Overview
The Poitevin is a large French scenthound from the Poitou region, developed in the eighteenth century for hunting wolves and later roe deer in large mounted packs. It is tall, deep chested and unusually refined for a hound, in tricolour or orange and white, with a long head and a lightness of movement closer to a sighthound.
It remains a hunt kennel dog in France and is almost unknown as a pet. If you do walk one in Britain, expect pack manners: easy with other dogs, polite but not clingy with people, and completely absorbed by scent from the moment it steps out of the door.
Exercise and walking needs
Pack hounds are bred to run for hours. Two hours a day is a reasonable figure for a fit adult, and a Poitevin kept in a suburban home with less will be restless and vocal. Lead walking at a fast march, running alongside a bike where the owner agrees, and long rural routes all help.
Even then, the dog is unlikely to be tired. Scent work on a long line gives the brain something to burn.
On the walk
- Recall: Not a realistic expectation. This dog follows a line until the line ends, and it will outrun you. Keep it on a lead or a line in all but fully fenced spaces.
- Pulling: Powerful. A fresh deer trail will have you leaning back. A padded harness with a front clip gives some steering.
- Other dogs: Excellent, usually. Pack hounds live in close quarters and tolerate almost anything from other dogs.
- Voice: A deep, carrying hound bay. Country routes are kinder to the neighbours than a housing estate.
Tips for professional walkers
- Use a GPS collar if the owner has one and know how it works before you need it.
- Choose routes without deer and sheep where possible; both are serious triggers.
- Walk fast. This dog is not built for strolling and gets frustrated at a dawdle.
- Check feet and ears after a long run through rough ground.
What to ask the owner
- Where did the dog come from, and has it ever lived in a kennel pack?
- What equipment keeps it secure, and has it ever escaped on a walk?
- Does it cope with being left, or does the walk need to tire it for a quiet afternoon?