Bloodhounds are different breeds of dogs that have their hunting skills in common. These abilities range from tracking the prey, to locating or eliminating it.. The reason is because it was one of the first activities carried out jointly by man.
The world of dogs is very wide and there is a great variety. Each race has particular characteristics related to the origin and the work developed by generations. Even so, terms are often used to name these pets under the assumption of being correct.
Origin and history of hounds
The word hound encompasses a wide variety of dog breeds, but not all. It actually only refers to those pets that have been found to be closely associated with hunting activity, fulfilling a certain function. This sport has greatly diminished its popularity, which is why many of these breeds have become part of the lists of the most loyal, docile and intelligent companion pets that can be chosen and even the number of abandoned hunting dogs is increasing every year.
As the hunting activity evolved, the dog breeds were developing, for natural selection and the need for survival evolutionary, different abilities that characterized them in the role they performed. When hunting, the type of prey to be hunted must first be identified and then tracked. Is work required a keen nose, patience and discipline. Within this category, the hound dogs, also known as trail dogs, stood out.
Other dogs related to this sport are water dogs trained for the fishing activity and ducks, as well as the retriever with the hunting and location of birds such as partridges, hence its name, in addition to the Greyhound, the Labrador Retriever and the Pointer.
Features
The hounds they have an enviable nose and the different races are of very varied shapes, colors, and sizes. There are those who hunt alone or in groups, called the latter packs. Depending on the region, the hunters showed a predilection for certain breeds of dogs that they used for different types of hunting. This way, each breed and variety developed its particular characteristicsEither due to the climatic conditions of the valley and mountain areas, with hot, cold or seasonal climates or other reasons for the selection of offspring.
The main characteristic that any breed of bloodhound should have is a developed sense of smell capable of tracking prey regardless of the conditions of the terrain where you move. This is why the nose of these dogs is usually long and developed. These pets have the ability to locate a trail even if the prey has been or passed through a certain place.
Another important aspect is the stamina and endurance to be able to chase the prey for hours. This makes the hounds of strong physique and muscular bodies. Once they get the trail of their target, they run and bark at the same time, thus giving the hunter notice of the route to follow. Instinct and courage are other essential characteristics in the bloodhound dog. This prompts them to solve all the setbacks related to the weather, difficult terrain and fatigue. Courage is necessary to face the prey, since hounds do not always have an advantage over a cornered and nervous animal.
Different breeds of hounds
Hunting dog breeds occupy six of the ten dog classification groups of the FCI, some are even in group V. This is how wide the influence of hunting with dogs is. The hounds are of the oldest canine groups and can be: of scent, collectors, of water or sample. Hounds can track and hunt individually or in packs of smaller prey such as hares and even larger ones such as bears. Among the first, races such as the Beagle or Bassethound to Foxhound or Saint Hubert, hunting dogs.
The first section corresponds to the races of large size dogs. The first to appear in this classification is the St. Hubert or Bloodhound dog. Large breeds are further subdivided into short-haired and long-haired ones.. Among the first are the Billy, Great Anglo-French tricolor, black and white, white and orange and Gascony blue hound, among others.
Among those with long hair is the Great Vendean griffon, English Foxhound and American Otterhound. A subdivision of the first section are the medium-sized beagle dogs, among which, as in the previous one, the short-haired ones that stand out are: the Beagle harrier, Pocelana, Artesiano, Gascón sainttongeois. The wire-haired ones are the Griffon nivernais, the blue from Gascony and the fawn from Brittany. There are also the Hellenic, Italian and Norwegian hound.
Among the subdivision of type dogs small-sized hound there are the German hound, the Great Basset Griffon Vendean and the little one. The Westphalian Badger and the Swede also stand out, along with the English Beagle hound and the Basse hound, among others.
The second section of the hound classification corresponds to the scent dogs. These stand out for having an exceptional smell and They are in group 9 of the FCI classification. Some of these breeds are the Hannover Crawler, the Alpine Badger and the Bavarian Highlander. Other breeds used as hounds but less effective are the Rhodesian Ridgeback and the Dalmatian.
Care and health
There are basic rules for taking care of the health of a pet regardless of their breed or variety. The first is that the young must remain with their mothers until weaning. That period of time is approximately three months with small variations depending on the breed.
This is followed by the first visit to the vet that will determine the next appointments. The professional must indicate the care that corresponds to the puppy determined by its breed. Rigorous vaccinations will also be applied, as this will prevent future diseases that can become fatal. The feeding and hygiene of beagle dogs is very important, as they are very energetic and require high quality nutrients. For this, you should always select a feed or diet where protein predominates, approximately 80%.
Hygiene is of great relevance since it maintains them away from mites and parasites. The time of the bath, care of the coat and the teeth is a determining factor in the life expectancy of the pet. The owner must be very attentive to the hound if it is usually outdoors and travels risky terrain, since it can be injured or infected if it is not treated in time. The other care that must be taken with beagle dogs is related to the genetic dispositions that each breed in particular may have. That is why veterinary visits are important and documenting everything necessary when performing the adoption of a hound puppy.
There are important differences between lifestyle, care and nutrition that the hound receives depending on whether its life will be as a companion pet or hunting dog. In the first case, a sedentary lifestyle should be avoided with regular walks and activities that channel your intelligence, instinct and energy.