The Bloodhound's coat is loose and thin to the touch. Around the neck and head, it hangs in deep folds. As the head hangs down, the skin falls into loose, pendulous ridges and folds, especially over the forehead and sides of the face. These wrinkles, combined with the loose, pendulous skin beneath the neck and throat (known as the dewlap) and the long, sweeping ears, help funnel scent from the ground up to the Bloodhound's nose and hold it there.

Bloodhound colors are black and tan, liver and tan, and red. The darker colors are sometimes interspersed with lighter or badger-colored hair (a mixture of white, gray, brown, and black) or flecked with white. You may see a small amount of white on the chest, feet, and tail tip, known as the stern.

Brush your Bloodhound weekly, or more often if you prefer, with a rubber hound mitt. He sheds seasonally, and during that time you may want to use a shedding blade to remove excess hair. Remember that his skin is thin and be gentle.

Clean his wrinkles daily to prevent bacterial infections. Wipe them out with a damp washcloth and then dry them thoroughly. Do the same for the flews (the hanging part of the upper lip) after every meal.

A Bloodhound's ears seem to be specially designed for trapping dirt and breeding yeast and bacteria, making them prone to infection. Clean them weekly with a solution recommended by your veterinarian. Hold the ear up so you can see the ear canal. Squeeze in a large amount of ear cleaner, lower the ear flap, and gently massage the liquid into the ear. You will hear a swooshing sound, and your Bloodhound will probably moan with pleasure.

Now take a cotton ball and wipe the debris outward from the outer ear canal. (Don't insert it any further than the first knuckle of your finger.) Let the dog shake his head and repeat the wipedown with a clean cotton ball. Every time your Bloodhound shakes his head, it pulls out more debris from deep within the ear canal. Repeat the wiping until the cotton ball is no longer dirty. Never dig around in the ears with a cotton swab; you could easily damage them.

If your Bloodhound's ears develop an infection despite your best efforts, have your veterinarian test the dog to determine the cause of the infection. Then he or she can prescribe the most effective antibiotic to clear it up.

The Bloodhound's need for ear care can be a big deterrent for some prospective owners and is something you should take into consideration. If you don't have time to properly care for a Bloodhound, including the time it takes to ensure clean ears, then this breed may not be for you.

The only other grooming a Bloodhound needs is dental hygiene and nail care. Brush your Bloodhound's teeth at least two or three times a week to remove tartar buildup and the bacteria that lurk inside it. Daily brushing is even better if you want to prevent gum disease and bad breath.

Trim nails once or twice a month if your dog doesn't wear them down naturally to prevent painful tears and other problems. If you can hear them clicking on the floor, they're too long. Dog toenails have blood vessels in them, and if you cut too far you can cause bleeding--and your dog may not cooperate the next time he sees the nail clippers come out. So, if you're not experienced trimming dog nails, ask a vet or groomer for pointers.

Begin accustoming your Bloodhound to being brushed and examined when he's a puppy. Handle his paws frequently--dogs are touchy about their feet--and look inside his mouth and ears. Make grooming a positive experience filled with praise and rewards, and you'll lay the groundwork for easy veterinary exams and other handling when he's an adult.

« Children & other pets | Next: Size »