Should I get a Basset Hound?

Hi everyone, I need some advice. Please give it to me straight.

My husband and I live in a calm and quiet, somewhat rural area. We have a fenced in back yard and go on plenty of outdoor hikes with our dogs on leash. We have stairs leading up to every entrance to our house, and stairs in our house that go between the floors. We currently have one dog, Arthur, who is a half Golden Retriever, half Great Pyrenees. (A mutt, but an energetic big sweet one!) We have a cat too who tends to be a little spicy with the dogs, but is not afraid of them at all. We want a dog that will be a good companion to us and to Arthur. Arthur is still grieving after losing his brother a few months ago so we are going to wait and give him time, but we want a dog that will fit into our life style and want to make the right decision. Our dog who passed away was a Newfoundland so Arthur is used to playing and wrestling with a very large sturdy dog. Arthur is a pawsy player, as that was how our previous dog was and taught him everything he knows! However, Arthur is turning 5 and slowing down quite a bit.

Cons I’ve heard about Bassets: -they are loud (we live in a rural area so not too concerned about this) -they are stubborn and notoriously bad with recall -they can smell bad (oily coat, lots of folds, prone to ear infections and skin infections) -due to their long body, stairs can be hard on their backs

Pros I’ve heard about Bassets: -they loves to hang out on the couch (Arthur does too) -they are extremely sweet and goofy and friendly with other animals -they are super cute (obviously) -they are often very laid back

So here are my big concerns: how will a Basset handle all the stairs? How will a Basset handle playing with Arthur? Are these reasons to try and get a larger dog breed that more matches Arthur’s size and way of playing? I’m used to grooming a Newfoundland so the grooming and smell dogs can have doesn’t worry me, but is this a bigger issue than I’m thinking? Do Hounds really stink?

Thanks for reading, and tell me, should I get a Basset Hound?