Billy

The Billy is a passionate, tireless pack hound, originally bred for hours-long par force hunting of big game like red deer, roe deer and wild boar. That background still shapes his character today: the Billy is an independent worker with a fine nose, a strong urge to move and a melodious, loud voice on the trail that he loves to put to use. As a classic pack hound, the Billy is remarkably sociable and usually gets on best with his own kind – living alongside other dogs is in his blood. He's friendly, affectionate and good-natured with his people too; he seeks his family's company and is mostly calm and even-tempered indoors, as long as he's had enough activity outside. Outdoors, though, the Billy switches straight into work mode. His strong hunting instinct means he'll follow an interesting scent doggedly and over long distances, and he's barely responsive while he does. A securely fenced property and a well-trained recall are therefore essential. He's alert and will announce anything unusual, but he's not a guard or protection dog in the true sense. The Billy suits active people with an interest in hunting who can give him plenty of exercise and a meaningful job every day. Without enough physical and mental activity, this spirited dog quickly becomes unbalanced.

The Billy is an elegant, tireless French scenthound that was originally bred for pack hunting of big game like deer and wild boar. He's friendly, people-oriented and remarkably sociable with other dogs. Indoors he's calm, but outdoors he turns into a passionate hunter with a fine nose. The Billy needs a great deal of exercise and is best suited to active people who understand hunting dogs.

The Billy is a passionate pack hound with a high need for exercise and isn't suited to a city apartment. The ideal home has a securely fenced property and people who can give him hours of meaningful activity every day. As a pack dog he usually gets on wonderfully with other dogs and genuinely enjoys their company. With children he's mostly friendly and patient, though his temperament and size can make him quite boisterous. His strong hunting instinct makes living alongside cats and small pets difficult – without a secure area and a reliable recall, he shouldn't be off-leash outdoors.

The Billy is an intelligent but independent pack hound, bred to work a trail on his own – you can't expect blind obedience from him. That makes consistent, patient training from an early age and a loving, fair approach all the more important, because he responds to harshness by withdrawing. His biggest challenge is his hunting instinct: a reliable recall is a lifelong project with the Billy and often only works to a limited degree. Work with a long line early on and reward every time he turns his attention back to you, generously. Off-leash freedom is only advisable in securely fenced areas. The Billy is happiest when his brilliant nose gets a job: tracking, mantrailing or search games work him physically and mentally while strengthening your bond at the same time. You should also train frustration tolerance and impulse control deliberately, so he learns to stay responsive even around exciting stimuli. As a classic pack hound, he's usually easy-going with other dogs and learns well in the calm company of confident companions. With an understanding of hunting dogs, consistency and positive reinforcement, you'll get a willing, fascinating partner – but he's not a dog for first-time owners.

The Billy is an active working dog and needs high-quality, balanced nutrition tailored to his age, weight and high activity level. Especially when he's getting lots of exercise, you should make sure he's well supplied with protein and nutrients, and adjust the amount of food to how much he's actually working. His short, dense coat is remarkably easy to care for. A weekly brush removes loose hair and keeps the coat clean and shiny. After outings in the field, you should check him for ticks, minor injuries and foreign bodies between his toes and in his ears. Because the Billy has little undercoat, he's more sensitive to cold and wet than northern breeds. He copes well with the German climate as long as he gets enough exercise, but in cold, wet weather he shouldn't stand outside unprotected for long.