Living with a Lurcher, lessons I'm learning...

kerilli

kerilli

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So, rescue lurcher Casper has been with me for about 2 months now. He's legally mine, has had the snip, been microchipped, and is very definitely staying.
I'm sure long-term lurcher owners can add to this, but here's a start:

He's a Thief!!! He gets lots of food, but I've had to get a lot tidier. Anything left on the kitchen counter is fair game... ;) ;) we've had words, but the temptation is obv a bit Too Much sometimes...
He can drink out of my mug of tea without knocking it over. Very dainty, most impressive.
Oh, he likes milky tea. A lot. I have to guard my tea and remember to take it with me...
He's amazingly clever (I thought all hounds were dumb, more fool me). He learnt his new name within about a week. He escaped from our fields a few times (can't now, fencing sorted) and came back the way he got out, rather than the shortcut route which meant he couldn't get back in (which the russells used to do, without fail).
He LOVES cuddles, he's a bit of an amateur, obv not had a lot of practice, but he's a fast learner.
He grins when he's really happy. (not baring teeth, i know the difference.)
He bows down to say Hi when he's very pleased to see a person.
He has an amazingly deep and impressive bark for a lanky dawg, sounds like a rottweiler or something.
He's got a fabulous temperament - with us, with strangers, with my pack of JRTs, with the ducks and the chickens.
He loves to run, but gets exhausted really quickly and then just flops down, even on the snow.
I'm rather besotted, as you can tell. fb friends will have seen the recent pic of him lionising on the couch with all the russells, in the lap of luxury.
He's an utterly charming dog, a total pleasure to have around. Lurkers/pointy dawgs are highly recommended. ;) ;)

(Minor bad point - the toilet training is rather hit and miss, but getting there...)
 
Have been meaning to ask about him. So glad he's landed on his feet and into your heart. There's something about lurchers, I couldn't be without one or two now.

Look on it that he's helping you housekeep tidily, mine do it too (not the stealing from kitchen worktops, they do know better than that, but mine are beggars for books which really riles me! Each night, I have to push the soaf up against the gap between the computer and bookcase in case they fancy a meal at night and the only time I forgot, they took advantage! Well, it's the 2 basset x lurcher pups that are the culprits and it doesn't matter what I say, do or threaten them with, it doesn't make a ablind bit of difference but I defy you to not melt when you look at them!)
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awwww gorgeous, I've never seen a basset x lurcher.
I hadn't thought about my books, eeeek, if he starts on those it might be the end of the love affair...
he's had the cover of a new DVD which came in the post, forgot about that!
 
LOL I have had sighthounds too long - everything you have listed I looked at and thought "well yes, that is what all dogs do surely" :D He has really landed on his feet with you Kerilli, I am so pleased for both of you that it has all worked out so well :)
 
I love my lurcher too:) She is small - whippetX i suppose. She was 3 when I had her and is great at escaping - I spent a fortune fencing the garden of my last house, only to discover she could jump out of the back windows of the horses stables:eek: She managed to kill two of my neighbour's Indian Runner Ducks, which involved me in having to go to the middle of Wales in a snowstorm to get replacements:(:( On walks I'm afraid she will chase anything that moves, her favourite being deer - luckily she hasn't caught any:) But I did end up with a £100 vets bill recently when she chased one and cut her leg:( She can jump on the kitchen worktops and steal food without moving the plate or bowl an inch:eek::eek: Should make me more tidy (or less forgetful!) BUT she is very affectionate, smiles, is friendly towards other dogs and people, clean and quite happy to be left at home by herself (had to have my other dog pts recently:(:() oh, and she is very, very cute:D:D Sorry, can't do pics. but she's a scruffy little black and white job:)
 
LOL I too was thinking that's all normal dog stuff! If it's any consolation I got my first lurcher in winter and he hated toileting in bad weather :rolleyes: so I didn't really get him house trained until early summer but since then he hasn't had one accident in the house :) I'm so glad you are enjoying your first lurcher of many (and yes you WILL have more :D)
 
Has he started roaching yet? Its definitely a sign that they’ve settled in…

(for non-sighthound types – here is an example:

DSC00038.jpg
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We had a lovely quirky lurcher when I was growing up (whippetxgreyhound with a touch of terrier). A couple of highlights were luring you to the back door to go out but then nipping back to help himself to tea and breakfast and curling up by you on the sofa in the tightest ball possible, then slowly levering you off through sneaky leg extensions.

He was also a professional grade counter-surfer and complete wimp about the cold and would lay down on the drive rather than go further than a body-length from the door. *sigh* he’s been gone for 9 years now and I still miss the little nose nudges as he walked past me
 
Oh yes, he does that, 'roaching' is it, right. *makes notes*
as for all the other stuff... it's not normal JRT behaviour I guess, and I've had nothing but russells for about 15 years, so I'd forgotten! the russells are little saints actually, they don't thieve for instance! also, they're pretty much indefatiguable, they'll run all day, whereas pointy dog runs like the wind for 400 yards and has to have a little rest!
 
Is he also a tooth chatterer? Greys/lurchers tend to do it when getting excited, usually accompanied by a helicopter bum. Watch out for your shins!

I am hoping to bring one home at some point, unfortunately house is empty for 10 hours a day at the moment so we’ll have to keep it on the back burner :o
 
You could fit 4 russells in his sofa space! :D Like the new name (but ghost was good too).

Glad his got his paws under the table - and on top of by the sounds of it! :rolleyes:
 
no tooth-chattering yet, and i'm not sure what "helicopter bum" is but sounds ominous...!
Brownmare, I'll keep an eye out for them ganging up to steal stuff. My russells really don't steal, even if I leave food on the coffee tables (which they can reach) they know not to touch it. Casper's a different matter, if I turn my back for a minute, he grabs things, he does love a mince pie! ;) ;)
 
Ohh now then, Lil Dil (the princess Lil) is a russell and very adept at drinking my tea from my mug and sitting back down perfectly timed so I wonder if I drank it myself when I re-enter the room :D
 
Lurchers are the best dogs in the world, in my totally un-biased opinion... ;) Mine is, I think, a GSD/whippet mix (about the size of a border collie), and her talent is scrunching herself up small enough to get comfortable on a cat bed. Our dogs aren't allowed on the furniture, but we used to come home and find warm, hairy spots on the sofa even though when we came through the door they were always on their own beds where they belonged, so one day we parked at the top of the road and tiptoed down to our house, avoided the gravel drive and sneaked up to the living room window, to see her curled up happily on the sofa! When she saw us at the window she almost leapt out of her skin, I've never seen a dog try to look so innocent... she slunk down from the sofa and curled up on her bed and pretended she'd been there all along. :cool: I love my dog.
 
All sounds very typical.

I've got 2 ex-race greyhounds.

Sadly the oldest one has lung cancer...her quality of life is still good but we go day to day knowing that the time will come.
 
Brings tears to my eyes...

I had my Lurchy-Lulu (Lucy - greyhound x GSD) put down in August after 12 years together. She was everything all of you describe - thieving cooling roast chickens off the worktop, doing everthing she isn't allowed behind your back, the second your back is turned in fact... then when you turned back round she's there looking at once evil and angelic, look at me, all smile and wag, I'm sooo good... so naughty, but so lovely too.

I myself am now learning to live with a terrier... and after 12 years of Lucy, it's a doddle! :D
 
I have had my lurcher for 4 years now & I think they are absolutely the best dogs ever. Yes, they are thieves, with such an innocent air! My boy is affectionate, lurves the sofa! He will get on the sofa as soon as my other half gets up to make tea, or pick up the paper, then looks all affronted when he gets yelled at to get off. He is a Scottish deerhound/grehound, so is big, but such a gentleman, as you can tell, I am totally smitten. Good for you, taking on a rescue, may you have many happy years with him
 
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