Going to see a litter of.......

[Twinkletoes]

Gordon Setter x Whippet bitches on Friday. Would love some advice if anyone could offer any, on what this combination may offer that we hadnt thought of. Mum is the setter.
We already have two male terriers, and have thought about the jump from two to three for some time.
Also, what questions can we ask the breeder - worried my brain may have missed something.

 

[MurphysMinder]

I'm sorry, but the only question I would ask is why on earth someone would make this cross , I really can't see anything positive to come out of a cross of these breeds

To be more constructive, you should definitely ask if the bitch has been hip scored and if so what the score is, as gordon setters do have quite a problem with hip dysplasia. The best thing would be to maybe look and see what the hereditary problems are in both breeds and ask relevant questions of the owner of the bitch. General puppy related questions would be regarding worming etc, and of course you should make sure the bitch has a good temperament and the puppies are happy and outgoing, with clean ears and eyes etc.

 

[Spot_the_Risk]

I think that combination is going to offer you outstanding speed with no brain whatsoever, and will probably be a nightmare to train - good luck!!!

Probably the best you can do is check that the parents are both healthy, I don't know what inherent problems gordon setters may have, there is a whippet line which can pass on AID but only through pure breds so you're okay there.

 

[Slinkyunicorn]

*head - desk*

I agree with the others.

 

[BigRed]

I have owned whippets for a long time and whippet lurchers. I am not sure I would want a setter/whippet, it seems an odd cross to me. All puppies are cute, so if you go to see them, you will end up coming home with one, so think about it before you go. The hip problem with setters is a very serious issue. Someone who lets their bitch get pregnant this way probably has no idea about hip scores.

Setters are very wilful and stupid dogs, so unless you are a very good trainer, I'd pass the opportunity by.

 

[Twinkletoes]

Oh no, finally I am a head-desk victim. Thanks for all your responses. I guess in my naivity I thought of the whippet temperament, combined with the setters features. Thank you, I will not be going to see the litter on Friday. We are therefore reverting our search to whippet lurcher types, and will of course post more questions on here in future planned visits.

 

[Slinkyunicorn]

tracey01 whilst I agree with most of your comments I would not agree with the stupid one. Our Irish Setter was probably the brightest dog we have ever had - the problem is that they need to work and if they don't get they bored - like most 'working' dogs but really not stupid.

 

[CorvusCorax]

^^ Agree with the others, and your decision, that is a mad cross and sounds totally untrainable!

 

[MurphysMinder]

A friend of my mums bred gordon setters, she always said much as she loved them they were incredibly thick (and she did work them). OP glad you have decided against these, I'm sure you will have no problem finding a nice lurcher.

 

[Bosworth]

I would not touch a |gordon Setter at all. I took my lurcher to puppy training and the trainer had a gordon setter of her own. He was 2 years old and boy was he seriously stupid. He just did noit get why he was there and even the trainer was in dispair about him. A fast stupid untrainable combination. Don;t do it!

 

[Foxyfilly]

Lurcher Link have some lovely pups almost
ready for their new homes. Mum was found
abandoned and is a saluki x.

The pups are being fostered in wales. A homecheck
is needed but transport can usually be arranged.

Pups can be seen here.

http://www.lurcherlink.org/llink/forum/viewtopic.php?t=53116

 

[FestiveSpirit]

I am fascinated by this cross, simply because years ago I clearly remember my whippet (who was tiny even by whippet standards) chasing a Gordon Setter across the common

He ran away from her

Mind you she also tried to savage a Dobermann which was very very funny

She really was the sweetest little dog ever though