This may be a silly question but bear with me!

I own BCs, and am used to them and their obedience. I have fallen in love with a type of scent hound. I know the hound instinct is strong but would a hound brought up amid BCs have a better recall then one who isn't? The only thing I don't love about the breed in question is the fact that recall can be so iffy, although the dogs I know have a good recall considering.
I know I won't get the same level of recall and obedience, but the goal would be able to let the dog off on the beach/safe areas for a good run with the gang without spending hours getting it back?

Really depends on which hound you are talking of, some of breeds are much better than others but all will revert to hunting is they sight or scent really interesting prey.

It's the Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen

The ones I know have good citizen bronze and flyball, and are really smart, attentive dogs :)

Whilst I often idly muse about my 'one day' dog - a Basset Fauve de Bretagne - I have the same question as I currently have gundogs with very reliable recall.

Part of me has decided to wait until I'm old and live in a town so I can keep it on a lead, another part of me says perhaps I could attach it to my gundog (??!!).  The rational bit of my brain thinks the 2nd suggestion was made by an optimistic idiot...

I await your replies with interest

whilst I get out my breed book again and start looking for suitable breeders, and make plans to visit Discover Dogs :)

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My friend has a fauve who lives with her springer :) The fauve is working towards her bronze good citizen but isn't let off lead with the springer, although I think she potentially could be in certain places as she has a good recall :)

As a scent hound and a pack hound I would think she could be trained to a reasonable level but there will always be a chance that one day something will be too strong a call on her instincts that she has to follow them. The one thing about hounds is (1) they love their stomachs so are not hard to train and (2) the are in the most part friendly with people and other dogs so even if they do take off in the park they are not likely to cause a problem. The only problem is finding somewhere away from roads so if they disappear they remain safe until they decide to return and a Kindle in the pocket may be of help as you can just sit down and await the return of the hunter.

"Kindle in the pocket may be of help as you can just sit down and await the return of the hunter ". .

for a moment I thought you had a really natty idea for recall there ! love the comment

Don't have A PGV but 2 BH's. Can't compare their recall to BC's or gun dogs, sometimes just pleased that they look at me when I call, but if you have patience & a good sense of humour you'll be fine.
One will take off after a good smell & the other has been kicked in the face for getting to close to a rabbit & just walked away. You just have to be mentally with them & preferably don't let them out of sight, also carry something they love like cheese (a tube is easy) as an incentive. Lucas loves his good citizen training (all those highly desirable treats in friendly pockets) & does very well but don't be fooled into thinking that because they'll do it in class they will condescend to do it when out.

> The only problem is finding somewhere away from roads so if they disappear they remain safe until they decide to return and a Kindle in the pocket may be of help as you can just sit down and await the return of the hunter.

Very important to know the area, a friend had a BH killed by the live rail of a railway which she thought was far away enough not to be a problem.

In my experience with my breed no.  A friend who is a good dog trainer (health no longer permits serious competition) had one of mine with her Border collies, she never lost her, but she sometimes cursed her tardiness.  She did very good obedience rounds at the local shows though.

Having said that a well trained Norwegian Elkhound will have fairly reliable recall, just not a fast one, if there is something they would rather do, they can suffer selective deafness when they get on a mooch.

I thought I had lost Inka the other week, rang hubby in a panic, I wanted him to check our route by car in case after loosing track of me she had tried making her own way home (about 20 minute walk away).

I continued calling for her in the country park (it was now dark) and the others were all back on lead half hour sooner, and literally a minute after calling hubby she came racing up to me, as if to say, 'I'm here'!!!  Could have murdered her, especially as hubby had already left home, and had forgotten to take his mobile.

For this reason I am very careful where I allow off lead exercise, as they don't run away, but could get into bother thinking they know better and can find you at any time.  They always seem to come back to where they last saw you.

Mind you the Obedience friend who had Dyna (My Kizi's sister, both died last year) having lost sight of her suddenly heard barking.  She followed the bark, and there was Dyna in the middle of the park barking her head off, as she wasn't sure which way Mum had gone, so decided to do an owner recall!!!

People I worked for years ago used to have a PBGV and she was very good on a walk most of the time. They had never done much training with her either. The only time we had a problem was if there were deer about and then she would be heard baying into the distance! She nearly always came back reasonably soon though. I loved her dearly and was very relieved that she didn't take the couple of times that she was mated as I would have to have had a puppy and they wouldn't be my first choice for an agility dog!

I've got one and yes he can be let off round where I live, I tend not to risk it when away from home, most of the time he is great, but if something takes his interest then forget it, sadly not food orientated when out and sniffing around.
If he ran off round home I left him to it, he normally turned up with a few hours.
He's getting on a bit now and suffers total selective hearing when out, at home he can hear the freezer open over any tv or music lol
Met a lady with the grand variety at our local deer park last year, she asked if the could play, did warn her, but she insisted, seconds later 2 brown and white dogs disappered into the distance lol.
Would I have another, yep without a doubt, such laid back fun animals

Thanks everyone :)

I'm glad its not a flat out no way, so I will do some more research and have a think. I may have to be content with spending time with the ones I know, but we'll see!

I asked the same question at Discover Dogs at last year's Crufts as I think PBGV look adorable. The answer from the breed experts was to abandon the idea of being able to allow a PBGV freedom on the New Forest but they advised that a Grand Bassett Griffon Vendeen would be far more bidable, less vocal & should be capable of being taught a reliable recall if started young.  They look much the same to me, the Grand just being a bit larger so if you like the Petit, you should like the Grand. I'll be interested to know what you decide. Can you get to Crufts in March as the ladies who "manned the stands" for both breeds were very helpful and unbiased?

Sadly i can't make it this year.

I don't live on the mainland so we don't have masses of forest, deer or trains to worry about, so I really should speak to some PBGV people and see. I do like the grand but I'd worry they are just that little bit taller and able to reach a few more places to cause mischief!

I confess that I don't know either breed first hand but the distinct impression that I was given by those who do is that the Petits are far more "up to mischief" than the Grands.  Might be a good idea to speak to breeders of both types.