The Bloodhound is an 80-to-110-pound scent hound built around a single overpowering instinct: follow a trail, ignore everything else. It is one of the most affectionate, gentle, and tolerant breeds with people and children — and one of the most physically demanding to live with because of what that nose, that drool, and that stubborn independence actually cost day to day. People fall for the soulful face and droopy ears and underestimate the management. This profile leads with the realities, because they decide whether the breed fits your household. Physically the Bloodhound is a large, loose-skinned, powerful dog with the deep facial folds and long ears that funnel scent. It is a heavy drooler — owners genuinely keep towels in every room and on the car — and carries a strong natural hound odor that bathing reduces only briefly and over-bathing worsens. Coat colors are black-and-tan, liver-and-tan, and red. Temperament is gentle and patient indoors and single-minded outdoors. Bloodhounds are excellent with children and other dogs, rarely aggressive, and poor guard dogs despite their size. They are intelligent but trained for centuries to make independent decisions on a trail, which reads in the home as stubbornness: recall is unreliable once a scent is locked in, and a Bloodhound on a trail will walk for miles oblivious to your calls and to traffic. Who the Bloodhound is right for: a patient owner with a securely fenced yard, tolerance for drool and odor, time for 1-2 hours of daily leashed scent-rich exercise, and realistic training expectations. Who it is wrong for: house-proud owners, anyone needing reliable off-leash recall, apartment dwellers, or people wanting a quick-to-obey dog. The nose runs this breed, not you.
Origin
🇫🇷 Belgium/France
Life Span
10–12 years
Weight
36.3–49.9 kg
Height
58.4–68.6 cm
high
Exercise
moderate
Grooming
moderate
Shedding
Yes
Good with Kids
Yes
Good with Pets
The Bloodhound descends from scent hounds refined by monks at the Abbey of Saint-Hubert in present-day Belgium from around the 7th-8th centuries, where it was known as the St. Hubert Hound. Brought to England after the Norman Conquest, the breed was perfected for trailing — first game, then people. The name most likely refers to its status as a 'blooded' (pedigreed, aristocratic) hound rather than to tracking blood. Centuries of selection produce…
Bloodhound demonstrating their legendary tracking abilities
Close-up of a Bloodhound's distinctive wrinkled face and soulful expression
Adorable Bloodhound puppy with characteristic loose skin
The Fox and the Hound
Disney animated film featuring Chief, a Bloodhound character.
Lady and the Tramp
Disney animated film featuring Trusty, an old Bloodhound with a fading sense of smell.
The Beverly Hillbillies
Television series featuring Duke, a Bloodhound belonging to the Clampett family.
Bloodhounds have over 300 million scent receptors, more than any other dog breed (humans have only about 5 million).
Their tracking evidence is legally admissible in court in many jurisdictions—the only dog breed with this distinction.
Bloodhounds can follow trails that are over 300 hours old and have been known to track a person's scent for more than 100 miles.
The long, droopy ears of the Bloodhound actually serve a purpose—they help stir up scent particles from the ground and keep them near the dog's nose.
Despite their common portrayal as manhunters, Bloodhounds are actually very gentle and make wonderful family pets.
Purchase Price
700–2500 USD
Monthly Cost
~$130 USD
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A Bloodhound costs $700–$2,500 to purchase from a reputable breeder, plus roughly $130/month in ongoing expenses — food, veterinary care, grooming, and insurance. Over a 10–12-year lifespan, total lifetime ownership cost runs $15,600–$18,720. Adopting from a rescue ($50–$500) reduces the upfront cost significantly. The first year is always the most expensive due to initial setup costs ($300–$800) on top of the purchase price.
Prices vary based on lineage, breeder reputation, location, and whether the Bloodhound is pet-quality or show-quality. Adopting from a rescue or shelter typically costs $50–$500 and gives a Bloodhound a second chance at a loving home.
| Expense | Estimated Range |
|---|---|
| Food & treats | $46–$59/mo |
| Veterinary care (wellness) | $26–$39/mo |
| Grooming | $13–$20/mo |
| Pet insurance | $30–$70/mo |
| Toys, supplies & misc | $10–$16/mo |
| Total monthly estimate | ~$130/mo |
Purchase
$700–$2,500
Initial setup
$300–$800
crate, bed, bowls, collar, leash
12 months care
~$1,560
This estimate includes routine food, veterinary wellness visits, grooming, insurance, and supplies — but does not include emergency veterinary care, boarding, or specialized training. Actual costs vary by location, lifestyle choices, and your Bloodhound's individual health needs.
All costs are approximate U.S. averages and vary by location, breeder, veterinary clinic, and individual needs. Updated March 2026.
Bloodhound care is dominated by containment, fold and ear hygiene, joint protection, and bloat vigilance — the coat itself is easy. Containment: this is non-negotiable. A Bloodhound that catches a scent will follow it for miles and is effectively deaf to recall while trailing, putting it at real risk near roads. Budget for a securely fenced yard (5-6 feet, dig-proofed) and walk on a harness and lead. Microchip and ID — lost-while-trailing is the classic Bloodhound emergency. Face and ears: clean the deep facial and lip folds several times a week with a damp cloth and dry them thoroughly; trapped food, saliva, and moisture cause skin-fold infection (intertrigo). Check and clean the long, low-set ears weekly — they trap moisture and are prone to chronic ear infections. Keep drool towels everywhere; this is a defining daily reality, not an occasional one. Exercise and joints: 1-2 hours daily of leashed walking and scent work, but controlled and joint-aware. Limit forced exercise, stairs, and jumping in puppies until growth plates close (12-18 months) to protect against dysplasia. Keep the dog lean — every excess pound multiplies joint and bloat risk in a frame this large. Feeding: deep-chested and high-risk for gastric bloat — feed two or three smaller measured meals from a slightly raised, slow-feed setup, and enforce quiet rest for an hour after eating. Decision rule: a Bloodhound with a swollen or hard belly, unproductive retching, drooling more than usual, and restlessness is bloating — drive to the emergency vet immediately; this breed can die from GDV within hours, and waiting until morning is fatal.
Dive deeper into everything Bloodhound — costs, care, and expert insights.
How Much Does a Bloodhound Cost?
Purchase price, monthly costs, and lifetime expenses
Bloodhound Care Guide
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