The bloodhound is soft breed that thrives on pleasing people –would you give the ‘king of tracking dogs’ a home?

Bloodhound.

Bloodhound overview

(Image credit: Alamy)

Life expectancy: 10 to 12 years

Size: 25-28 -inches (male); 23 to 26 inches (female)

Coat: Short

Temperament: Even-tempered, gentle, affectionate, stubborn

Exercise needs: One-to-two hours

Origin/native country: Belgium, France and UK

Bloodhounds date back to a seventh-century Belgian monk but they began to be developed in Britain some 500 years later to hunt rabbits, wild boar and deer. Described as “a nose with a dog attached”, they have 230 million scent receptors while humans have five million. This has lent them extraordinary scenting abilities which, coupled with a high prey drive, has made them highly prized as one of the best dogs for tracking.