Bloodhounds love long hikes in the great outdoors, are patient, kind, mild-mannered, affectionate, love children, are well-muscled with powerful shoulders, can be stubborn, tend to have a strong odor, and drool and slobber a lot.

This breed that dates back to over a thousand years ago is described as noble, mild-mannered, patient, kind and lovable. They are gentle and excellent with children exhibiting great tolerance as they let the kids climb all over them. Don't let their meekness with the children fool you though...they are strong willed and even aggressive with other dogs of the same sex. They become devoted to their master, but let that sensitive nose lock onto a sent and his ears will no longer seem to function as he takes off to find the end of that trail. Bloodhounds will chase the sent for miles with unusual stamina. Bloodhounds need a leash or a fence!

Though no longer used for hunting, they are still employed to track and save missing persons...and criminals too. It is a rare breed that can track the human scent...and Bloodhounds can lock onto a scent that is as much as four days old. They can routinely track a scent on pavement and asphalt. While "air scenting dogs" are trained to find humans, Bloodhounds can find individuals. Among other things, a Bloodhound can tell you the direction a person took, if the person got in a car, and if a "sighting" of a person being searched for was real. His nose is so accurate that bloodhound evidence is admissible in court. One Bloodhound has been credited with over 600 criminal arrests and convictions!

Bloodhounds are large, powerful and rugged with loose skin and long hanging ears. They have a baleful look with drooping lower eyelids. They grow to 25-27 inches high and weigh from 80 to 130 lbs. These are large active animals that take up a lot of space and should have at least an average size yard and daily walks. They not only need exercise but also mental stimulation. Between chewing, baying and the destructive potential of such a large, strong and independent-thinking animal, a bored Bloodhound can be a real test. Bloodhound puppies are particularly rambunctious and it may not be a good idea to have them around the elderly and infirm, or very small children. A playful Bloodhound puppy can send even adults flying when they are in full cavort mode!

Bloodhound owners can join local tracking clubs and put their amazing skills to potential good use...a great way to take the potentially problematic tendencies of chasing after scents, running after other animals, frequent explorations and baying, and channeling them to something fun for you and productive for everyone.

It takes a consistent, patient and confident owner to train their Bloodhound. These dogs are independent in mind, are extremely stubborn, can be manipulative and sometimes think they should be the boss. You can think everything is under control until they catch an interesting scent, then off they go possibly never to be seen again! They are slow to mature so the training process can last for several years.

Before taking on ownership of a Bloodhound keep in mind that there instinct to chase any moving animal can be strong and that they are quite capable of seizing and even killing other small animals. They have strong deep voices that carry a huge distance and can drive your neighbors crazy and result in visits by the police!

They shed their short stiff and "sticky" hairs in copious quantities and drool and slobber in surprising quantities. Bring a towel! They can also have a noticeable odor to their coat that some people find rather objectionable.

Bloodhounds also tend to have more than their fair share of health problems including heart disease and stomach problems (they tend to bloat easily and it is better to feed them several small meals a day as opposed to one large meal). If they stay healthy they usually live 10 to 12 years.