Anyone got a lurcher?

Re: Anyone got a lurcher?

Jacquin Mitchell — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 12:41:40 GMT

Thank you all who replied.

We went ahead and adopted the pup and she's been with us 10 days.

I'd forgotten how much work pups were but she's already very much part of the family.

Re: Anyone got a lurcher?

warwickshire vet — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 01:02:25 GMT

I have a saluki greyhound lurcher - lovely dog except for sudden bouts of destruction ( 4 sofa's so far..) when she gets s bout of 'seperation anxiety' - on her own in the room but usually someone else at home in another room - all doors open. Great with kids, dogs, easily trained and clever - can open doors handles and bolts and kennels at work. Spends lost of time asleep then 30 mins of running about and asleep again. Perfect vets dog? Probably, if you can take them to work with you! On talking to lurcher people the saluki bit is a common denominator in crazy ones apparently. Mine came from a travelling community - brought in to be PTS as injured its tendons running after a car in a field - that they were pulling it along on a lead from.. at 35mph...

Re: Anyone got a lurcher?

Ian Mostyn — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 20:46:27 GMT

We have a lurcher - a collie cross with some sighthound and probably crossed back with a collie. Long legs, short coat, very soft and friendly and wouldn't be without her. She is very laid back but in her younger days would just set off running for the sake of it. She still runs 4 laps round the cars when we start to go out for a walk! Very fast but well trained and very obediate. No problem with recall and we only got her as an adult rescue. Even at over 12 she can keep up with the pup when she wants to. I have her trained to voice commands, whistles and hand signals and she is helping me train the pup (pure border collie). I never bother with a lead and could walk her down Oxford Street if I wanted to. I have no problem with her, she is fantastic and most lurchers tend to be OK.

Ian

Re: Anyone got a lurcher?

Sibylle — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 20:31:18 GMT

I have a Saluki x lurcher (or rather Sloughi x). Our previous lurcher, also a similar cross died unexpectedly just before Christmas and I have just taken on another one (with a very complex veterinary and behavioural history!!)

Great family pets, love to race around, but happy to sleep for the rest of the day. Quite independent dogs, intelligent and easily trained, including recall (very willing to work, but it's all about figuring out how to motivate them). Our previous dog loved agility and was whistle trained. The main problem with recall is their speed and chase drive. But taking on a puppy you would be able to plan ahead and mark recall as your first priority in training! And most importantly, as you mentioned, to ensure the puppy is well socialised as Saluki/Sloughi types can be quite insecure dogs otherwise.

Hope you'll decide to take on a lurcher, such fun dogs, sometimes a bit naughty though...

Sibylle

Re: Anyone got a lurcher?

Jacquin Mitchell — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 19:36:10 GMT

[quote user="Robert Whiteford"]If it is a cross saluki then it will be fast and, like greyhounds, will not be responsive to recall![/quote]

Oh dear! Are they really not a dog you can recall or are they just hard to train to come back? May have to rethink...

Jacq

Re: Anyone got a lurcher?

Robert Whiteford — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 18:48:49 GMT

A lurcher is a cross breed. A sighthound crossed with just about any other breed but usually a collie. Often rescue centres call a mixed breed dog a lurcher if it has any looks at all of greyhound but they are usually multi-cross mongrels! ...If it is a cross saluki then it will be fast and, like greyhounds, will not be responsive to recall!...so watch out when walking off the lead in a public park that it doesn't spy a wee yorkie half a mile away and take off with its ears clamped down. Although used for coursing they are usually very biddable in the house and tolerant of children. . . . often quite lazy.... Good luck.

Re: Anyone got a lurcher?

Robert Whiteford — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 18:48:26 GMT

Re: Anyone got a lurcher?

Arlo Guthrie — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 18:29:58 GMT

I grew up with a couple of lurchers. Intelligent, good natured, lovely animals. Would be my first choice now I have a family of my own.