St. John's Water Dog vs Bloodhound - Breed Comparison

St. John's Water Dog vs Bloodhound - Breed ComparisonBloodhound is originated from United Kingdom but St. John's Water Dog is originated from Canada. Both Bloodhound and St. John's Water Dog are having almost same height. Bloodhound may weigh 31 kg / 69 pounds more than St. John's Water Dog. Bloodhound may live 4 years less than St. John's Water Dog. Bloodhound may have more litter size than St. John's Water Dog. Both Bloodhound and St. John's Water Dog requires Low Maintenance.

Basic Information

Group:
Hound dog
Working dog
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United Kingdom
Canada
Height Male:
46 - 54 cm
18 - 22 inches
48 - 53 cm
18 - 21 inches
Height Female:
40 - 48 cm
15 - 19 inches
47 - 52 cm
18 - 21 inches
Weight Male:
64 - 72 kg
141 - 159 pounds
25 - 41 kg
55 - 91 pounds
Weight Female:
58 - 66 kg
127 - 146 pounds
16 - 35 kg
35 - 78 pounds
Life Span:
6 - 8 Years
10 - 12 Years
Litter Size:
10 - 14
4 - 6
Size:
Large
Large
Other Names:
Sleuth hound • St. Hubert Hound • Saint Hubert Hound • Chien de Saint-Hubert • Flemish Hound
St. Johns Dog, Lesser Newfoundland, St. John’s Newfoundland
Colors Available:
Black and Tan, Liver and Tan, Red
black
Coat:
Dense and short
short, thick coats
Shedding:
Moderate
Seasonal
Temperament:
Affectionate, Alert, Gentle, Independent, Intelligent, Loving, Loyal, Stubborn
Intelligent, Loving, Responsive
Grooming:
Low Maintenance
Low Maintenance
Trainability:
Easy
Moderate
Hypoallergenic:
No
No
Kids Friendly:
Yes
Yes
New Owners Friendly:
Yes
Yes

History

bloodhoundThe history of the Bloodhound breed is a fascinating one. Known as a Sleuthhound for its ability to smell out the culprit and bag the prey. Even more so the Bloodhound is known for tracking and finding lost people. He is famous for finding human scents and being able to follow them even days or weeks after the person is lost. They are also able to track people over a great amount of land and have been known to successfully track escaped prisoners or wanted criminals. They are descended from the Saint-Hubert Hounds that were bred at the Abbey/Monastery at Saint-Hubert, Belgium. According to the legends the St. Hubert hounds were bred by the Monks in 1000AD. This hound was thought to be a mixed breed rather than a purebred. That’s because the ancestry of this hound is not really known but it is known that the monks bred them and sent several to the King of France annually. Only black hounds were gifted.

Some kings preferred not to hunt with these hounds thinking them not good enough while others thought the only use for them was as a leash hound. All described the St. Hubert as long in body with short legs. These gifts continued until the French Revolution when hunting in France was greatly reduced until the 19th century. The original St. Hubert strain became extinct in the 19th century and that the current European St. Hubert hound has its origins in the Bloodhound. The Bloodhound as a separate breed was already established in Europe by the middle of the 14th century. They were used as leach hounds to sniff out the prey so that the pack hounds could chase and keep it “at bay”. They were also used from the beginnings of the breed to track humans. At this time they were often known as sleuth hounds. As recorded by John Caius – the authority on Bloodhounds from their origins – writes about the breeds ability to find and track the scent of blood – thus becoming the Bloodhound and its use to track poachers and thieves. He also reported that the Bloodhound and the Sleuth Hound were the same basic breed. The number of Bloodhounds in Britain gradually declined until few remained after World War II. Britain has gradually built their breed back up by importing dogs from America. It was during the 19th century that the Bloodhound was imported into France by breeders who wished to reestablish the St. Hubert Hound. Thus the St. Hubert is both the ancestor and descendent of the Bloodhound. The Britain’s continue to believe that the Bloodhound is a native British breed.

The Bloodhounds in America have had great success as companion animals, with police departments and forest rangers and showing in the prestigious Westminster Kennel Club in New York. There are more Bloodhounds in the United States than anywhere else in the world.

In the end the Anglo-Saxton Bloodhound cannot be specified with any real certainty. Many believe it was not the St. Hubert that the Bloodhound descended from but rather the Norman hound or the sleuth-hound. Many believe it could have included other breeds such as the southern hound, the dun-hound and the Talbot. It cannot be proven today it the Bloodhound’s origins come from Belgian or England.

st john s water dogThe breed known as the St. John’s water dog is an extinct landrace breed. They were domestic dogs found in Newfoundland and at times were called the lesser Newfoundland. There is not much information available about the other breeds that went into its development. Hypothetically it is believed they are a mix of the Irish, Old English and Portuguese dogs bred to work.

It is also thought that other breeds in their family tree, descending from them, include the Golden Retriever, the Flat-Coated Retriever, the Chesapeake Bay Retriever, the Labrador and the Curly-Coated Retriever. The Newfoundland is also related to the St. Johns Water Dog through the line of Rafeirio do Alenteios that Portuguese fisherman brought to the island.

The breed was exported to England in the 19th century and early 20th. There the breeds of retrievers were developed. In Canada during this time frame restrictions were placed on dog ownership in order to encourage people to raise sheep. At the same time England imposed a long quarantine on all animals coming into the country in order to get rid of rabies. These two factors contributed greatly to the extinction of the breed. It seems the last two dogs were seen in a remote area in the 1980’s. All attempts to save the breed failed.

Description

bloodhound puppy - descriptionWhen being judged for confirmation in a show ring, the preference is for a larger dog, with an unusual skeleton in respect to its large size and heavy weight in the bones. They have a narrow head, flat at the sides, but long. They have deep set eyes buried in the deep, long face and wrinkles. The eyes might be yellow or run the gamut to deep hazel depending upon the color of the dog. The long velvety ears and thin and low set on the head. These long ears are as much a part of the Bloodhounds Olfactory system as his amazing nose. They curl backward and inward as the ends. There is a large amount of loose skin on the head and at the jowls. When the Bloodhound lowers his head the loose folds and ridges of skin are prominent on the face and forehead.

For many centuries all different colors of Bloodhounds could be found. Today however they are pretty much red, black and tan and black and liver. The Bloodhound is a powerful dog and is larger than most breeds of hounds.

st john s water dog puppy - descriptionSt. John’s Water Dog is strong, medium sized and stocky. They looked more like English Labs than American Labs. They had a thick, short coat, loved swimming, had a lot of endurance and rudder tail. It was also described as a thin, black dog with short hair. They had white patches on their chest and feet. His nose was thin and tapered, his legs powerful, his chest muscular. The breed is quick, swims, runs quickly and is a fighter as well.

Never accepted by any major kennel club except as a foundation breed. They became extinct.

Characteristics

bloodhound dog - characteristicsThe Bloodhound is known as a gentle soul and he truly is. They are affectionate and gentle with people and children. However, their strong will to track can make them stubborn and hard to handle and train. They are easy going dogs and really like to be with people, children and other dogs. They are affectionate but tend to be set in their ways.

Characteristics

1.Children friendliness - yes they are good with children.

2.Special talents swimming is their best talent

st john s water dog dog - characteristics3.Adaptability large need fence, they are not large dogs but they need outdoor space

4.Learning ability – very smart and eager to learn

Health Problems

bloodhound puppies - health problemsObviously with ears like the Bloodhound there is always a chance for problems and serious infections. The ears need to be cleaned daily. Because their coat is so thick, they can overheat easily, and they are very prone to bloat, as are many large animals. However, with the Bloodhound, Bloat is the number one killer. Their lifespan is one of the shortest of all dogs at 6.75 years.

st john s water dog puppies - health problemsThere is no documented history of any genetic or hereditary illnesses in the breed. However, it seems rational to believe they suffered from ailments similar to Labradors and newfoundland though they are smaller dogs.

No history like Labs and Newfoundlands .

  • Hip and elbow dysplasia – can cause lameness and arthritis.
  • PRA – progressive retinal atrophy – can cause blindness.
  • Cancer – in their later years.
  • Infectious diseases – not as serious as prior to vaccinations.
  • Myopathy hereditary – affects the muscles.
  • Ear infections.

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Caring The Pet

bloodhound dogs - caringThe Bloodhound is not a high energy, fast moving dog but that does not mean he doesn’t have serious nutritional needs. An overweight Bloodhound is on a course to an early demise. They should be fed a high-quality food once a day or split into two daily servings. Do not feed them right before or right after strenuous exercise and remember that strenuous exercise for a Bloodhound is considerably less than it is for a terrier.

Health issues

As previously mentioned the number one cause of death in Bloodhounds is Bloat. They are also prone to cancer. They have minor issues with their eyes, but their ears and skin are also major concerns. Clean the ears daily and wipe out the skin folds and wrinkles to prevent infections. They should be test for hip and elbow dysplasia simply because they are large dogs, though these conditions are less common in Bloodhounds.

Exercise and games

Though the Bloodhound is known as a couch potato his stamina and activity levels are usually greatly underestimated. He can follow a scent for 7-10 hours over miles of terrain with out a problem. He needs daily exercise such as long walks on a leash. Do not take your Bloodhound out off leash because if he picks up a scent and wanders off you will not be able to get his attention to call him back.

st john s water dog dogs - caring1Feeding the puppy – Don’t overfeed – they have a propensity toward obesity. Feed high quality, high protein 3 x a day.

2.Feeding the adult – Don’t overfeed. Feed a high quality, high protein 1-2 x a day.

3.Points for Good Health - stamina

4. Games and Exercises – They need space to run and they love to explore. They would also love to be near water where they could swim. Good at dock diving, field trials, flyball and frisbee.

Comparison with other breeds

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  10. St. John's Water Dog vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
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  26. Bloodhound vs English Bulldog - Breed Comparison
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  28. Bloodhound vs Golden Retriever - Breed Comparison
  29. Bloodhound vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  30. Bloodhound vs West Highland White Terrier - Breed Comparison
  31. Bloodhound vs French Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  32. Bloodhound vs Beagle - Breed Comparison
  33. Bloodhound vs Yorkshire Terrier - Breed Comparison
  34. Bloodhound vs Poodle - Breed Comparison
  35. Bloodhound vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  36. Bloodhound vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  37. Bloodhound vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  38. Bloodhound vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  39. Bloodhound vs Doberman Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  40. Bloodhound vs American Bully - Breed Comparison
  41. Bloodhound vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  42. Bloodhound vs Affenpinscher - Breed Comparison
  43. Bloodhound vs Afghan Hound - Breed Comparison
  44. Bloodhound vs Aidi - Breed Comparison
  45. Bloodhound vs Airedale Terrier - Breed Comparison
  46. Bloodhound vs Akbash Dog - Breed Comparison
  47. Bloodhound vs Akita - Breed Comparison
  48. Bloodhound vs Africanis - Breed Comparison
  49. Bloodhound vs Askal - Breed Comparison
  50. Bloodhound vs Atlas Terrier - Breed Comparison