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Although bloodhounds look massive and menacing, they are anything but. These powerful large dogs are in fact gentle, meek and loving giants.

The main thing that sets these dogs apart from other breeds is their propensity to track. They track by scent rather than sound or sight; originally, they were bred for hunting purposes, but today have been particularly bred to track humans, whether that be for tracking escaped prisoners, for example, or to find missing people, such as children. They can also be bred to track animals, such as lost pets.

History
The dog likely originated from France, with the first known strains of this breed appearing about 1000 A.D.; then, monks at the St. Hubert monastery in Belgium bred these dogs. In about 1200 A.D., the Abbey of St. Hubert began to send pairs of black hounds to the King of France as gifts. Although King Charles IX generally preferred the larger Chien-gris dogs (now extinct), and writer Jaques de Fouilloux thought them strong but with low, short legs so that they were only suitable as leash hounds, King Henry IV thought highly enough of them to present a pack to King James I, of England. By the time Louis XIV's reign was over, the St. Hubert bloodhounds were increasingly rare.

During the revolution, the St. Hubert monastery stopped sending dogs to the Kings of France, and hunting in general decreased in popularity until the Napoleonic wars were over. In general, writers from that time agreed that the original St. Hubert bloodhounds' breed had died out in the 19^th century, with the current existence of the European St. Hubert bloodhound coming about as a specific result of modern bloodhound breeding.

Bloodhounds were well established in England by about mid-14^th century, if English literature is to be believed. It may be that the modern bloodhound's ancestors were brought over by William the Conqueror from Normandy, but it's not known that this is true. The Normans did bring hounds from Europe, but it's not known whether these were actually bloodhounds, or ancestors from whom the modern bloodhound was developed. Today's modern "bloodhound" gets its name not from its ability to track "blood" (scent) as is commonly believed, but from a reference to its pure bloodlines.

• Tracking abilities

Bloodhounds were reportedly used to track people from the earliest times, with Robert the Bruce from medieval Scotland reporting that he was followed by sleuthhounds in 1307, as did William Wallace around the same time period.

• Hunting uses, decline and resurgence in popularity

Although bloodhounds were commonly used for foxhunting and deer hunting in the 16^th and 17^th centuries, its popularity for this purpose nonetheless diminished. It was kept by a few enthusiasts and aristocrats, but nonetheless declined in popularity. It began to reemerge as a popular show dog in the 19^th century. In the later part of the 19^th century, bloodhounds were imported from Britain by French enthusiasts who regretted that the St. Hubert line of bloodhounds had been allowed to become extinct. Today, the Federation Cynologique Internationale recognizes the bloodhound as the original Chiens de St Hubert bloodhound.

Bloodhounds were imported to the US early on, although the exact year is not known. It is known that some type of "bloodhound" (although perhaps not pure) was used to track runaway slaves before the advent of the American Civil War; truly pure bloodhounds (as opposed to those of questionable ancestry) were introduced and then bred in America beginning in the late 19^th century. The American Kennel Club first recognized the breed in 1885.

Today, this dog is used extensively by law enforcement for tracking purposes and is also a beloved family pet; in fact, its ability to track by scent is deemed so accurate that it's used as evidence in courts of law.

Description
The breed standard for the modern bloodhound goes back to medieval times; this powerful but lean dog weighs between 80 and 110 pounds, sometimes more, and stands 25 to 27 inches at the shoulder. This working dog and gentle family pet has a strong back and a long, narrow head and nose. Eyes are yellow to deep hazel, and the ears are thin, drooping and very long. The bloodhound has a lot of extra skin that makes it "wrinkled," hanging off the body. The folds of the skin are especially useful because they help the dog hold the scent while tracking. The coat is stiff, but has softer hair on the skull. Colors can be tan and liver, tan and black, tawny and red, and simple red. There may be some white patches on the chest and feet.

Temperament
Perhaps the best word to describe this dog's personality is "patient," or even "long-suffering." The bloodhound's personality is gentle, lovable, exceedingly patient and mild-mannered, even meek. Bloodhounds are a children friendly pet, so excellent with children and so patient that they'll simply take rough treatment without complaint, so you as the owner must be very careful not to let your small children overly "abuse" your pet. They love to receive attention from human owners, feel very much a part of the pack and simply want to be part of the family.

Young puppies can be difficult to train because although gentle and endlessly mild-mannered, they're also quite independent. This is especially true because of their extreme focus on scent. They are scent dogs by nature, which means that they'll follow a scent before they will listen to you! Young dogs can be boisterous and difficult to handle before the age of two, but will become much more mellow and obedient thereafter with proper training. They love and actually need an owner that has a calm, stern air. Anything else could elicit willfulness, especially from a young dog.

Above all, the bloodhound is a working dog that tracks scent. That means that if he or she gets a scent and wants to follow it, you're going to have to be VERY stern if you don't want your pet to follow it! They're so tenacious that they can find and then track scents that are over 100 hours old. Bloodhounds have been known to stay with trails for up to 100 miles, which means that when your dog is on a scent, he or she is in his or her element – not necessarily misbehaving, but simply "on the job." Knowing this and still providing your dog with a firm hand so that he or she will listen to you when the pull of the scent is so strong will help ensure that your pet stays well behaved.

Best Environment
Bloodhounds love everyone, and simply want to be bonded with their owners. They can actually do quite well even in small apartment settings, as long as they get plenty of physical activity including a daily walk. If you're not an owner who can physically handle a dog who wants to track a scent, though, it's best to choose a smaller breed. A very tenacious bloodhound "on a scent" can be very difficult to control indeed.

Health
Unfortunately, the bloodhound is prone to significant health problems, including hip dysplasia, entropion (eyelids turning inward), and bloat. The most deadly of these is bloat, and it can become fatal very, very rapidly and without warning. As with many large dogs, bloodhounds are susceptible to bloat, and do best with two or three small meals a day instead of one large one. Because bloat is so deadly, though, and because it can develop so rapidly, keep an eye on your pet for any digestive problems and get him or her to a vet immediately if you see any difficulty. Bloat is very, very often fatal for these dogs. The average lifespan for your pet will be about 10 to 12 years with proper care, exquisite attention to diet and quick action when you see any digestive difficulties.

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