HomeBreeds › Bloodhound

Hound · Large (80-110 lbs) · 10-12 years

Bloodhound

Gentle, patient, dignified; relentless on a trail.

80–110 lb

At a glance

Kid-friendly
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First-time owners
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Energy
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Shedding
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Good with cats
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Alone time
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Apartment OK
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Trainability
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What this is

What they’re great at

✓ Genuinely dog-social
✓ Loyal companionship, gentle
Why it matters

Honest challenges

Alone time is genuinely hard
Bred to work or live beside a human all day - solitude was never in the job description.

What helps: ['Train it like a skill: the Alone-Time guide builds tolerance in micro-doses from day one', 'The frozen-KONG-only-when-you-leave ritual turns departures into jackpots', "Cover long days honestly: a midday walker, daycare 2-3x a week, and a camera to know (not guess) how they're doing"]
Needs a real outlet, rain or shine
Moderate-high drive doesn't take days off.

What helps: ['Build the outlet into the routine: Man-trailing and AKC Tracking (the GOAT)', 'Brain work counts double on bad-weather days - see Training School', 'A flirt pole in the yard delivers a workout in ten minutes']
Vocal by design
Alert heritage - announcing things IS the historic job.

What helps: ['Thank-and-redirect: acknowledge the alert, cue quiet, pay the quiet', 'Manage triggers: window film and white noise beat willpower', 'Exercise first - a tired alarm system fires less. Never bark collars']
Independent contractor, not employee
Bred to work without human direction - repetition drills insult them.

What helps: ['Short sessions, premium pay: five brilliant minutes beat thirty mediocre ones', 'Work WITH the instincts - scent games for noses, chase games for sprinters', "Marker training makes your 'yes' crystal clear (Training School)"]
What you can do

Exercise & training

Exercise: Moderate-high - long daily walks/trailing
Training profile — Scent hound: Independent by design - bred to trail for hours without checking in. Train with food, patience, and realistic expectations of off-leash reliability.
Sports and outlets that suit them: Man-trailing and AKC Tracking (the GOAT) · Search and rescue
What you can do

Grooming & coat

Grooming: Moderate - wrinkle and ear care are essential; heavy drooler.
Shedding: Moderate.
Good to know

Health to know about

Bloat (leading cause of death), ear/skin infections, hip/elbow dysplasia, entropion/ectropion
Breed-typical tendencies, not a diagnosis. Individual dogs vary enormously — your veterinarian screens for what matters for your dog.
Why it matters

Emergency red flags

Poisoning (chocolate, xylitol, grapes, medications, rodenticide)
Vomiting, drooling, tremors, collapse, or known ingestion
Call ASPCA Poison Control 888-426-4435 or Pet Poison Helpline 855-764-7661 immediately; do NOT induce vomiting unless instructed
Know your ER
Save your nearest 24-hour emergency vet's address and phone in your phone TODAY, not during a crisis
BLOAT / GDV - the minutes-matter emergency for this breed
Unproductive retching (trying to vomit, nothing comes), rapidly swelling/hard belly, drooling, pacing, sudden distress after eating
Drive to the ER immediately. Do not wait to see if it passes. Untreated GDV is fatal within hours
This page never carries product links in the emergency section. ASPCA Poison Control (888) 426-4435 · Pet Poison Helpline (855) 764-7661.
Good to know

The numbers

Typical ranges for planning, not promises — costs vary by region, breeder and individual dog.

GroupHound
SizeLarge (80-110 lbs)
Lifespan10-12 years
Healthy adult weight80–110 lb
Original purposeTrailing humans and game by scent over long distances.
Monthly care$110-$180
Typical puppy price$700-$1,500

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