How Long Do Bloodhounds Live?

Quick Take

• The breed's most celebrated trait is also the hidden reason bloodhounds are unusually cancer-prone. Explore the cancer connection →
• One common feeding habit, though often done with good intentions, quietly raises your bloodhound's risk of a life-threatening emergency. Understand the bloat risk →
• Bloodhounds become seniors earlier than most owners expect, and missing that window changes how you should care for them. Find the senior threshold →

The bloodhound is an ancient scenthound famous for its unparalleled sense of smell, primarily developed by medieval monks in Europe for tracking game and humans. Bloodhounds were among the earliest European dogs to arrive in the American colonies. Notably, Benjamin Franklin requested the breed to help protect settlers. They are powerful, large-boned dogs characterized by droopy ears, sorrowful eyes, and loose, wrinkled skin. When considering adopting a new dog, lifespan can be an important factor. If you already have a bloodhound, you may be wondering how long they typically live.
An individual bloodhound’s lifespan depends on their genetics and the care they receive. Continue reading to learn more about the bloodhound’s lifespan and factors that affect it.

How Long Do Bloodhounds Live?

According to the American Kennel Club (AKC), bloodhounds live an average of 10-12 years. However, a couple of small UK studies showed bloodhounds living shorter lives of just 6-8 years.

Bloodhound Life Stages

Bloodhounds mature more slowly than many other breeds and typically aren’t considered fully grown until they are around two years old.

Puppy years with a large dog can be challenging, as they have the same phases and misbehaviors as smaller pups. These can include inappropriate chewing and a bit of stubbornness during adolescence.

Keeping your bloodhound puppy out of trouble at this time will involve management strategies like supervision and keeping things out of their reach. Training will also help, but it takes time.

Bloodhounds are considered adults at two years of age. During these years, dogs hit a healthy middle ground. They aren’t as rambunctious and destructive as they were when they were puppies, but they have a good amount of energy left in them.

They haven’t slowed down the way senior dogs tend to, and they typically won’t be facing the health issues that plague older dogs.

At around six to eight years old, your bloodhound will be considered a senior. Senior dogs make fantastic companions.

Seniors tend to mellow out as they age and may slow down when it comes to exercise or take on less strenuous activities.

Always follow your bloodhound’s lead; don’t force them into less activity if they’re still acting young and spry, and don’t push them if they naturally begin to slow down.

The senior years are likely when health issues develop. The age at which these problems develop will depend on the individual dog, its genetics, and lifestyle.

How do Bloodhounds Typically Die?

The leading causes of death in bloodhounds are gastric dilatation-volvulus (also known as bloat) and cancer.

Also known as bloat, GDV is an emergent health condition in which a dog’s stomach fills with gas and flips around inside its body. With prompt veterinary care, over 80% of dogs who develop bloat (GDV) now survive.

To give your dog the best chance, it’s vital to know the signs of GDV. They include:

• Swollen abdomen
• Stomach pain
• Retching
• Excessive drooling
• Restlessness

If your bloodhound shows symptoms of GDV, don’t hesitate. Bring them immediately to your nearest emergency vet clinic.

In addition, here are some ways to prevent bloat before it happens:

• Avoid raised food bowls
• Don’t exercise your Bloodhound right before or after meals – most vets recommend waiting about two hours
• Avoid exercise right before or after they drink large amounts of water
• Use slow feeders so that they aren’t scarfing their meals too quickly
• Keep your bloodhound’s stress levels low, especially around mealtimes
• Feed multiple small meals throughout the day rather than one large meal
• Keep them at a healthy weight (not over or underweight)

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death for all dogs. However, bloodhounds tend to develop cancers earlier in their lives than many other breeds.

Bloodhounds are more susceptible to cancer, specifically lymphoma and mast cell tumors, largely due to inbreeding. Centuries of selective breeding to isolate the breed’s signature look and tracking skills have reduced their genetic diversity, making them highly vulnerable to inherited genetic mutations that trigger abnormal cell growth. Therefore, there isn’t a way to prevent cancer in your bloodhound.

Catching cancer early can sometimes give your bloodhound better odds at beating it. Keep up with routine vet check-ups and always visit the vet if you notice your dog isn’t acting like themselves or seems sick.

How to Increase Your Bloodhound’s Lifespan

Of course, there’s no surefire way to make your bloodhound live longer. Some things are out of our control. However, there are a few steps you can take to increase the odds of having a healthy dog.

Genetics plays an enormous role in how long a bloodhound will live. If possible, check the dog’s lineage to determine if it comes from a long-lived, healthy line.

Feed your bloodhound a high-quality, high-protein diet. Dogs can digest some grains, but a high-protein diet is generally beneficial.

Regular, daily exercise keeps dogs fit. Your bloodhound should get at least one to two hours of hands-on exercise each day.

This can include long walks, games of fetch, and other activities. Bloodhounds love to work their noses, so hide-and-seek with people or toys can be another fun activity.

Remember not to exercise your bloodhound right before or after they’ve drunk a lot of water or eaten a meal. Give them around two hours between meal time and exercise time. The two-hour gap between eating or drinking and exercising may help prevent GDV.

Routine veterinary care can increase your bloodhound’s lifespan. Check-ups can help your vet catch an illness early, making it easier to treat.

No matter how long your bloodhound lives, lives, it’s important to love them while they’re with you.