The bloodhound has an incredible nose; he can pick up old scents and follow them correctly.
In the U.S. identification by a bloodhound is considered a legal proof.  At the end of a track, a bloodhound shows his true nature – he is usually friendly towards the tracked animal.  This is one of the oldest hunting hounds.  The bloodhound is a direct descendant of the Belgian bloodhound.  He was bred by the monks to track lost pilgrims.  This sturdy hunting hound needs a lot of movement; because of his friendly personality experts also consider him a domestic animal.
IDEAL  FEATURES  OF  THE  BREED
Shoulder height: male 63 to 69 cm, bitch 58 to 63 cm.  Weight: approximately 50 kg.  Appearance: strong, tall body; resilient, easy oscillation.  Colour: black and tan, red and tan or dull (sometimes with a necktie), a little bit of white on the chest, the feed and the end of the tail is permitted.  Head: long, narrow, with a long square snout; medium-sized eyes, good shutting lids; long, thin lop-ears (corkscrew ear).  Tail: long, ending in a tip, highly placed.

COAT
Smooth-coated (or short-haired) coarse structure, i.e. short-haired with almost no coat underneath.  When the coat is mature, it becomes dryer and mostly lighter (colour).  In the moulting season, the coat doesn’t fit as well anymore, as if the hair is lying on top.

MOULT: in block
DAILY  TREATMENT: with a brush of pig’s bristles, rubber glove and fine-tooth comb.
BIG  TREATMENT: in the moult, brush several times with a rubber glove to remove all the loose hair.  Don’t wash or wash as little as possible.  Clean the coat with a damp chammy.  Clean the eyes and ears, cut the nails if needed.  Cut away the surplus hair between the soles.
ADVANTAGES  AND  DISADVANTAGES: simple maintenance.  Don’t get entangled.  It is difficult to remove loose hair from clothes and carpets.

NATURE
Despite his tremendous power and tenacity, he is no killer.  He is one of the kindest dogs; it is likely that he will greet a tracked criminal with a paw or a slavering kiss.  His balanced nature is as solemn as the low notes of an organ, which coincidentally describes well his fantastic voice.  He comes across as rather arrogant, but his courteous manners make up for this.  This marvellous dog is certainly no match for rough people.  He is devoted, shy, tolerant, quickly hurt and kind to children.

ACTIVITY
This dog needs a lot of movement.

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EDUCATION
The new bloodhound owner can succeed in education with a little training and tact.  It is most important that you always remain consistent; the bloodhound knows very well how to charm you with his melancholic look and gladly makes use of this to get his way.  He is and stays a gentle, self-willed animal, and will obey an order with a little exercise.  Don’t overload the dog, for instance by taking long walks with him before he has matured completely.  The bloodhound is a great dog, that grows very fast; he needs all his energy to build strong bones, tendons and joints.

DETAILS
The bloodhound - even though his name is from English origin – is, according to cynology, an original Belgian breed.  He was bred in the early Middle Ages by monks in the convents of Saint-Hubert in the Ardennes.  But his history is even older.  The bloodhound is considered a direct relative of the legendary hounds of the Celtic tribe of the Segusi’rs.  There is also a direct relationship with the Swiss hounds, namely with Bruno de Jura, that also exists as a “type Saint-Hubert”.  The name “bloodhound” is borrowed from the functions this dog was used for.  He tracks shot game as no other dog.  As such he was a welcome gift from one king to another in the later Middle Ages; he influenced many hound races.  Crossbreeding caused decline; he is only in his original form in Great-Britai