The bloodhound is a large dog that follows scents, originally bred to hunt deer, wild boar, rabbits, and to track people since the Middle Ages. It is believed to have come from hounds kept at the Abbey of Saint-Hubert in Belgium. In French, this breed is called le chien de Saint-Hubert.

This breed is known for its ability to detect human scent over long distances, even after many days. Its very strong sense of smell is combined with a strong and determined tracking instinct, making it the best scent hound. It is used by police and other law enforcement groups worldwide to track escaped prisoners, missing people, and lost pets.

Appearance

Bloodhounds weigh between 36 and 72 kilograms (80 to 160 pounds). They stand 58 to 70 centimeters (23 to 27 inches) tall at the withers. According to the American Kennel Club (AKC) breed standard, larger dogs are preferred in conformation competitions. Acceptable coat colors for bloodhounds include black, liver, and red. These dogs have a very strong skeletal structure, with most of their weight concentrated in their thick, heavy bones. Their coat, typical for a scent hound, is hard and made entirely of fur, with no hair mixed in.

Temperament

This breed is known for being gentle and never tiring when tracking a scent. Due to its strong sense of tracking, it may be willful and somewhat challenging to train and control on a leash. Bloodhounds are described as affectionate and calm toward people, and they are considered to be great family pets.

Colour types

Bloodhounds were of many colors up to the 17th century, but today their colors are more limited. Common colors include black and tan, liver and tan, and red. White fur is often seen on the chest and sometimes on the feet. Two genes control the main color types. One gene determines whether the color is black or brown (liver). If a hound inherits the black form of this gene from either parent, it has black nose, eye rims, and paw pads. If it has a saddle pattern, the saddle is black. The other form of this gene stops black color from appearing and only works if inherited from both parents. This creates liver-colored nose, eye rims, paw pads, and saddles.

A second gene controls the coat pattern. It can create hounds with no saddle (called "red"), those with a saddle, or those mostly covered in dark color (black or liver), except for tan areas on the lips, eyebrows, chest, and legs. These are sometimes called "blanket" or "full-coat" types. In a study from 1969, Dennis Piper identified five forms of the pattern gene, creating variations from the red or saddleless hound to the "blanket" type. Later research suggests the variation is caused by three forms of the agouti gene. The form "A" creates the non-saddle "red" hound, "A" creates the saddle pattern, and "a" creates the "blanket" or full-coat type. "A" is dominant, and "a" is recessive. The interaction of these genes creates six basic types:

• Black and tan, "blanket" or full-coat type
• Liver and tan, "blanket" or full-coat type
• Black and tan saddle type
• Liver and tan saddle type
• Red, black-pigmented type
• Red, liver-pigmented type

Another source does not treat "a" as a separate form. Instead, it says "a" includes tan point and saddle tan, which look similar at birth. Other genes change the color as the puppy grows, leading to the saddle tan pattern. "Tan point" refers to the blanket type, which has tan eyebrows, muzzle, and legs.

A third gene likely controls the presence of a dark mask on the face. The form "E" for a mask is dominant over the form "E" for no mask.

Health

Bloodhounds have a higher chance than other purebred dogs of developing stomach and digestive problems. The most common issue is bloat, a serious condition where the stomach fills with gas and twists. They also often experience health problems in their eyes, skin, and ears, so these areas should be checked regularly for signs of illness. Bloat is the most frequent illness in Bloodhounds and the main reason they die. Their thick fur can cause them to overheat quickly.

A 2024 study in the UK found that Bloodhounds live an average of 9.3 years, which is shorter than the 12.7 years for other purebred dogs and 12 years for mixed-breed dogs. In a 2004 survey by the Kennel Club, bloat was the most common cause of death in Bloodhounds, affecting 34% of the dogs. Cancer was the second most common cause of death, affecting 27% of the dogs.

History

The St. Hubert Hound was first bred around the year 1000 AD by monks at the Saint-Hubert Monastery in Belgium. Its origins are likely in France, where many modern hound breeds began. It is believed to be the ancestor of several other breeds, including the extinct Norman Hound and Saintongeois, and the modern Grand Bleu de Gascogne, Gascon Saintongeois, Ariegeois, Artois Normande, and Bloodhound. Some sources suggest the St. Hubert Hound was not a single type of dog but a mix of different breeds.

It is unclear whether the St. Hubert Hound originated in Belgium or what its exact ancestry was. However, from around the year 1200, monks at the Abbey of St. Hubert sent pairs of black hounds as gifts to the King of France each year. These dogs were not always favored in the royal hunting pack. Charles IX, who ruled from 1550 to 1574, preferred white hounds and larger dogs called Chiens-gris. He wrote that St. Hubert Hounds were suitable for people with gout to follow but not for those who wanted to shorten the life of hunted animals. He described them as medium-sized dogs with long bodies, not strong in the ribs, and of average strength. In 1561, Jacques du Fouilloux described them as strong but with short legs. He noted that the breed had become mixed, leading to dogs of many colors. Charles IX described the "true race" of St. Hubert Hounds as black with red or tawny markings above the eyes and legs, suggesting a "blanket" pattern of black and tan. Du Fouilloux believed pure black St. Hubert Hounds were the best of the mixed breed. Both writers thought the dogs were only useful as leash hounds. They also mentioned a white St. Hubert Hound, which had disappeared by their time due to being bred with another white hound called the greffier to create the king’s preferred pack hound, known as "le chien blanc du roi."

The St. Hubert Hound was more highly regarded during the reign of Henry IV (1553–1610), who gave a pack of these dogs to James I of England. By the end of Louis XIV’s reign (1715), the breed was already rare. In 1788, D’Yauville, who managed the Royal hounds, noted that the St. Hubert Hounds sent by the monks had declined in quality, and few of the six or eight dogs sent annually were kept.

After the French Revolution in 1789, the tradition of sending hounds as gifts ended, and hunting in France declined until the end of the Napoleonic Wars. When hunting recovered in the 19th century, many huntsmen had little interest in the St. Hubert Hound. One exception was Baron Le Couteulx de Canteleu, who searched for the breed and found only a few in France, which had become so mixed with other breeds that they no longer resembled the original St. Hubert Hound.

Writers in the last two centuries agreed that the original St. Hubert Hound died out in the 19th century and that the European St. Hubert Hound today exists because of the development of the Bloodhound breed.

References to Bloodhounds first appear in English writing in the early to mid-14th century, suggesting the breed was well established by then. Some claim the ancestors of the Bloodhound were brought to England from Normandy by William the Conqueror, but there is no proof of this. It is certain that the Normans brought hounds from Europe after the Norman Conquest, but it is unclear whether they included the Bloodhound itself or only its ancestors.

In medieval hunting, the Bloodhound was used as a "limer" or "lyam hound," meaning it was handled on a leash to find deer or boar before the pack hounds hunted them. It was valued for its ability to track cold scents and was given a reward from the carcass, though it rarely participated in the kill. The Bloodhound was also used to track people. Stories from medieval Scotland mention Robert the Bruce and William Wallace being followed by "sleuth hounds," which were known for trailing humans. These stories show that the sleuth hound and the Bloodhound were likely the same animal.

In the 16th century, John Caius described the Bloodhound’s long ears and lips, its use in game parks to follow blood trails, its ability to track thieves and poachers, and its role in tracking cross-border raiders in Scotland. He noted that the English Bloodhound and sleuth hound were the same, though the Bloodhound was slightly larger and had more coat color variation.

A picture of the Bloodhound was published in 1563 in Zurich as part of Conrad Gesner’s book Thierbuch. The image, drawn by or under John Caius’s supervision, was titled "Englischen Blüthund" and "Canis Sagax Sanguinarius apud Anglos" (English scent hound with blood associations). It was the earliest known published image of the Bloodhound and showed details like the soft hang of its ears, suggesting it was based on a real dog. The picture also included a collar and long rope, reflecting the Bloodhound’s role as a leashed tracker.

The earliest known trial of the Bloodhound’s tracking ability was described by scientist Robert Boyle, who noted how a Bloodhound followed a man seven miles along a busy route and found him in a house.

As fox hunting grew and deer hunting and wild boar hunting declined in Great Britain, the use of the Bloodhound decreased. It was kept by a few aristocrats and enthusiasts until its popularity rose again in the 19th century with the rise of dog shows. Numbers remained low in Britain, and few survived World War II. However, the gene pool was later replenished with imports from America. Importing dogs was difficult and expensive due to UK quarantine rules, and exports to the US and Europe after the war exceeded imports.

In the late 19th century, French enthusiasts imported Bloodhounds from Britain to try to revive the St. Hubert Hound, which had become extinct. They believed the Bloodhound was the unchanged St. Hubert Hound. Many of the best Bloodhounds were bred in France as Chiens de Saint-Hubert, especially by Le Couteulx de Canteleu, who bred over 300. Any remaining original St. Hubert Hounds either died out or were absorbed into the new population. As a result, the Bloodhound became known as the Chien de Saint-Hubert in parts of Europe. In the mid-20th century, the FCI (Fédération Cynologique Internationale) recognized Belgium as the origin of the breed. Today, Saint-Hubert hosts annual celebrations where handlers in period costumes parade their hounds

Origin issues

The Bloodhound was often believed to have originated from England or Anglo-Scottish regions, with uncertain ancestry or, more recently, to have been partly developed from the St. Hubert. In the 19th century, a person named Le Couteulx claimed the Bloodhound was the same as the St. Hubert. Medieval artwork shows dogs similar to the Bloodhound, called raches and limers, which had long ears and lips but lacked the Bloodhound’s specific traits. Descriptions from the 16th century describe the St. Hubert as short-legged and medium-sized, leading some to believe the Bloodhound’s main ancestor was the larger Norman hound instead.

Other hounds, such as the sleuth hound, Talbot Hound, dun hound, Southern Hound, and pack hounds, are also thought to have influenced the Bloodhound’s development. Some writers believe it is unclear to determine the Bloodhound’s exact ancestry beyond recent centuries. Le Couteulx and D'Yauville described the St. Hubert as changing greatly through mixed breeding before disappearing, while the Bloodhound that replaced it kept its original traits. However, 16th-century artwork shows the Bloodhound itself has changed significantly over time.

The modern St. Hubert is considered the same as the English Bloodhound in terms of descent and appearance. Usually, different national and regional types of hounds, terriers, and spaniels are recognized as separate breeds, with France having many regional hound breeds. The Bloodhound’s identification as the St. Hubert makes it an exception in this regard. Whether the Bloodhound is British or Belgian in origin cannot be proven historically, as it depends on whether two related animals with differences in tradition, history, and appearance are seen as separate breeds or variations of the same one.

Breed standard

Descriptions of the physical traits that make a hunting hound desirable can be found in medieval books about hunting. All dogs used for hunting were described as "gentle," meaning they came from good breeding lines (not necessarily purebred), and their parents were carefully selected to improve their body structure. In 1896, Edwin Brough and Dr. J. Sidney Turner used language from earlier writings to publish Points and Characteristics of the Bloodhound or Sleuth-Hound. This book was adopted by the newly formed Association of Bloodhound Breeders and later became the official breed standard for the KC and AKC with few changes.

At the same time, in 1897, Belgian or Dutch author H. A. Graaf van Bylandt published Races des Chiens, a large and important illustrated book describing dog breeds. In this French edition, the Bloodhound is called the Chien de St. Hubert, though the pictures of the breed are mostly of British Bloodhounds, many by Edwin Brough. The book was revised and printed in four languages in 1904. The English version used the standard from the Association of Bloodhound Breeders, while the French version closely followed it. However, the current FCI standard has a different format and wording.

The AKC standard has changed very little since its 1896 version, with the main change being the renaming of color descriptions: "black and tan," "red and tan," and "tawny" became "black and tan," "liver and tan," and "red." The British KC standard has undergone more significant changes. Some were about how the standard was presented and did not affect the content. However, to address concerns that some breed standards might harm a dog’s health or well-being, the KC revised requirements about eye shape and loose skin. The most recent revision occurred in 2008–2009.

Etymology

The word "bloodhound" has been recorded since around 1330. Some recent sources say the word's meaning comes from "hound of pure or noble blood." This idea was first suggested by Le Couteulx de Canteleu in the 19th century and later repeated by many writers without proof. No historical evidence supports this view. Another idea, that the word comes from "blooded hound," is also not supported because the phrase "blooded" in this sense did not appear in early English until the late 18th century.

Before the 19th century, "bloodhound" was thought to mean "hound for blood" or "blood-seeking hound." This explanation was proposed by John Caius, a well-educated man in the 16th century who studied word origins. Evidence from sources like the Oxford English Dictionary supports this older meaning. For example, the word "blood" used to describe good breeding in animals appeared much later than the first use of "bloodhound." Other terms like "blood horse" and "blood stock" also came later. Negative uses of "bloodhound" appeared as early as around 1400, which weakens the idea of noble breeding. Early sources also mention that hounds were believed to be drawn to blood, and the Bloodhound was used to track wounded animals. Since no early evidence supports the modern explanation, the older meaning is considered correct.

Working the Bloodhound

The Bloodhound’s physical traits help it follow a scent trail left days ago. A dog’s smell part of the brain is about 40 times bigger than a human’s, relative to brain size. Dogs also have 125 to 220 million smell receptors, giving them a sense of smell 40 times stronger than humans. Bloodhounds, a type of scent hound, have even more developed smell senses, with up to 300 million receptors.

The Bloodhound’s large, long ears help keep wind from blowing away scent particles near its nose. The wrinkled skin under its lips and neck, called the shawl, catches scent particles in the air or on nearby branches, helping the dog remember and track the scent. Some people argue that the long ears and loose skin are not useful, but others believe they help.

Bloodhounds have followed trails for many hours or even days. For example, in 1954, a Bloodhound found a family in Oregon over 330 hours after they went missing. Bloodhounds are trained to follow the scent of a person using a "scent article," like clothing or a footprint. They can track a scent away from the person’s actual footsteps, which helps them move faster. In the US, staying close to footsteps is called "tracking," while following the scent more freely is called "trailing." In the UK, this is called "hunting." Bloodhounds focus on a person’s scent, not on smells from plants or other sources. If a scent is lost, a good Bloodhound will search for it again.

Bloodhounds are trained using a harness with a metal ring above the shoulders, so the leash does not pull on their neck. The leash is long enough for the dog to move freely. Training starts by teaching puppies to follow short trails made by a family member. The dog is given a scent article to sniff and a command to follow. When the puppy reaches the person, it is praised or rewarded. Handlers must know the trail’s path to avoid confusing the dog. If the dog goes off track, the handler should let it figure it out, rather than correcting it too quickly. As training progresses, the dog learns to track unfamiliar people and avoid distractions, like other animals or false scents.

Bloodhounds can help police identify suspects by placing their paws on a person’s chest. However, this is not always used for lost people or dangerous fugitives. Some Bloodhounds do not show interest in the person they track, making them harder to train for identification. A training method involves teaching the dog to choose the correct person with a scent article, rewarding it when it selects the right one.

A common misunderstanding is that Bloodhounds work in packs. While this is sometimes true in Britain, where they are mixed with faster foxhounds, North American Bloodhounds usually work alone. They are quiet while tracking, unlike other scent hounds that bark. However, when hunting in packs, Bloodhounds may bark loudly. In Britain, the ability to bark only when on the correct scent is valued, as it helps handlers understand the dog’s behavior.

Bloodhound Working Trials, first held in 1898, take place in Britain four times a year. Organized by the Kennel Club, these trials test a dog’s ability to follow a trail. A runner follows a marked course, leaving a scent article at the start. The dog and handler begin later, trying to track the trail. Judges use a map to evaluate the dog’s performance.

Bloodhound packs

The medieval Bloodhound was mainly used with a leash, not as part of a pack, although some areas may have used packs at different times. Until the 19th century, one or two Bloodhounds were used in deer parks to locate deer for hunters. In the middle of the 19th century, two packs were formed: one by Thomas Neville, who hunted in the New Forest area and preferred very dark-colored hounds, and another by Lord Wolverton.

Both packs hunted semi-domesticated deer, which were captured, brought to a stop, and then returned home. Lord Wolverton’s hounds were difficult to train to work as a group because each hound preferred to follow the scent alone. Eventually, many of these hounds were sold to Le Couteulx de Canteleu and taken to France.

At the beginning of the 20th century, several packs briefly hunted deer or followed the "clean boot," which means tracking human scent without added substances like blood or aniseed. After World War II, several packs were formed, including one led by Eric Furness, who mixed a Dumfriesshire Black and Tan Foxhound with his Peak Bloodhounds.

Since then, leaders of Bloodhound packs have used some crossbreeding to improve speed and agility while keeping the Bloodhound’s typical appearance. These packs now hunt the clean boot, and hunters follow them on horseback.

Noteworthy Bloodhounds

Grafton was the Bloodhound in the famous painting Dignity and Impudence by Landseer. Both dogs in the painting were owned by Jacob Bell.

Mr. T. A. Jennings’ Ch Druid, known as "Old Druid," was the first Bloodhound champion. Born in 1857, he was later purchased by Emperor Napoleon III for his son, Prince Eugene Louis Jean Joseph, and taken to France. Photographs of him, another famous hound named Cowen’s Druid, and a female Bloodhound named Countess appear in a rare book from 1865 in the British Library [1]. These may be the oldest surviving photographs of Bloodhounds.

A Bloodhound named Nick Carter is often described as the example of a trailing Bloodhound. The widespread attention this dog received may have influenced many stories about Bloodhounds. Born in 1900, Nick Carter was owned and handled by Captain G. V. Mullikin of Lexington, Kentucky. He is credited with more than 650 finds, including one that required him to follow a trail 300 hours old, or 12 days.

Ch. Heathers Knock on Wood, known as Knotty, was one of the most decorated Bloodhounds in history. He won more Best-in-Shows than any other Bloodhound and was the first liver-and-tan Bloodhound to win a Best-in-Show. Knotty received the Best-in-Show title at the Eukanuba Tournament in 2005 and won the Hound Group at the Westminster Kennel Club Show the same year. His offspring also became show dogs, and because many of his puppies earned the "Champion" title from the AKC, Knotty was inducted into the AKC’s Stud Dog Hall of Fame. He died in the spring of 2008 after being bitten by a rattlesnake while trying to protect his owner.

On the popular 1960s television show The Beverly Hillbillies, an actor named Stretch played the Bloodhound named Duke, who belonged to the character Jed Clampett.

In the animated sitcom King of the Hill, a character named Ladybird is a purebred Georgia Bloodhound who belongs to the Hill family.

The US Army 615th Military Police Company’s mascot is a Bloodhound named Andy, after the company’s pet and mascot during the Vietnam War.

McGruff the Crime Dog is the mascot of the US National Crime Prevention Council.

Trusty the Bloodhound is an important character in Walt Disney’s 1955 animated film Lady and the Tramp. Other Disney films have also included Bloodhounds in smaller roles, such as Bruno in Cinderella, Towser in One Hundred and One Dalmatians, and Napoleon in The Aristocats.

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