This breed is more than one thousand years old. It was perfected, not created, by monks of St. Hubert in Belgium. Later the Normans bought them into England and then to the United States. It is also known as the Flemish Hound. Throughout the world, breeds such as the American Coonhounds, Swiss Jura Hounds, Brazilian Fila Brasileiro, Bavarian Mountain Hound, and many others trace their lineage back to this ancient scent tracker. Today, all Bloodhounds are black & tan, or red, but in the Middle Ages they occurred in other solid colors. The white variety, which existed in medieval Europe, was called the Talbot Hound. By the 1600's, this strain had died out as a breed, although its genes continue in dogs as diverse as white Boxers and tri-colored Basset Hounds. The Bloodhound thrives on the hunt rather than the kill. It revels in tracking and has been used to hunt animals, criminals, runaway slaves, and lost children. Today this plodding, sonorously voiced breed is both tracker and companion. Although affable in temperament, it is not easy to obedience train.
The Bloodhound is a very powerful, massive hound with a long muzzle, drooping ears, and loose, wrinkled skin. His jowls and handing skin give the Bloodhound a rather mournful, dignified expression. The neck is very well muscled and has pendulous dewlap. Its back is extraordinarily strong for the dog's size. Powerful shoulders allow the dog to work for long hours without a break. The forelegs are straight, solid and muscular and the skull is very high and prominent. The tail is carried in an elegant curve above the topline of the back. The eyes are set deeply in their sockets. The lower lids of the eyes fall away to reveal part of the inner surface. It has a black nose that sits on the tip of the long muzzle. The folds of the skin are said to aid in holding scent particles. A short, fairly hard coat of hair covers the body. The hair is softer on the skull and ears. The coat is easy to care for with a hound's glove and comes in black & tan, liver & tan, and red & tawny.