Bloodhound

AKC Group: Hound

Club: American Bloodhound Club

Corresponding Secretary : Susan Paine
Address: 8810 E G St, Tacoma, WA , 98445-1926
Website: www.bloodhounds.org
Email: themaja@comcast.net
Club Type: Specialty

General Apperance:

The Bloodhound possesses, in a most marked degree, every point and characteristic of those dogs which hunt together by scent (Sagaces). He is very powerful, and stands over more ground than is usual with hounds of other breeds. The skin is thin to the touch and extremely loose, this being more especially noticeable about the head and neck, where it hangs in deep folds

Size:

The mean average height of adult dogs is 26 inches, and of adult bitches 24 inches. Dogs usually vary from 25 inches to 27 inches, and bitches from 23 inches to 25 inches; but, in either case, the greater height is to be preferred, provided that character and quality are also combined.

History:

Historical accounts of the Bloodhounds have little evidence to prove how far back the origins of the breed reach, but many authorities believe that the breed was known throughout the Mediterranean countries long before the Christian Era. In the 3rd century A.D., Claudius Aelianus noted the Bloodhound in his HISTORIA Animalium describing a dog that was unrivaled for its scenting powers and determination to stay on the trail until the quarry was located. The Bloodhound made its appearance in Europe long before the Crusades, with the first specimens being brought from Constantinople. There were two strains, black and white. The blacks were the famed St. Huberts of the 8th century, and the whites later became known as the Southern Hounds. It was from the black stock that the first importations were made to England. In the 12th century, the English elite were at the forefront of fostering the development of the breed for use in packs in hunting on horseback.

Although the Bloodhound reached approximately its modern form in England, the breed has perhaps reached its greatest development in the United States, as far as usefulness is concerned. Established in America for over a century, it proved early on to be a tireless worker for law enforcement, being so accurate that evidence trailed by a Bloodhound has been accepted in a court of law. Today, the Bloodhound has a loyal following of people that enjoy exhibiting a well-bred dog that can successfully compete in Conformation, Obedience and Tracking events.

Fun Facts:

• The Bloodhound made its appearance in Europe long before the Crusades, the first specimens being brought from Constantinople in two strains, black and white. The modern Bloodhound has its origins in the Ardenne region of central Europe (located on the border of Belgium and France). It was there that the large game hounds of St. Hubert and Talbot and the white Southern hound were crossed to produce the dog known as the Chien de St. Hubert. Even today in some countries the terms Bloodhound and Chien de St. Hubert are interchangeable.
  
  
• The first recorded use of Bloodhounds by organized law enforcement was in England in 1805 when the Thrapthon Association for the Prevention of Felons acquired a Bloodhound to search for poachers and thieves.
  
  
• Testimony of a Bloodhound's mantrailing results is acceptable in almost any court.
  
  
• The Bloodhound is called the modern representative of the oldest race of hounds that hunt by scent.
  
  
• The term "Bloodhound" refers not to what the Bloodhound trails but instead refers to its status as the "blooded hound," meaning aristocratic, since such great lengths were taken early on to keep the strain clean.
  
  
• In the 12th century, when even bishops rode to the hounds, dignitaries of the Church were among the foremost in fostering the development of the Bloodhound.