Cuban Bloodhound

Developed at the same time as the Cuban Dogge, this large working dog was created using imported English Mastiffs, Deutsche Dogges, French Mastiffs, St.Hubert Bloodhounds, English Greyhounds and a variety of old British bulldogges. The Cuban Bloodhound was a tracker and retriever of slaves in Jamaica, Cuba and the American south, where it was exported alongside its smaller white cousin, the Dogo Cubano. It was even seen in Oregon in the 1820's, where it was employed to rid the newly established farms of predators, such as wolves, bears and panthers. The Cuban Bloodhound was a fairly common guard dog in Florida, as well as Texas, where it was crossed with the American Foxhound to create the now-extinct Texas Hound breed.

A number of these colossal hounds were seen in England, but weren't as appreciated as the established British breeds, probably due to their aggressive nature. It is also believed that the Cuban Bloodhound was one of the key breeds used in the development of the Rhodesian Ridgeback. Massive, but agile, this was a fast and powerful hound, prized for its excellent scenting ability and high prey-drive. It also made a good big game hunting dog and was a reliable property guardian. The breed eventually became extinct during the 19th century. Tall, strong-boned and broad-chested, the Cuban Bloodhounds are said to had resembled a much heavier Great Dane than a typical hound.

The short coat was flat and hard, coming in a variety of colours, but the most valued and famous dogs were uniform black. Average height was reportedly around 36 inches, although there is a possibility that this might have been an exaggeration.