Bloodhound Dogs
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[ Bloodhound ]A Bloodhound (also known as the Chien de Saint-Hubert) is a large breed of dog. It is a scenthound famed for its ability to follow a scent many days old, over vast distances. This dog is often used as a police dog to track missing people, fleeing suspects, or escaped prisoners.
Appearance
Modern Bloodhounds weigh from 80 to 110 lb (36 to 50 kg) and stand 23 to
27 inches (58 to 69 cm) high at the withers. Bloodhounds now come in
black and tan, liver and tan, or red. In the Middle Ages, they also
occurred in other solid colors, including white (known as the Talbot
Hound), but these no longer occur. The colors appear in other breeds
descended from the early Bloodhounds, however.
Temperament
This breed is a mellow, cheerful, relaxed dog who is nonetheless
tireless in slowly and steadily following a scent. Its laid-back
attitude makes it somewhat difficult to obedience train. However, with
the proper amount of time and effort, this can be achieved.
Bloodhounds are extremely loyal companions, and if seperated from their
masters for long periods of time are known to mourn and stop feeding as
a sign of distress. They make excellent family pets, but are not good
with very small children because they accidently knock them over with
the bulk of their size and tail.
Health
Like most large breeds, their life expectancy is only 10 to 12 years.
The Bloodhound is prone to hip dysplasia and bloat.
History
The ability to follow a scent has always been valued and superb scent
trackers were developed separately in lowland Europe at the St. Hubert
Monastery and in Britain. The Bloodhound was mentioned by Roman Emperor
Marcus Aurelius in his history of the Roman Empire.
This dog has been known as a breed since at least the Middle Ages and it
is the oldest known breed of hound. Its excellent tracking skills were a
target as it was used in the development--intentional or
unintentional--of other fine tracking breeds such as the American
Coonhound, Swiss Jura Hound, Bavarian Mountain Hound, and many others.
Scenting ability
Although all dogs can follow scents on the ground, in the air, and in
water, the Bloodhound's physical characteristics make it well-known in
its ability to follow a scent. Odors are picked up and identified by
scent receptors in a dog's nasal chambers; the larger the chambers, the
better chance the dog has of identifying even the smallest and least
number of particles that provide a scent.
The Bloodhound's nasal chambers are larger than most other breeds. It is believed that pendulous ears and moist, pendulous lips help to trap scent particles, further enhancing its scenting abilities.
Origin of name
The name "Bloodhound" comes from careful breeding in the middle ages,
resulting in it being known by the 14th century as the "blooded hound"
or Bloodhound, hound of noble ancestry.
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Bloodhound".
