Grooming to Make Your Bloodhound Beautiful!

The first thing most people notice about a Bloodhound is all that skin. "I think the Bloodhound must have 20 percent more skin than is required to cover its body," says Bloodhound breeder Susan Hamil. The short, shiny coat almost goes unnoticed, and the Bloodhound is one of only a few dogs whose coat isn't even mentioned in its breed standard. That doesn't mean Bloodhounds don't need grooming, however. On the contrary, all that skin requires a lot of care, especially for Bloodhounds who work out in the field trailing, tracking or just sniffing around for fun.

Hounds have a characteristic smell, because of dirt and bacteria collecting within those prodigious skinfolds and lots of sebaceous glands that secrete oil, helping to make the Bloodhound's coat and skin more weatherproof. "The Bloodhound's skin requires special care because the folds can get yeast and bacteria and that contributes to the houndy odor," Hamil says.  

Clean and Dry
Bloodhounds require constant maintenance, says Ed Kilby, a former breeder who has shown, rescued, and worked Bloodhounds since 1959. "People complain they smell but they don't smell if you keep them clean" Kilby says.

When it comes to grooming Bloodhounds, think two words:  CLEAN and DRY.