Quick answer
Bloodhound or Rottweiler mix - which is the better overall choice?
If you want a dog that's easier to train and tolerates alone time, go with the Rottweiler mix (4/5 trainability, 3/5 alone tolerance). If sociability with kids, dogs and strangers matters more, the Bloodhound wins those three categories outright.
Bloodhound or Rottweiler Mix? On paper they differ most on trainability, and on the scales Rottweiler Mix is the heavier at 80–135 lbs. Here is how the two compare on everything that shapes an ordinary week.
This is for someone already down to Bloodhound and Rottweiler Mix and deciding between them. For this pair the decision usually turns on trainability and good with other dogs, so those are covered first and in most detail. Both rate 2/5 for flats, so housing does not settle this one. The focus throughout is on daily consequences rather than breed background.
Between Bloodhound and Rottweiler Mix, trainability is what separates them; neither is the lower-effort dog overall.
Choose Bloodhound if your walking routine is modest, there are young children at home and you already have another dog.
Choose Rottweiler Mix if the dog will be alone during the working day, you want a dog that picks up training quickly and you want a dog that can keep up with an active routine.
| Feature | bloodhound | rottweiler secondary | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Size class | large | large | Equal |
| Weight | 90–110 lbs | 80–135 lbs | Equal |
| Height | 23–27 in | 22–27 in | Equal |
| Lifespan | 7–10 years | 9–10 years | rottweiler secondary |
| Exercise need | Moderate (3/5) | High (4/5) | bloodhound |
| Grooming need | Low (2/5) | Low (2/5) | Equal |
| Shedding | Moderate (3/5) | Moderate (3/5) | Equal |
| Energy level | Moderate (3/5) | Moderate (3/5) | Equal |
| Barking | Moderate (3/5) | Low (2/5) | rottweiler secondary |
| Apartment suitability | Low (2/5) | Low (2/5) | Equal |
| Good for first-time owners | Low (2/5) | Low (2/5) | Equal |
| Tolerates being alone | Low (2/5) | Moderate (3/5) | rottweiler secondary |
| Trainability | Low (2/5) | High (4/5) | rottweiler secondary |
| Good with kids | High (4/5) | Moderate (3/5) | bloodhound |
| Good with other dogs | High (4/5) | Low (2/5) | bloodhound |
| Friendly to strangers | High (4/5) | Low (2/5) | bloodhound |
| Cost level | Moderate (3/5) | High (4/5) | bloodhound |
| Coat | Short, dense | Short, dense double coat | Equal |
| Origin | Belgium | Various | Equal |
| Typical monthly cost | $100–$200 | $110–$240 | Equal |
| Typical first-year cost | $1,500–$2,800 | $1,700–$3,200 | Equal |
Both breeds sit in the same large-to-giant bracket, but the mix's range is wider. A Bloodhound settles into a fairly predictable 90-110 lbs and 23-27 inches at the shoulder. The Rottweiler mix stretches from 80 lbs on the small end up to 135 lbs, since it's a cross rather than a fixed standard, so what you get can vary more house to house even within the same litter.
The Rottweiler mix asks more of you day to day, rated 4/5 on exercise need against the Bloodhound's 3/5. Both land at a moderate 3/5 on general energy, but the Bloodhound's drive shows up as nose-down tracking rather than sustained activity - it will follow a scent for miles yet nap hard afterward. The mix wants structured exercise, not just a yard to wander.
Coat care is a wash here - both breeds score 2/5 on grooming and 3/5 on shedding. The Bloodhound's short, dense coat needs little beyond a weekly brush; the Rottweiler mix's double coat sheds similarly but can blow out seasonally depending on which parent breed dominates. Neither is a good match if you want a shedding-free home.
Neither breed is built for apartment life - both score a low 2/5 on apartment suitability. Where they split is noise and independence: the Bloodhound barks more (3/5 vs 2/5) and tolerates being alone worse (2/5 vs 3/5 for the mix). If your dog will spend long stretches solo, the Rottweiler mix handles that better, though neither wants to be left alone all day.
This is the sharpest gap in the whole comparison. The Bloodhound trains at just 2/5 - it's independent-minded and scent-driven, which makes recall and obedience work slow going. The Rottweiler mix rates 4/5, closer to genuinely trainable. Both score 2/5 for first-time owners, so neither is a beginner's dog, but the mix is far more responsive once you start working with it.
The Bloodhound edges out the mix with kids (4/5 vs 3/5), other dogs (4/5 vs 2/5), and strangers (4/5 vs 2/5) - it's the more universally sociable of the two. The Rottweiler mix can be more reserved or selective around unfamiliar dogs and people, which matters if you host often or already have a multi-dog household.
Both share hip and elbow dysplasia risk, but their other concerns diverge. The Bloodhound carries a long list including bloat, ectropion, entropion, and bleeding disorders, plus a shorter 7-10 year lifespan. The Rottweiler mix's list is shorter but includes osteosarcoma and subaortic stenosis, and it typically lives a bit longer at 9-10 years - modest, but consistent.
The Bloodhound is the cheaper of the two on paper: $100-200 a month and $1,500-2,800 in year one, against $110-240 and $1,700-3,200 for the mix. Overall cost level rates 3/5 for the Bloodhound and 4/5 for the mix, so budget a bit more if a Rottweiler cross is the one you're bringing home.
Bloodhound weighs 90–110 lbs and lives 7–10 years; Rottweiler Mix weighs 80–135 lbs and lives 9–10 years. The two diverge most on trainability, good with other dogs and friendly to strangers. They are level on apartment suitability, energy level and good for first-time owners, so those cannot decide it. The table below marks a winner only where one breed is genuinely easier for a typical owner; size and origin are facts rather than merits and stay level. Ratings come from one source applied to both breeds, so they are meaningful against each other rather than as absolute scores.
They overlap heavily. The Bloodhound runs 90-110 lbs and 23-27 inches; the mix has a wider spread of 80-135 lbs and 22-27 inches, so an individual mix could end up smaller or noticeably larger than a Bloodhound.
Both land at moderate shedding (3/5) with low grooming needs (2/5). Expect regular vacuuming either way, but neither demands professional grooming visits.
Not really - both score a low 2/5 for first-time owners. The Bloodhound's stubborn, scent-obsessed nature and the mix's size and strength both call for some prior dog experience.
No. Both score 2/5 on apartment suitability. These are dogs that want space, and the Bloodhound in particular struggles with being confined and left alone.
The Bloodhound runs $100-200 a month, the Rottweiler mix $110-240. First-year costs follow the same pattern - $1,500-2,800 versus $1,700-3,200 - so the mix costs somewhat more to keep.
Yes - both are prone to hip and elbow dysplasia. Beyond that they diverge: the Bloodhound faces bloat and eye conditions like ectropion and entropion, while the mix's added risks include osteosarcoma and a heart condition, subaortic stenosis.
The Rottweiler mix, by a wide margin - it rates 4/5 on trainability against the Bloodhound's 2/5. The Bloodhound's nose tends to override any command once it catches a scent.
If you want a dog that's easier to train and tolerates alone time, go with the Rottweiler mix (4/5 trainability, 3/5 alone tolerance). If sociability with kids, dogs and strangers matters more, the Bloodhound wins those three categories outright.
The Bloodhound runs $100-200/month; the Rottweiler mix runs $110-240/month, so budget roughly 10-20% more for the mix.
The Rottweiler mix, rated 4/5 versus the Bloodhound's 3/5 - it needs structured daily activity, not just a big yard.
The Rottweiler mix, typically 9-10 years against the Bloodhound's 7-10 years - a modest but real edge.
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