this period keep her in a closed aviary.

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

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

To begin with, they need to be taken to neutral territory, where they can meet and play, and after such a “prelude” the couple must be taken to the stud.

If they try to start the process at the time of their acquaintance, then they should not get in the way.

Historically, this breed is not very popular in our country, so it may be problematic to acquire a puppy. You can buy a baby for the soul without a prospect of exhibiting for 30-40 thousand rubles. Breed class dog, which is allowed to participate in competitions and breeding, will cost about two times more expensive. However, these puppies will not have a high enough rating to win.

Bloodhound are born hunters and this is not to take away from them.

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

The film about the bloodhound breed can be viewed below.