Q: I like “Bloody” better. *chuckles*. How long have you had Gina and what prompted you and your family to buy Gina?
A: About eight years ago, we were looking for a dog and my dad has always been interested in Bloodhounds. He has slowed down more recently, but he used to be an avid deer hunter. He knew that Bloodhounds are fantastic at tracking down wild animals, and there was a woman selling Bloodhounds in our area.
Q: Did your dad do some investigation on the breeder before buying Gina?
A: We have friends who purchased a Bloodhound from the same breeder, and they said their dog was in great shape. Luckily, Gina has had great health with very minor health problems.
Q: What are some minor health problems that she’s had?
A: Occasionally, she vomits after eating her food. Our vet said that Bloodhounds have tendencies to eat extremely fast which causes an upset stomach. We do have to wash her almost daily to make sure dirt is not trapped behind her ears and excess skin.
Q: Is Gina well behaved or does she tear up the house?
A: She isn’t too bad, but sometimes she will get restless if we are not home for a few hours. There have certainly been some unrepairable damages. Fortunately, we have a large backyard so she can stay outside most of the time.
Q: Does Gina respond to everyone in your home?
A: Frankly, my dad is the only person who she will take orders from. Everyone else has tried, but she usually looks at me and then proceeds to do whatever she wants. However, when my dad is around, she will listen to most of our family when we instruct her with basic tricks like sit, lay, shake, etc.
Q: Do you plan to buy a bloodhound when you have your own place?
A: If I have room for one, then certainly. My buddy bought a baby hound while living in a two room apartment and that only lasted until his dog was 5 months old. At that time, the dog was 70 pounds and was a wreck. It seemed that the dog broke something substantial every other week. Aside from his broken items, the dog was miserable and was happy to live with a family with more land. It’s fair to say that these dogs are meant for the country. City boys have no business having Bloodhounds.
Q: Thank you for sharing your experience with Bloodhounds. Anything else you want to share?
A: When people say that “a dog is a man’s best friend”, I only started believing this when my dad became inseparable from Gina. I think he loves her more than us!