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Bloodhound: dog food and breed portrait

Bloodhound: Hundefutter und Rasseportrait

The Bloodhound is a large breed of dogs from Belgium. Although the Bloodhound is still used for hunting, it is also becoming increasingly popular as a family dog thanks to its friendly and eager to learn nature. However, a Bloodhound is only conditionally suitable for housing and should, if possible, have a house with its own garden.  

History of the Bloodhound

The ancestors of the Bloodhound were presumably already used by the Gauls and Celts as running dogs for hunting in the second century. Later they were bred by monks in the Belgian Saint-Hubert monastery. For this reason, the Bloodhound is partly still called Hubertus dog today. 


The breed got its today common name after it came to England in the 11th century. Even if the meaning of this name is not clearly clarified, it probably refers to the Bloodhound's outstanding ability to follow blood trails from injured game.


The Bloodhound is considered the ancestor of many other Bracken breeds. Apart from this, however, he is still a popular hunting dog himself and is known not least for his excellent sense of smell.

Characteristics of the Bloodhound

The Bloodhound has an average life expectancy of 10 to 12 years. Male dogs reach a shoulder height of 64 to 72 centimetres and a weight of 46 to 54 kilograms. Females become somewhat smaller with a height of 58 to 66 centimetres and a weight between 40 and 48 kilograms.


The Bloodhound has a muscular physique without appearing overly massive. His upright gait as well as his rather slow movements help the Bloodhound to make a noble appearance.


His slender, high head is characterized by characteristic wrinkles on the forehead and cheeks. The Bloodhound's lips hang down strikingly. This also applies to the skin on his neck, which has developed more and more over time through targeted breeding.


Further typical characteristics of the Bloodhound are his long, thin ears as well as his long neck. The latter allows him to easily lower his nose to the ground when walking.


The coat of the Bloodhound is short and smooth. It has a silky sheen and, according to the breed standard, may be either liver-coloured and tan, black and tan or solid red. 

Bloodhound nature and character

Bloodhound nature and character

The Bloodhound is characterized by a friendly and gentle nature. He is regarded as eager to learn and eager to work. Although he is basically well educated, he always remains a little reserved and stubborn.


Nevertheless, the Bloodhound builds a close relationship with its owner. In his upbringing, excessive harshness should be avoided. Because the Bloodhound reacts very sensitively to praise as well as to punishment.


Under normal circumstances the Bloodhound gets along very well with other dogs and generally proves to be quite uncomplicated in this respect.


If you manage to treat your Bloodhound with respect and accept the occasional stubbornness of the four-legged friend, you can be sure of a loyal and pleasant companion in everyday life.

Activities with the Bloodhound

Due to its eagerness to work, the Bloodhound is not only suitable for hunting, but also proves to be a powerful service or rescue dog. Apart from that, he is also a friendly family dog, but his demands should not be underestimated.


For although the Bloodhound may appear very calm at first sight, he has a distinct urge to move, which must be satisfied in everyday life. Owners should therefore always make sure that their Bloodhound is challenged sufficiently and that they offer him enough exercise. 


In spite of his basically uncomplicated nature, keeping the Bloodhound as a family dog requires a certain amount of time. In addition there is a quite strong hunting instinct, which must be taken into account when going for a walk.


If you want to offer your Bloodhound a species-appropriate activity, tracking and mantrailing is the right choice. There the Bloodhound can use its outstanding sense of smell and its pronounced finder will.

Bloodhound diseases

The Bloodhound is considered a robust and efficient working dog. Unfortunately, however, he also has an increased tendency to some typical breed diseases. 

In particular, the following health problems are quite widespread in the Bloodhound:

  • Because of its flaccid and hairy eyelids, the Bloodhound often suffers from various eye problems, such as conjunctivitis.
  • Its long ears make the Bloodhound susceptible to problems with the ears, such as ear infections or ear mites.
  • Hip and elbow dysplasia are also among the diseases for which the Bloodhound is at increased risk.
  • In some cases, too pronounced skin folds on the head and neck can promote the development of skin inflammations.

In addition, owners should know that the Bloodhound eats very gladly and quickly. One consequence of this is that dogs tend to be slightly overweight. On the other hand, snarling also means that the risk of a life-threatening stomach twist is particularly high for Bloodhounds.

The right nutrition for the Bloodhound

A species-appropriate feeding is of vital importance for the health and well-being of the Bloodhound. To avoid overweight, it is important to adjust the amount of food to the actual needs of the four-legged friend. 


We recommend feeding the Bloodhound with our cold pressed dry food without cereals. Thanks to the gentle cold-pressing process, the croquettes in the stomach swell less, so that the probability of your dog's stomach turning can be reduced.

In addition, the following food supplements and care products are useful for the Bloodhound:

  • Bellfor Eye Care Drops help you to care for the sensitive eyes of your Bloodhound and counteract complaints such as conjunctivitis.
  • Bellfor Ear Care Drops are ideal for cleaning the ears and gently preventing inflammation and other complaints.
  • Bellfor Joints & Bones supplies the joints of the Bloodhound with important nutrients such as hyaluronic acid and collagen, which can make a decisive contribution to joint health.
  • Bellfor Skin & Coat provides valuable nutrients to support the Bloodhound's skin health.
  • Bellfor Paw Protection Ointment can, if required, counteract sore spots in the skin folds and help to alleviate skin inflammation.

Bellfor's special nutritional concept supports the healthy development of your Bloodhound from an early age. 

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