Cara

I'd advise against a Bloodhound. The nameis derived from them being a purebred dog owned by nobility (a 'blooded' hound) rather than an ability to followblood trails. They are more of a mantrailing dog than a hunting dog, and you absolutely cannot let them run loose unless they are in a fenced area. Turn one out to find a deer and if he gets on the trail of something else, you won't find him until he gets to whatever he wants or gets hit by a car. Once the head is down they are pretty much blind, and have no road sense. A Bloodhound would probably be too much dog to handle when hunting, they drag you all over and are not fond of typical obedience. They also eat a whole lot, mine goes through about 20lbs a week. Basic supplies like heartworm and flea/tick meds are more expensive due to the higher doses, and an outside dog must have these. On top of that, they hate to be by themselves and are not a good outside dog. They will howl, bay, dig, climb, jump, and generally make you and themselves miserable until they get what they want, or you get rid of them.

IMHO, no dog does best left outside the whole time, especially by itself.Hounds in particular need company,both canine and human. They are pack animals, even more so than other dogs. It takes a whole lot of self discipline to provide them with the attention they need whatever the weather, and it is a lot harder to keep an eye on their health. Not to mention the companionship a dog will give you that you might miss if it's not around the whole time.