Archive-name: dogs-faq/breeds/bloodhounds
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                                  BLOODHOUNDS
                                       
Author

   Cindy Tittle Moore, rpd-info@netcom.com
   
   
   Revisions
     * Created 24 Mar 92
     * Minor corrections and addition of Bloodhound West 22 Sep 94
     * Noses-L info updated 26 Sep 95
       
   Copyright 1995 by Cindy Tittle Moore
     _________________________________________________________________
   
Table of Contents

     * History
     * Characteristics and Temperament
     * Description and Standard
     * Recognized
     * Special Medical Problems
     * 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 show 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 maximum..
   
   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. 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.
   
     _________________________________________________________________
   
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
   
     _________________________________________________________________
   
Special Medical Problems

   As with any large dog, Bloodhounds are prone to hip dysplasia. They
   have short lives, as is also common with large breeds. Gastric bloat,
   or torsion, can be a problem for some Bloodhounds. They have very
   short lives, many dying of essentially old age between 8 and 10 years
   of age.
   
     _________________________________________________________________
   
Resources

  EMAIL LIST
  
   There 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@mail.eworld.com with subscribe
   NOSES-L firstname lastname in the body of the message.
   
   Another email list, created in early summer of 1995 is a Bloodhound
   list. To subscribe, send email to bloodhound-a-list@webcom.com with
   no/any subject line and the single word subscribe in the body of the
   message.
   
  WEB SITES
     * http://www.webcom.com/~dat/A1.TOP.html
       
  BOOKS
  
   Appleton. 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. 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 Avenue, Puyallup, WA 98373. 1984.
   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 ORGANIZATIONS
  
   Bloodhounds 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.
   
  BREED CLUBS
  
   American Bloodhound Club
   Ed Kilby, Corresponding Secretary
   1914 Berry Lane, Daytona Beach, FL 32124
   
   American Bloodhound Club Bulletin
   Mary Michener
   P.O. Box 974
   Ellensburg, WA 98926
   
   National Police Bloodhound Association
   May be coming online soon, contact bldhound@aol.com for details.
   
     _________________________________________________________________
   
    Bloodhound FAQ
    Cindy Tittle Moore, rpd-info@netcom.com
