As far my experience goes I think all long haired dogs would much rather be hound dogs!
Long hair is something that is a commitment for the owner. It can be fairly easy to do if you make a decision to do daily grooming and weekly bathing. Both of these activities keep the coat clean and easy to groom.
As for the topknot; I wonder if you are getting it loose enough that it doesn't bother her. Usually once the dog gets over the initial training phase they accept it being there. Really they should not even be aware that it is there.
When I was training Gracie to accept the topknot I got her a topknot pillow to rest her neck in and I gave her a treat as soon as we were done. When she was still a puppy I would throw the ball for her or do some other play that she enjoyed to distract her until she forgot about the topknot. What are you using to hold the hair in place?