Rescue a Lurcher ...Should I?

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katia

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Hi all,

We lost our Jack Russell to old age in January and have really missed having a woof around the place.

We have tried to fight the urge to get another, mainly due to me having our 3rd child in Feb but after seeing a friend of ours with the most adorable sweet natured lurcher a few weeks ago I started to put feelers out.

So I have found a lovely boy looking for a new home... Apparently good with children.. Very sweet, my 13 ur old daughter walked him when we went to see him and he wasn't in the slightest bit interested in the baby.

So do we take the plunge and have him home on trial? .. I know every dog is different but just wanted peoples experience of the breed, particularly if kept as a family pet.

Thanks in advance :) x
 
I have always wanted a Lurcher/grey hound/ whippet. Never owned one though but every one I have met has been lovely, just makes me want one even more!!!

so no advice here but good luck, let us know what you decide :D
 
Yeah, same here.. All the ones I've met have had great temperaments .. Just wanted reassurance that that is generally what they are like and also the transition from working dog to pet!

I shall let u know :) x
 
I've kept working longdogs for years. They are very individualistic, but they are fantastic dogs to own. One thing you'll never break them of is the desire to chase. Its what they live for. The bitch I had until a few years ago was also the best cat killer I have ever encountered and that includes my old Patterdale terrier. They didn't have to run either she was equally happy doing them whilst they slept.

The saddest thing you'll ever see is a long dog that's never allowed to stretch its legs and fill its lungs.
 
Thanks Soggy. I have thought of where/if/when I could let him off his lead... I guess it depends on his recall?.. Like u say, I would hate for him never to be able to have a good run... I'd never expect to keep my horses couped up or always on a leadrope :-/
 
my neighbour has a rescue lurcher,him and my boy are best mates,they have a good run off lead in safe places and always come back because we practice our recalls all the time.
 
yes go for it!!!!!! lurchers are usually very people and dog friendly and the only drawback is the chase instinct.....not all lurchers are the same as they are really mongrels but all of mine have been very gentle and absolutely love children and its only my current one who has a very high prey drive but she is the most gentle dog ever and i still walk her mainly off lead, just need to choose where i go at different times of the year....good luck and if you get him we will need piccies please!!!!
 
Should you? Well, it depends on whether you want to have a wussy, shrieking, counter-surfing eejit who chases anything that moves and has no recall to speak of :D

Seriously though, there are so many breeds that can go into making up a lurcher that it's hard to generalise, but they all have sighthound in the mix, so you're likely to have something that wants to chase, especially if they've been a worker (unless they're a failed worker ;)). And once they latch on to something they can be nigh-on impossible to get back until they've finished what they started (especially if there's a bit of saluki in there).

That said, in my experience, they're delightful dogs to have around, I've never known an aggressive one and they're quite lazy in the house. I've had a Bedlington cross and a Deerhound cross and they were both gorgeous. The Beddie actually had no chase instinct and used to try and make squirrels play :rolleyes:.

Only other things I can think of is they're renowned for having a low pain threshold and need special consideration when having anasthetic and it would appear not all vets know this.

Go for it, they're lovely, but do a bit of reading - then you know what you're taking on. The House Lurcher is a good book.

:)
 
Aw thanks for all your advise peeps :) Fred, he's lovely but I have got one in mind at a local rescue centre... Not sure hubby will agree to two ;)
 
Do it, if he is anything like our rescue/retired greyhound you're in for a treat :D

He has zero recall so his leg stretches are 10 mins of manic zooming round the garden followed by conking out on the sofa....

He is as daft as a brush, has no pain threshold and can make you think his leg has fallen off if you stand on his paw. He is not trouble and loves kids and hanging out. He is happy to do whatever you fancy whether that be lots or nothing at all :) The worst thing I taught him was to give me his paw, he now uses it for wanting a walk/scraps/cuddles/treats - it is Boots way of asking for *stuff* (also v cute)

Ours took a couple of months to come out of his shell and I've seen a lurcher cross the same, so a bit of time and patience and then their character shines through :D
 
Yes! But like everyone has said, there are a few considerations.

You will have to work extra hard on recall, but if a numpty like me can have a whippet cross with good recall so can anyone (I like to classify it as 99% reliable, 1% "Fenton!!!!!")

Not all lurchers necessarily thieve food. But its almost certain you will have to share the sofa, or wonder how warm the house would be if there wasnt a dog-shaped object blocking the fire

Stock up on sticky bandages, antiseptic wash (Savlon dry spray comes recommended)and cotton wool. And pet insurance.

Be prepared to have your heart stolen by what is essentially a bony mongrel whose "essentials" list is ever growing ;) , who can outrun every dog in the park and spends the rest of the day asleep :)
 
Yes!!

Excellent advice from Paisley.

If he's a worker you will need to see how keen he is before you decide... I foster for GRWE (and have one of their dogs myself) and their prey drive varies massively. Mine is very good, as he was raised as a pet (collie x grey) but my dad's (whippet x GSD) is a nightmare as she was a gypsy dog.. We rehome lots with cats/ chickens etc, and I can call mine off rabbits, so you just need to make sure you pick the right one for you. Otherwise, brilliant family pets, I wouldn't be without one!

PS Also bear in mind generally the more greyhound the more chilled, the more collie the more trainable, the more saluki the slower to learn and the more whippet the more vocal!
 
Go for it! Wonderful, wonderful dogs!

I'm lucky in the my Bedlington/Whippet was only 6 months when he came to me (also from rescue) and had never been worked, so he's now quite happy living with my 2 cats (he would chase any strange cats however). And his recall is pretty good for a lurcher - although he certainly does play on the "selective hearing".

Just like Leflynn said: "He is happy to do whatever you fancy whether that be lots or nothing at all".

We're fortunate in that our rented fields at the farm are secure, so he can run (or not) to his heart's content while I'm doing the horses, and in fact I only put him on a lead when we happen to be going near a road, or to a strange place where there may be other dogs etc. Get him home again at night and he curls up and you'd hardly know he was there most of the time!

Lurchers - I love 'em!
 
Yep, do it....

I took on Suzy from GRWE (who i would highly recommend) 18months ago, and she is an absolute star! wouldnt change her for the world... (well other than the way she manages to move all of her bed (and the JRT's bed) onto the sofa and take up ALL the space!!
 
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