Overview
This is one of three closely related French scent hounds, told apart by colour. The black and white variety is a large, rangy pack dog developed for mounted hunting, where dozens of hounds run together for hours. Almost everything about it follows from that: a nose that overrides its ears, legs that cover ground effortlessly and an easy acceptance of other dogs.
You are unlikely to meet one often in Britain. Those that are here usually live with enthusiasts or have come from French hunting kennels, and some have had very little life as a pet. The temperament is gentle and placid indoors, but outdoors the hunting drive is never far away.
Exercise and walking needs
Two hours a day is a realistic figure for an adult, and more would not be wasted. Distance matters more than intensity: this is a trotting dog, not a sprinter. A long lead walk across fields with lots of scent gives it most of what it needs.
Running free in open country is where the breed is happiest and also where you are most likely to lose it. Only consider it in secure enclosed fields with the owner's blessing.
On the walk
- Scent: The dog will find a line and follow it with total commitment, baying as it goes. Treat any off-lead time as a risk you have explicitly agreed with the owner.
- Lead work: Strong and leggy, with a tendency to lean into the lead when a smell is interesting. A wide harness and a short, fixed lead give you more control than a long flexi.
- Other dogs: Pack hounds are generally very easy around dogs and seldom start trouble. They may be baffled by small, yappy breeds rather than aggressive to them.
- Voice: Expect a deep, carrying bark when excited. Choose routes that keep you away from gardens and livestock.
Tips for professional walkers
- Ask whether the dog has ever lived in a house. Ex-kennel hounds can be anxious in traffic and need a slower introduction to town walks.
- Carry high-value food and reward every glance back at you; attention is the scarce resource with this breed.
- Check for livestock before you enter any field, even on a lead. A hound that has seen deer will be a different animal for the rest of the walk.
What to ask the owner
- Has the dog ever been off lead in open ground, and did it come back?
- Where did the dog come from, and how long has it lived as a companion rather than in a kennel?
- Is there a recall whistle or cue the dog was trained to in France that you should use?