

blood copy

 Click on the cover above to go to this book at Amazon.co.uk

Bloodhounds are gentle dogs which have long been used for their tracking skills, and they are perhaps the best known scenthound dogs. They are champion scenthounds, and do not want to give up a trail until they have got to the end. This means that walking off leash is not an option unless you have enclosed land.

They are great droolers, and like to give slobbery kisses. They also have a distinctive bay, which can upset the neighbours, and they need a lot of patient training. They are generally good with children and other dogs, though they do need careful training, since they are a large breed, which can knock over small people, and they are a little too strong and determined for smaller people to handle easily on a lead. They may also slobber and drool on children (or give them wet kisses).

One disadvantage of the breed is that they tend not to live long, like many large dogs. Common health problems include allergies, entropion (eyelid inversion), bloat, hypothyroidism, heart disease and hip dysplasia. This is not a very long-lived breed, and it's worth checking the longevity of the ancestors of any Bloodhound pups you are interested in.

This is a short book, but a delight for Bloodhound owners because of the beautiful illustrations and the very clear picture it gives of the breed. It's a good introduction to the breed, though owners are likely to need more in-depth information if they succumb to the temptation of taking on a Bloodhound.