Tell me about lurchers!

[bertin12]

I may be getting a lurcher (mums a greyhound, dads a bedlington/whippet) and I want to know all about them!
I've met a fair few lurchers & they've all seemed lovely, one or two couldn't go off the lead though due to not coming back but I suspect this could be down to training?

 

[Cahill]

train and train but instinct will kick in at some point

 

[planete]

A lurcher is a cross breed. What they are like depends on what has gone into the mix. But expecting a very high prey drive would be wise and pet training may not guarantee a good recall if there is game about. If you have never had a long dog or lurcher before, it would be safer to get a throughly assessed rescue from a good rescue charity where the dogs are fostered in homes and you will be told whether the animal is cat safe, what quirks it may have, and where they will try and give you a dog suitable for your circumstances.

 

[Equi]

That mix will be a very high drive dog. They are great for prey if you are into that but if not they can be a nightmare - it's in their blood. They are lazy ******* and like nothing more than lying on the sofa but when they go for a run they surely go! And unfortunately the vast majority are likely to chase and kill anything smaller and furry be it dogs or cats or rodents. My dog is suspected to have some lurcher type and although he is grand with all other animals if he sees a cat he's gone and nothing will stop him. With the bedlington in there it will have a funny coat lol

 

[Annette4]

I walk regularly with a mixed group of whippets/lurchers. Training is key but all seem happy folk. One or two have issues with other breeds but they tend to be the rescues.

 

[Carlosmum]

I have a beddy x whippet, she's is the most adorable dog. Loves a cuddle & will spread herself everywhere, lap / sofa / bed, arms & legs a-kimbo, she is not one for curling up. However, I will admit to a total lack of training, I have tried but not succeeded! She has poor recall, jumps all over visitors, and looks blankly at you if you throw a ball. I don't let her off the 'long line' when we are out but she does have a secure paddock to play in. She has a slightly 'broken' coat & a tendency to get cold.

 

[paisley]

The 0-90mph couch potato! You will be told they don't recall, steal food and are wimps. Mostly rubbish.

They can recall extremely well, but it will take effort and require you to look like you need care in the community during the early stages to focus their attention (I demonstrated the high pitched squeaking used for whippet recall to another dog walker. The dog was there in a second, but the owner nearly died of embarassment).

They are incredibly tough despite the dainty appearance, but if enough people are around to hear and you step on a paw, the screaming will indicate a leg has fallen off.

The advice I would give is to get the best insurance you can afford, more medical kit than you think is necessary (something is always cut or ouchy) and an extra sofa- and be prepared for pointy nosed cuddles!

 

[Alec Swan]

With the Greyhound as the Dam, and with a Bedlington-Whippet as the Sire, the breeding couldn't really be bettered. When breeding lurchers, the speed always wants to be underneath, as in the Dam needs to be the one with the pace! If you have a choice, then **generally** the bitches tend to be a bit more amenable than the dogs. Despite what others will tell you, I would keep the socialising of the puppy to a minimum. Lurchers (again generally), need a close and focused bond with their owners, and that's best established from the very start.

We currently have a 15 month old dog pup, and though he's seen little of strangers, he's everyone's friend, and has been the easiest dog in the world, to have living in the house. Apart from the first couple of weeks when he thought that he knew best, and found that he didn't, he hasn't had a voice raised to him in anger, for the last 12 months. He's a flying machine, he mops up rabbits, and he's a delight.

How tall is the Dam? You measure as you would a horse, to the shoulder, and what colour is she? Any chance of some pics?

Alec.

 

[PorkChop]

The 0-90mph couch potato! You will be told they don't recall, steal food and are wimps. Mostly rubbish.

They can recall extremely well, but it will take effort and require you to look like you need care in the community during the early stages to focus their attention (I demonstrated the high pitched squeaking used for whippet recall to another dog walker. The dog was there in a second, but the owner nearly died of embarassment).

They are incredibly tough despite the dainty appearance, but if enough people are around to hear and you step on a paw, the screaming will indicate a leg has fallen off.

The advice I would give is to get the best insurance you can afford, more medical kit than you think is necessary (something is always cut or ouchy) and an extra sofa- and be prepared for pointy nosed cuddles!

Love this reply

 

[MissMistletoe]

Amazing dogs!

I have 2, one Saluki x Whippet Greyhound, and a Border Collie x Bedlington Whippet.

 

[Leo Walker]

I wrote a massive reply and it got eaten

So heres some photos of mine, probably sums them up better than words anyway :lol:

Bitch on the left, collie/whippet/saluki of some sort, dog on the right, out and out working bred whippet, mum was a race bred bitch, dad was a worker, so probably has a dollop of something else in there as well

He goes everywhere at high speed with her in tow :lol:

He LOVES chasing balls and toys. Hes not a natural retrevier but he worked out very quickly if he brought them back we threw them again and he got to chase them. Its the chase he loves. He happily swims out to retrieve now.

He has more faces for sad than eskimos have words for snow! Depsite that hes a very, very happy little dog who loves everyone and everything. He just has a flair for the dramatic!

He loves ALL people, especially my OH, although I am his special person and if he has a complaint he would like to make, I am the person he comes to find. He has very strong opinions on what he is entitled to, mainly comfort and attention. Although it is like feeding a bottomless pit!

Despite having a very high prey drive, he lives happily with the cat

Of my 2 the bitch is an ideal pet, easier to train, easier to exercise, easier to manage, easier to feed etc, but he is the absolute love of my life! We didnt have an easy start, he came to me at about 13 weeks and I was his 4th home. Didnt take me long to work out why :lol: Hes 3, nearly 4yr old now and hes definitely calmed down with age, he was literally the spawn of satan until about 18 months old. He once ate a lightulb and Im pretty sure hes had his 9 lives now!

I spend a lot of time making him think hes "working" even though hes not. It would almost certainly be easier to work him. He does work himself, and despite only being 21"TTS hes nearly had hares twice. I could go on, but I'll leave it there if anyones still reading :lol:

 

[bertin12]

Thanks for all the replies!
The mum is a brindle, dad is black. She has a short coat & he has a rough coat.

As for training/ socialising, is it a good idea going to general puppy classes? And one of the things I'm most worried about is having a dog that doesn't like other dogs. I will make sure pup is friendly to other dogs!! There's a vets around the corner from me hold puppy 'party' type things so will definitely be attending them.

Any other tips/ advice most appreciated!!

 

[Clodagh]

Every lurcher I have ever met has been good with other dogs, but nearly all have been rescues from travellers, and travellers do socialise their dogs well.
We have friends with bull bred lurchers and my dogs can just hop in the back of a pick up with them, they are really amenable and easy going.
In my expericance they are more cat like than dog like and use you rather than need you. I love mine dearly but now having a lab as well realsie how nice it is to have a dog who wants to be with me rather than dong their own thing. Mine, in her younger days, killed anything that was furry and moved but has always been OK with small dogs and chickens. I think her camping start in life taught her manners there! She learned to accept a cat that she knew.

 

[splashgirl45]

mines mum is bearded collie,bedlington ,whippet and dad a coursing whippet....a VERY high prey drive and very intelligent..and independent but is a nervous Nellie with fireworks and thunderstorms..absolutely loves cuddles and is very affectionate..loves people, especially children.gets on well with all other dogs and is fine with cats, but hare,rabbit,deer,squirrel,and pigeons are not safe when she is around. not been easy to train...I do walk her off lead daily but am careful where I walk and what time...very early morning or dusk are the danger times for her going off hunting. her recall is ok as long as I am alert and can call her before she sets off after prey, if I am late to see it I have no chance and she will come back when she is tired. my collie cross has been a dream and has hardly needed training, so has made me realise other breeds can be much easier

 

[bertin12]

Luckily I have access to a fully enclosed field as I work at a kennels and the dog would be coming to work with me every day

 

[cremedemonthe]

Whippet x Saluki lazy Daisy, rules the roost and bosses our other dogs (both boys and not lurchers) in to submission with a mere "Saluki death stare"
Had a bad start in her young life by being abandoned on a travellers camp, I rescued her from the "rescue" centre (owner was thrown in prison for horrendous animal abuse so we saved her bacon). She had no hair,very very thin, was covered in open bleeding sores, stuffed full of roundworm, stank to high heaven and was very scared of men, came with nothing, no collar,lead, papers, nought.
Broke her femur 3 months after we saved her out on a walk, ended up at Fitzpatricks (supervet on tv) now a beautiful loving 40 mph girl.
Wouldn't be without her, glad we gave her a chance. You'll love being owned by a Lurcher.

[/URL]

[/URL]

[/URL]

 

[twiggy2]

well they can be very different as they are made up of lots of other breeds, true mutts, often accident prone-mine was stitched up the first time after running into a 28ft long white boat that was in a 3.7 acre flat field of short grass not one other single obstacle in the field, she was not even chasing anything just having a whizzy moment and in full daylight ''smack'' straight into it, just missed the cephalic vein that runs down the front of the front leg. it is not uncommon for her to be stitched back together-still happens and she is now 7 and a half.
she loves to play-anything, ball chasing was a favourite but is not longer allowed since she completely ruptured her cruciate when she wrapped herself around a tree when chasing a deer through the local small patch of woodland. she does play rough though, I can play using my hands with my other dogs but not her-she does not bite but body blows and pulls on clothes she will only do this to me and if the game is very exciting and provoked by me-this type of game stopped before she was a year old after it had got out of hand twice, I ended up bruised nothing else. this is not what most lurchers would play like.
she is a heat hog and I think this can be said of being true of 99% of lurchers, loves the sun/radiators and the sofa but no dogs are allowed on furniture in my house-mine is very high energy and does not cope even now if walks are reduced for any reason.
her recall is great/fantastic BUT I know there is no point calling a coursing sight hound-she never goes for long (more than 5 mins) I carry on walking and she finds me-sometimes she comes back with an injury the last one was a haematoma that covered over 1/5 off her body surface-she went off after a white fallow deer and where the main sight off the blow was it looked like she got kicked on the ribcage. I walk in large woodland and her recall puts the collie, westie, springer, flat coat, 3 labradors and bedlington lurcher that we walk with to shame. I do not walk her in areas criss crossed with roads or small patches of ground as distance is relative-I do walk her off lead everywhere that is large enough for her-beach, woodland, parks open hills the lot.
she is the most sociable dog I have ever owned, loves all other dogs but screams at the drop of a hat on meeting new ones-loves all people especially kids, much to the breeders surprise, she was a quiet and shy pup and he was concerned she may struggle in such a busy house but I really like to form a strong bond with my pups and she has always trusted me. always comes back to me when injured even when the injuries have been very serious/painful and she has been in shock.
she has never shown any hunting instinct with our ferrets but is from lines that work with ferrets, she is used to introduce tiny dogs (chihuahau/yorkies) to bigger dogs at work-she knows what a dog is but cats need to beware.
I love this dog, she is amazing to watch run and is a true wild child, you can see the joy she gets from just being alive when she runs for the fun of it-she has come close to breaking my heart a few times when I have thought I was going to lose her and when I have thought it may be time to let her go when on long term recovery from cruciate surgery, but she is still here loving life.
bit of an essay but I would have another lurcher in a heartbeat

 

[{97702}]

Luckily I have access to a fully enclosed field as I work at a kennels and the dog would be coming to work with me every day

Sounds fabulous, lucky you I've had a couple of lurchers - one from a puppy (collie x greyhound x deerhound) and one as a rescue (goodness knows x greyhound ) and they have been fab dogs - just the same as the whippets and greyhounds I've had really, they can have high prey drive but not always, they have been easy to train, mine weren't bothered about fireworks but some can be - really depends on the individual dog

 

[paisley]

This is the full extent of my sighthound training tips Obviously mine is mostly whippet, and I like to describe his recall as '99% brilliant, 1% Fenton!'

Improving your whippets recall
Do you own a skinny dog that appears to have a Cloak of Invisibility? Often find yourself alone in a field, wondering if Alzheimer’s has arrived as you’re sure you had a dog recently.
Here’s the handy guide to Whippet Location:
1-Carefully watch the whippet for signs of imminent disappearance. Slight pause in the walk, ears gradually going to ‘full sail’, glint in the eye, or actual stalking. None of this will help, but it’s nice to have a last look at the ruddy thing before it does a runner
2-Hide in bushes/behind trees. According to the experienced dog people, this encourages the little beast to find you, like a fun game. It’s actually more helpful to avoid the irate people shouting “is this your bloody dog?!”
3-Be more rabbit. Hop about, eat vegetables, learn to run like the wind and copulate vigorously with anyone remotely willing. This will get you taken away by concerned strangers keen to let you lie down in a nice dark room, with a comfy and secure new coat, and someone else can look for the dog
4-Stay indoors. Lie on the sofa. Congratulations! Your whippet will be here

 

[amy_b]

I have a Bedlington x Whippet and I can say that she is the opposite to everything everyone says!!
She has a good recall, she doesn't chase cats (apart from one - her friend, she chases him at a trot if he doesn't stop to talk to her out on a walk, even though she is bound to see him in the house later... *rolls eyes*)
She LOVES I mean LOOOVVVEEESSSS playing fetch!!! she will fetch all day!! She likes to fetch in water (though her little twig legs aren't the best at swimming so this is restricted to shallow areas..!)
She will walk all day or sleep all day as requested. Does occasionally nibble a shoe if it is left somewhere looking delicious, but usually saves chewing for her beloved Monkey.
She is nervous of other dogs but only if she is cornered (she was attacked once) but if she can run away until she knows that they are friendly she is great!
She does lose points on cuddling or ruffling, skinny dogs aren't satisfying and squidgy.
Research your food, mine as do most has a teeny tiny appetite,basically she only eats enough to survive so food needs to be very high quality, I feed mine Science Plan Active something or other and she looks great with a covering of fat. Don't feed anything bulked out with cereals, highest meat % you can find.
Find out whether s/he is food or toy driven, a puppy will be one or the other and earlier poster is spot on with high pitched squeaking noises, but I live in the countryside so thankfully haven't had to display my training squeak in public
I am a big terrier fan but my lurcher has just enough terrier to have a personality but not enough to be a PITA!

Oh, and mine isnt allowed on the sofa. EVER. (Dont ring RSPCA yet..!) but they do need a really comfy bed, presumably because they don't carry fat they actually do need a thick bed or duvet to lie on to be comfy.

She is awesome to watch at full tilt!!

Have fun!!!

 

[TeamChaser]

This is the full extent of my sighthound training tips Obviously mine is mostly whippet, and I like to describe his recall as '99% brilliant, 1% Fenton!'

Improving your whippets recall
Do you own a skinny dog that appears to have a Cloak of Invisibility? Often find yourself alone in a field, wondering if Alzheimer’s has arrived as you’re sure you had a dog recently.
Here’s the handy guide to Whippet Location:
1-Carefully watch the whippet for signs of imminent disappearance. Slight pause in the walk, ears gradually going to ‘full sail’, glint in the eye, or actual stalking. None of this will help, but it’s nice to have a last look at the ruddy thing before it does a runner
2-Hide in bushes/behind trees. According to the experienced dog people, this encourages the little beast to find you, like a fun game. It’s actually more helpful to avoid the irate people shouting “is this your bloody dog?!”
3-Be more rabbit. Hop about, eat vegetables, learn to run like the wind and copulate vigorously with anyone remotely willing. This will get you taken away by concerned strangers keen to let you lie down in a nice dark room, with a comfy and secure new coat, and someone else can look for the dog
4-Stay indoors. Lie on the sofa. Congratulations! Your whippet will be here

Paisley .....LOL!!!

I have an 11 wk old whippet so have all this to look forward to. I think we will be lead walking for a while yet as he's a somewhat independent and confident little chap so I fear may head for the hills the moment he gets the opportunity! He does love my lurcher though so I live in hope that he will stick with him - thankfully he has excellent recall

He's a lovely affectionate and friendly pup but I must admit way more boisterous and brave than I'd anticipated!

 

[twiggy2]

Paisley .....LOL!!!

I have an 11 wk old whippet so have all this to look forward to. I think we will be lead walking for a while yet as he's a somewhat independent and confident little chap so I fear may head for the hills the moment he gets the opportunity! He does love my lurcher though so I live in hope that he will stick with him - thankfully he has excellent recall

He's a lovely affectionate and friendly pup but I must admit way more boisterous and brave than I'd anticipated!

Now is the time to create a recall, when they are small, less confident and are easier to tire out

 

[Clodagh]

This is the full extent of my sighthound training tips Obviously mine is mostly whippet, and I like to describe his recall as '99% brilliant, 1% Fenton!'

Improving your whippets recall
Do you own a skinny dog that appears to have a Cloak of Invisibility? Often find yourself alone in a field, wondering if Alzheimer’s has arrived as you’re sure you had a dog recently.
Here’s the handy guide to Whippet Location:
1-Carefully watch the whippet for signs of imminent disappearance. Slight pause in the walk, ears gradually going to ‘full sail’, glint in the eye, or actual stalking. None of this will help, but it’s nice to have a last look at the ruddy thing before it does a runner
2-Hide in bushes/behind trees. According to the experienced dog people, this encourages the little beast to find you, like a fun game. It’s actually more helpful to avoid the irate people shouting “is this your bloody dog?!”
3-Be more rabbit. Hop about, eat vegetables, learn to run like the wind and copulate vigorously with anyone remotely willing. This will get you taken away by concerned strangers keen to let you lie down in a nice dark room, with a comfy and secure new coat, and someone else can look for the dog
4-Stay indoors. Lie on the sofa. Congratulations! Your whippet will be here

OMG I love that! We ecven say 'Sash has put on her invisbility cloak'. all lurchers know that if you avoid eye contact you cease to exist. That has made my day!

 

[splashgirl45]

as others have said, they are cross breeds and can all be different. they are amazing dogs even with the small lack of recall problem. the longest mine has been gone is 3 hours!!!!! I was a nervous wreck, she staggered home and slept most of the next 2 days sleeping.,, my previous lurcher was border collie/whippet/bedlington cross and was completely different. easy to train, loved playing ball and would play fetch all day if allowed..excellent recall even if chasing something, so I was not prepared for a high prey drive lurcher.....however they steal your heart and as you have an enclosed area for free running you will have an advantage...don't forget, once you get your lurcher piccies are a bsolutely compulsory!!!!!!

 

[RobinHood]

My mother's lurcher is the most wonderful dog. Everyone that meets him wants to take him home. He hangs on your every word, loves kisses and cuddles, makes funny noises if you pull faces at him, brilliant ratter but you can call him off any prey in an instant.

My lurcher is entirely different. He completely ignores strangers but goes all silly and wiggly in the middle when he sees one of 'his' people. It's taken him 5yrs to actually like being stroked but he still refuses cuddles. He's my shadow and never puts a foot out of place... until there's a deer/fox/squirrel and then his brain is on another planet. He manages to catch squirrels whilst wearing 3 extra loud bear bells! He's the best running companion ever although I don't always appreciate the extra mileage following the distant sound of said bells!

The naughtiest thing mine ever did was take a Rottweiler off on a hunting trip in the woods and then return 20 mins later without him. It took 2 days of searching to find him. After that they couldn't be loose together because they'd slink off the very second your back was turned, always the lurcher leading the way and the rottie glancing back over his shoulder. Talk about the brains and the muscle!

 

[lakesidedreamer]

Absolutely 150% correct too. My lurcher came from Orchard House Greyhound Rescue in Tipperary - she is small, a long haired whippet cross, and fabulous. But step on her foot and she'll scream for 5 minutes, and hop around on 3 legs for an hour. Get her injections done at the vet? yup, that's another 45min of howling and crying. (I wish I was kidding - people in the waiting room presume she'd been having major surgery the way she gets on) and as for running on the beach, or running in the meadow... be prepared for a dew claw to rip once a quarter, if not more - or for her to tear all the skin off a leg running in a field of grass.... she'll find the one rock, stick or stone to trip over, break her toe or tear her skin off... it's a sure thing. Oh, and after the THIRD set of stitches in 3 months (hence the insurance) you will stop getting things stitched.... cos she only ruptures the wound again within a day or two sprinting, so it's just not worth it. Botanica cream, silver dressings and vet wrap will become your new best friend. Her daddy may be a doctor, but Mummy is the best vetwrapper around. ;-) (Spray the vet wrap with perfume to prevent chewing)

 

[Annette4]

All skinny dogs are mad, they're owners are worse!

Meet the delinquents. Mine is the whippet in a muzzle(....because she started trying to eat the other whippets poo!)

 

[bobble]

Mines a bedlington x i think, a fury one anyway. Got her from the pound when she was abut 2 years. Hasn't had a very good start in life. Doesn't like strangers especially men, not nasty just will not go near them, white vans, and people walking behind her. I have had her for about 2 years. Great house dog very quite and lives with 3 cats quite happily after I explained that they weren't playthings. Shes a very loving dog loves cuddles and definitely loves sleeping on the settee. Also thinks training is not for her, her idea of catch is to grab the ball and not let it go. Luckily with recall we do ok, she very greedy which helps. I have only lost her once for about 5 mins but it seemed like it was forever. I only let her off in certain parks and as she does like chasing other peoples cats and its very embarrassing trying to get her back off peoples gardens . I wouldn't be without her, she always make me smile. Everytime she runs the sheer enjoyment on her face is priceless. She's bossy and rules over the other dogs. She loves nothing more than lying in a pool of mud/river and getting completely filthy, oh and laughing at me she laughs at me alot.

 

[MissMistletoe]

Mines a bedlington x i think, a fury one anyway. Got her from the pound when she was abut 2 years. Hasn't had a very good start in life. Doesn't like strangers especially men, not nasty just will not go near them, white vans, and people walking behind her. I have had her for about 2 years. Great house dog very quite and lives with 3 cats quite happily after I explained that they weren't playthings. Shes a very loving dog loves cuddles and definitely loves sleeping on the settee. Also thinks training is not for her, her idea of catch is to grab the ball and not let it go. Luckily with recall we do ok, she very greedy which helps. I have only lost her once for about 5 mins but it seemed like it was forever. I only let her off in certain parks and as she does like chasing other peoples cats and its very embarrassing trying to get her back off peoples gardens . I wouldn't be without her, she always make me smile. Everytime she runs the sheer enjoyment on her face is priceless. She's bossy and rules over the other dogs. She loves nothing more than lying in a pool of mud/river and getting completely filthy, oh and laughing at me she laughs at me alot.

She sounds lovely!

Annette4, I'm intrigued to know what those little ruck sacs are on the whippet and lurcher's backs?

 

[Annette4]

They're different harnesses, the whippet is wearing a ruffwear one as she's a little escape artist and can get out of 90% of collars and harnesses.

The lurcher is wearing a fleece harness, he seems to walk better on it than a collar, unlike his littermate who walks perfectly on a collar but pulls like hell in a harness.