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Archive-name: dogs-faq/breeds/bloodhounds
Posting-frequency: 30 days URL: http://www.k9web.com/dog-faqs/breeds/bloodhounds.html Last-modified: 10 Nov 1997 See reader questions & answers on this topic! - Help others by sharing your knowledge ======= There are nearly 100 FAQ's available for this group. For a complete listing of these, get the "Complete List of RPD FAQs". This article is posted bimonthly in rec.pets.dogs, and is available via anonymous ftp to rtfm.mit.edu under pub/usenet/news.answers/dogs-faq/faq-list, via the Web at http://www.zmall.com/pet_talk/dog-faqs/lists/faq-list.html, or via email by sending your message to mail-server@rtfm.mit.edu with send usenet/news.answers/dogs-faq/faq-list in the body of the message. This article is Copyright 1997 by the Author(s) listed below. It may be freely distributed on the Internet in its entirety without alteration provided that this copyright notice is not removed. It may NOT reside at another website (use links, please) other than the URL listed above without the permission of the Author(s). This article may not be sold for profit nor incorporated in other documents without he Author(s)'s permission and is provided "as is" without express or implied warranty. ========== Bloodhounds Author Cindy Tittle Moore, rpd-info@zmall.com Revisions * Created 24 Mar 92 * Minor corrections and addition of Bloodhound West 22 Sep 94 * Noses-L info updated 26 Sep 95 * Web links updated Feb 97 * Expansion of health information, reordering Mar 97. Copyright 1995 by Cindy Tittle Moore _________________________________________________________________ Table of Contents * History * Characteristics and Temperament * Special Medical Problems * Description and Standard * Recognized * Resources + Email List + Web Sites + Books + Breed Rescue Organizations + Breed Clubs _________________________________________________________________ History Bloodhounds are an ancient breed, and their origins are unclear. However, in the 7th century, St. Hubert (patron saint of the hunter) and his monks had an extensive hand in developing the breed. Bloodhounds today are still registered with FCI as _chiens du St. Hubert_. The name "Bloodhound" is derived from the term "blooded hound," meaning a hound of pure breeding. Bloodhounds are extensively associated with royalty: William the Conquerer arrived in England with several bloodhounds. Bloodhounds were often given as gifts among royalty and nobility. For almost seven hundred years, the St. Hubert Monastery sent a pair of black and tan Bloodhounds to the King of France each year. These hounds and the white Talbot hounds are considered the ancestors of modern-day Bloodhounds. The former died out by the French Revolution after their popularity plummeted when Charles IX favored the white hounds. Modern Bloodhounds are descended from the hounds that William the Conqueror brought to Britain. It was not until about the 16th century that the Bloodhound was used to track man. They were regarded as large game hunters before then: deer, etc. Their testimony was so highly regarded that they had the legal right to follow a trail anywhere, including into homes. As need grew for smaller, faster hound dogs, the Bloodhound was crossed with a variety of breeds to produce Harriers, Beagles and others, all of which owe their nose to the Bloodhounds. The use of Bloodhounds declined due to increasing population and decreasing game area in Britain until there were very few left. The introduction of dog shows in 1859 revitalized the breed. More companionable animals, suitable for showing, resulted. In 1898, Bloodhound breeders began to promote manhunting trials as sport. The only animals available for this were those who had been bred for show and companion for many years; yet their noses were as keen as ever. Foxhounds have been crossbred into Bloodhounds several times, especially after WWII, when the stock was severely depleted in Britain. This ancestry sometimes shows up as white markings on Bloodhounds although the markings may also be throwbacks to the white Talbot hounds. Such markings do not disqualify from showing so long as they are confined to the chest, toes, and base of tail. Contrary to popular wisdom, Bloodhounds were not actually used to trail runaway slaves in the US. Those dogs were usually mongrel crosses and of vicious temperament, which the Bloodhound does not posess. Stowe's _Uncle Tom's Cabin_, the book and the movie, in particular gives an exceedingly inaccurate depiction of Bloodhounds. Mantrailing has enjoyed a steady, athough by no means explosive, increase in modern day law enforcement and search and rescue. Trails performed by Bloodhounds are permissible evidence in court. _________________________________________________________________ Characteristics and Temperament Bloodhounds are not for everyone. Due to generous flews, they can fling saliva 20 feet with one shake of their head. Their enormous size, food requirements, vet bills and inherently short lifespan make them dubious companions for the average dog-lover. As a puppy, the Bloodhound will grow four to seven pounds and one-half to one inch in height _per week_. As is common with large dogs, they have a short lifespan of about 10 years. Bloodhounds are friendly, often very good with children. When they find someone at the end of the trail, they are likely to lunge at them -- to plant wet slobbery kisses (their specialty) all over them. Criminals often turn themselves in on the spot rather than face Bloodhounds, whether to escape the kisses or in the mistaken belief of their ferocity is sometimes hard to tell! Bloodhounds are very determined. They are aggressive in the sense that they will want to finish trails, and that they can be hard to call off once on a track. They can be difficult to train off-leash for this reason. However, they are not generally aggressive toward other dogs or people. The pendulous skin over their ears and eyes will fall down over their eyes when they lower their head to trail, effectively blinding them. Because of this and their determination, Bloodhounds are usually run on leash for their own safety. Bloodhounds can make an amazing variety of sounds. They can bay expressively, howl and whine, all in melodious tones. The neighbors may not appreciate this, however. _________________________________________________________________ Special Medical Problems Hip Dysplasia Bloodhounds may have hip dysplasia, a potentially crippling disease. Breeders should screen all their breeding stock with OFA to reduce the chances of their puppies having HD. Bloat Bloodhounds, because of their physical shape, are extremly prone to Gastric Torsion or Bloat as it is more commonly called. Be sure that you discuss Bloat with your veterinarian, especially on what the physical symptoms are and where you can obtain emergency veterinary care after hours. This condition can kill dogs in a matter of hours and is very common in this breed. Other sources of information: * http://www.vet.purdue.edu/depts/vad/cae/cgdvweb.htm * http://www.canismajor.com/dog/bloat.html Longevity As a rule, Bloodhounds (and other breeds of similar size), do not live as long as their smaller counterparts do. The typical lifespan for a Bloodhound is about 9-11 years of age, with noticeable aging occuring as early as 8 years of age. Entropion Bloodhounds can be prone to _entropion_ which is an inversion of the eyelid that can be quite painful and irritating to the dog. Surgery is generally required to fix the eyelid. Allergies A good number of Bloodhounds have allergies and/or food and pollen sensitivities. _________________________________________________________________ Description and Standard Bloodhounds are the largest and most powerful of the hound family. They weigh up to 110lbs/50kg and stand as much as 27in/69cm at the shoulders. They have a very expressively wrinkled face with pronounced flews and dewlaps (lips and throat), giving them a most solemn expression. The coat is thin, hard and short. Colors are black and tan, tawny, or red and tan ("liver" is sometimes used instead of "tan"). The eyes are neither sunken nor prominent, although the excess skin may pull the lower eyelids down. The ears hang low and are long and soft. They are a relatively rare breed; you will only see a few, if any, at most dog shows. AKC Bloodhound Standard The Standard is the physical "blueprint" of the breed. It describes the physical appearance and other desired qualities of the breed otherwise known as _type_. Some characteristics, such as size, coat quality, and movement, are based on the original (or current) function for the dog. Other characteristics are more cosmetic such as eye color; but taken together they set this breed apart from all others. The Standard describes an _ideal_ representive of the breed. No individual dog is perfect, but the Standard provides an ideal for the breeder to strive towards. Because of copyright concerns over the collection of all the Standards at any single site storing all the faqs, AKC Standards are not typically included in the Breed faqs. The reader is referred to the publications at the end of this document or to the National Breed Club for a copy of the Standard. _________________________________________________________________ Recognized American Kennel Club Australian National Kennel Club Federation Cynologique Internationale Canadian Kennel Club Kennel Club of Great Britain United Kennel Club _________________________________________________________________ Resources Online Info * http://www.thepetweb.com/tbn/ The Bloodhound Network -- an excellent resource. Email ListThere is an email list that may be of interest to Bloodhound owners called NOSES-L, which is a mailing list devoted to the scent hounds. To subscribe, send email to listserv@apple.ease.lsoft.com with subscribe NOSES-L firstname lastname in the body of the message. The Bloodhound Bunch offers three mailing lists specifically for bloodhound owners. For further information, email to dat@webcom.com. Web Sites * http://www.bloodhounds.com/bhb/ BooksAppleton. _The First Bloodhound Handbook_. 1960. $35. ** Brey and Reed. _The Complete Bloodhound_. 1987. $19.95. ** Brey, Catharine F. and Lena F. Reed. _The New Complete Bloodhound_. Howell Book House, New York (Maxwell Maxmillian, Toronto). 1991. $26. ISBN: 0-87605-077-1 (hardback). New revised version of the classic _The Complete Bloodhound_. A definitive recounting of bloodhounds: history, exploits, training, and breeding. A must in the library of anyone interested in the breed or in search and rescue in general. Owen. _Bloodhounds_. 1990. Tolhurst, William D. with Lena F. Reed. _Manhunters! Hounds of the Big T_. Hound Dog Press, 10705 Woodland Rd., Puyallup, WA 98373. 1984. $16. ISBN: 0-9617723-0-1 (hardback). Tolhurst is a Search and Rescue volunteer in upstate New York. This book recounts his experiences using bloodhounds in trailing. Many fascinating stories. Tolhurst includes a section on training a dog to locate dead bodies. Whitney. _Bloodhounds and How to Train Them_. 1947. $120. ** ** Out of print, but stocked by 4-M Enterprises, Inc., 1280 Pacific Street, Union City, CA 94587 (catalogue). Breed Rescue OrganizationsBloodhounds West * Breed Rescue 20372 Laguna Canyon Road Laguna Beach, CA 92651 (714) 494-9506 Bloodhound West covers breed rescue in much of the western US with several chapters. For the address of a rescue organization closer to you, contact the national breed club for the address of a local Bloodhound club and they in turn should be able to point you in the right direction. Since Bloodhounds are relatively rare, there are not too many that need rescuing; however some do exist, since many people are not prepared for their adult size and stubborness. For online contacts to rescue, check http://www.bloodhounds.com/tbn/bhrescue.html. Breed ClubsAmerican Bloodhound Club Ed Kilby, Corresponding Secretary 1914 Berry Lane, Daytona Beach, FL 32124 American Bloodhound Club Bulletin Brenda Howard Editor 616 Texas Street, Suite 101 Fort Worth, Texas, 76102 National Police Bloodhound Association http://www.westol.com/~npba/ National Police Bloodhound Association Homepage, kept by NPBA, npba@westol.com. ________________________________________________________________________ Bloodhound FAQ Cindy Tittle Moore, rpd-info@zmall.com User Contributions:
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