Bloodhounds: Super Sleuths, Heroes, and Icons

Down and Back: AKC Dog Podcast

In this podcast episode, we explore the greatest sniffing machines in the world of dogdom: the tireless, gentle, and beloved Bloodhounds.

The Bloodhound’s exceptional scenting ability has been a cornerstone of modern crime fighting and search and rescue efforts for generations. There is no equal to this dog’s olfactory talent for picking up a scent and following its trail. Bloodhounds are tenacious scent-tracking powerhouses that require only food, companionship, and plenty of walks (so they can check their pee-mail, as they say).

Bonafide Bits:

• Bloodhounds are estimated to have three times more scent receptors than other dogs.
• Dogs’ olfactory systems project an “odor image” similar to how photographs capture scenes.
• In 1848, Lyricist Barry Cornwall wrote the song Bloodhound as an ode to the breed’s friendly nature.
• Kentucky Bloodhound “Nick Carter” is a Master Detective and an American legend.
• In 2022, “Trumpet” was the first Bloodhound to win Best in Show at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show.

Featured Breeds:

Bloodhound

• Bloodhounds are large, substantial dogs standing 23 to 27 inches at the shoulder and weighing up to 110 pounds. Their most famous features are a long, wrinkled face with loose skin; huge, drooping ears; and warm, deep-set eyes that complete an expression of solemn dignity. Coat colors can be black and tan, liver and tan, or red. Powerful legs allow Bloodhounds to scent over miles of punishing terrain. As pack dogs, Bloodhounds enjoy company, including other dogs and kids. They are easygoing, but their nose can sometimes lead them into trouble. A strong leash and long walks in places where they can enjoy sniffing around are recommended. Discover more about Bloodhounds at AKC’s Bloodhound Breed Biography.

For more information about a specific breed visit the breed’s parent club or AKC.org.

Shareables:

• A dog’s olfactory bulb is impressive. It is relatively 40 times larger than a human’s olfactory bulb.
• Some quip that “a Bloodhound is a nose with a dog attached.”
• After 50 hours of searching, the Bloodhound Buttercup discovered James Earl Ray, the convicted assassin of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., hiding deep in the Tennessee woods after he and six other inmates escaped from prison.