Bloodhound

It is said that in the eighth century, Saint Hubert himself raised the ancestors of this dog for pursuit hunting. According to the legend of Saint Hubert, God appeared to him one day between the antlers of the stag he was pursuing. He then radically changed his life. After his death, monks are said to have preserved the breed. They offered the King of France six of the finest specimens each year for royal hunting. Due to their qualities, these Saint Hubert hounds were used to find game. However, they were eventually overlooked by hunters who preferred "newer" faster breeds and said of the Saint Hubert "they are better on leash than off in pursuit of game". The Bloodhound reportedly arrived in England with William the Conqueror. It is also said that at the same time there existed a white Saint Hubert breed, so specimens took the name talbot across the Channel. The Bloodhound nearly disappeared in France after the Revolution. Its return to France in the nineteenth century came from English dogs. The Saint Hubert then experienced a new era in the packs of Napoleon III. The breed's revival during this period owed much to Le Couteulx de Canteleu. Saint Hubert is celebrated on November 3rd, the date when a traditional blessing of dogs takes place in Tervuren, where he died. The Bloodhound is very present in the United States where it is highly appreciated for its scenting ability. The breed is used as a police dog for searching for missing persons, fugitives and escaped prisoners. Furthermore, the Bloodhound has been used to identify criminals in the United States, and only identification by this breed was considered proof in courts. Gaston Fébus was the first, in his Book of the Hunt, to describe a dog with the characteristics of the Saint Hubert.

The Bloodhound is described in the FCI standard as a gentle, placid, kind, sociable dog that is very devoted to its owner. The Bloodhound is a pack hound and rapid learning of obedience is essential. It cannot tolerate confinement. Very reserved and knowing only one master, it is also highly sensitive to both praise and criticism, affectionate in nature, full of nobility and dignity. Like many scent-tracking hunting dogs, it temporarily becomes deaf when following a scent trail.

Le chien de Saint Hubert est un chien d'ordre de grande taille, d'aspect lourd et massif et à la marche lente et imposante. L'ossature est très forte. Attachée haut, la longue et épaisse queue est portée en sabre. La tête est grande avec la bosse occipitale bien marquée. La peau sur la tête est très lâche et celle du front et des joues est profondément ridée. Les babines sont très longues et pendantes. Les oreilles, fines et tire-bouchonnées sont très longues : elles dépassent largement la truffe quand elles sont tirées en avant. De grandeur moyenne, les yeux de forme ovale sont brun foncé ou noisette. Le poil court, dense, assez dur est bien couché sur le corps. Sur la tête et les oreilles, le poil est très court et doux au toucher. Les trois couleurs de la robe sont les bicolores noir et feu, foie et feu et l’unicolore rouge.

Le chien de Saint-Hubert a besoin d'activité physique régulière pour lui permettre de développer un bon équilibre et une formation musculaire satisfaisante. L'alimentation des chiots doit être complétée par des suppléments minéraux pour assurer un bon développement osseux.