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bloodhound

/ˌblʌdˈhaʊnd/
/ˈblʌdhaʊnd/
IPA guide

Other forms: bloodhounds

Originating in Europe, the bloodhound is a large dog with a powerful sense of smell. Detectives and police officers may use a bloodhound when looking for a missing person or a criminal on the run.

A bloodhound's powerful nose helps it follow scents and trails that are days old. Its long ears and wrinkled skin enhance its tracking abilities: With its nose to the ground, a bloodhound's ears drag along the terrain, stirring up and funneling particles to the dog's nostrils. And the wrinkly folds of a bloodhound's skin function as particle traps that keep the scents close at hand as the dog moves. In addition to being invaluable to police and search-and-rescue teams, bloodhounds are cherished pets due to their gentle and loyal nature.

Definitions of bloodhound
  1. noun
    a large, powerful dog breed often used in tracking due to its acute sense of smell
    synonyms: sleuthhound
    see moresee less
    type of:
    hound, hound dog
    any of several breeds of dog used for hunting typically having large drooping ears
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