Lurchers - 40MPH Couch Potato Dogs!

A "Lurcher" is NOT a breed

All Lurchers are CROSSBREEDS (mongrel dogs!).

The term "Lurcher" is used to describe a dog that is a cross between a sighthound (a dog that hunts by speed and sight, instead of by scent and endurance) and a pastoral dog (a dog bred to work livestock) or a terrier (a small hunting dog originally developed for driving game from burrows).

A SIGHTHOUND crossed with a PASTORAL DOG or a TERRIER = a LURCHER

Sighthounds include; Greyhounds, Whippets, Salukis, Sloughiis, Borzois, Deerhounds, Wolfhounds, Pharaoh Hounds, Afghan Hounds, Italian Greyhounds

Pastoral Dogs include; Border Collies, Bearded Collies, Rough Collies, German Shepherds, Old English Sheepdogs

Terriers include; Jack Russell Terriers, Bedlington Terriers, Bull Terriers, Wheaten Terriers, Kerry Blue Terriers, Irish Terriers, Airedale Terrier

You can see therefore that Lurchers can come in all shapes, sizes and colours and can either be smooth or rough coated!

* Photo credit - me! My Lurcher girlies Amber and Ebony out for a walk!

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Photographic Print of BEWICK LURCHER from Mary Evans available from Amazon.co.uk

There are various theories about the origin and meaning of the word "Lurcher" :)

The most common explanation is that the word "Lurcher" comes from the Romani (or Romany) word "lur", which means "thief".

Given that Lurchers derive from hunting dogs originally bred in the 17th century by gypsies and travellers throughout Great Britain and Ireland for poaching rabbits, hares and other small creatures, "thief" would have been a perfectly reasonable descriptive name for poachers dogs!

On the other hand, "Saunders Comprehensive Veterinary Dictionary, by D.C. Blood, V.P. Studdert and C.C. Gay, Elsevier" has this entry on Lurchers;

"A traditional dog of the Romany gypsies in the United Kingdom; not an officially recognized breed, but generally a smooth-haired dog of variable conformation. It resembles a cross between a Whippet and a Greyhound. The name comes from the habit of hanging around in the background, more as a camp follower than as a family pet."

..."Lurcher" is a similar word to "lurker", so that explanation is feasible too.

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Lurcher Sniffing Fawn Dutch Rabbit Artists Photographic Poster Print by Jane Burton, 9x12

Lurchers make wonderful family pets due to their gentle, loving natures, but would-be Lurcher owners need to be aware that not all of them are tolerant of cats and other small furry pets...or animals you might encounter on walks such as rabbits, squirrels, deer etc)...!

So if you are squeamish at the thought of a dog acting on instinct and chasing and killing a bunny rabbit, then please don't choose a Lurcher as a pet...

Lurchers were "designed" (for want of a better word) to put food in the cooking pot and while it's quite possible to teach them that you would rather they didn't catch a rabbit for you, some Lurchers will act on their instincts and it's better that you are aware of this simple fact from the outset. My 3 have never killed anything - but that's probably more because I am careful not to give them the opportunity rather than them overcoming their natural instinct.

...and Lurchers are definitely not a good choice for those who dislike dogs on the furniture...Lurchers LOVE comfort and a house filled with warm, snuggly sofas and armchairs and spacious beds covered in soft cuddly duvets and pillows is heaven on earth for a Lurcher.

Other than that, like any other dogs, Lurchers need exercise but they don't need anything above and beyond what is "normal" for most other dogs, so don't think you need to be out of the house several times a day for hours on end.

Lurchers love to run, but bear in mind that you need to be sensible and responsible about where you allow your Lurcher to be offlead. Think of their safety and that of other people and animals who may be in the vicinity. A Lurcher at full pelt tends to tune out of most things other than the sheer joy of running and they can cover a lot of ground FAST. This means that they can be a LONG way away from you very quickly indeed.

Lurchers don't need anything more than routine grooming (obviously rough coated Lurchers need a bit more "maintanence" for their coats than smooth coated ones). They shed hair of course, but nothing excessive. The one difference I've found between Lurchers and other dogs I've had, is that their nails seem to grow very long and they HATE having them clipped - but that may just be my 3 being awkward :)

Foodwise, they don't cost a fortune to feed and my 3 do pretty well on a dental chew for breakfast, a main meal in the afternoon and a couple of dog biscuits, rawhide chews or something similar such as a pigs ear or a bit of paddywhack during the day to help keep their teeth clean.

Lurchers snuggle and cuddle and snooze as much as they can on the softest, snuggliest surface they can find...and they LOVE their humans. Whatever my 3 dogs cost me in terms of money and time, they repay a million times over in love and devotion. They're just...WONDERFUL :)

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As I write this on my laptop, two of my three lurchers are curled up on the sofa next to me...the other one is snuggled up on the armchair...they look so sweet, cosy and downright adorable. I know it sounds soppy, but I love these dogs with all my heart...

At home, all three of my dogs are placid, adaptable, reasonably obedient (LOL) and wonderful, affectionate companions. They are the waggiest, cuddliest, lickiest, most loving dogs I have ever had (and I've had dogs for most of my life). They are loved totally and completely and they love back unconditionally and wholeheartedly in return.

Lurchers love to sleep, they love their comfort, they don't pester incessantly for walks.

If it's raining or cold, they literally rush outside to "do their business" and rush back in again as quickly as possible, heading for the nearest heater/snuggly sofa and more sleep.

They're not faddy eaters, they don't shed excessive hair and as all 3 of mine are smooth coated, they don't require much grooming beyond nail cutting and teeth cleaning...as pets go, lurchers are pretty much perfect.

However...outside of the home, there can often be a very different side to lurchers.

Lurchers are hunters. That's what they were bred to do...and they do it instinctively.

Make no mistake...the waggy, lovable, couch-potato is capable of trqansforming into a sleek, powerful, muscular, turbo charged KILLING MACHINE in the blink of an eye if so inclined and given the opportunity...

Any lurcher is easily capable of catching and killing a smallish animal very easily indeed. Not all will, but you need to be aware of the fact, that they can. They don't differentiate between wild animals or domesticated pets either...to a lurcher there is absolutely no difference between your neighbours cat or a wild rabbit, squirrel or fox...if the fancy takes them and instinct takes over, they will run after it and kill it if they can.

Many lurchers co-exist very happily indeed with their owner's other pets...but some can never overcome their natural instinct that small furry creatures are nothing more than prey...

This is an INSTINCT...and if you are thinking about getting a lurcher as a pet, you MUST consider this aspect.

The desire to hunt is not evil or bad...it's what ANY dog is capable of, lurcher or non-lurcher. Dogs are animals, not toys. It's just that lurchers have more inbred tendency to instinctively hunt than many other types of dog...any dog will chase a cat, rabbit etc, but lurchers are seriously FAST and are far more likely to catch what they chase and if they do, that's where human conditioning STOPS and animal instinct takes over.

Now, don't get me wrong, not every lurcher will do this, but some of them do, as owners have found out to their horror (and grief). Even my own dogs, normally pretty responsive to commands, seem to become deaf in the excitement of being out and about and forget that I, the person who normally they shadow everywhere I go (or as many places as I'll let them!) even exists, much less listen to my attempts to recall them unless they feel like it...

Luckily, there is a solution...which is just as well as lurchers are so perfect in just about every other way.

It's a simple solution too...muzzle your lurcher in public and never let them off lead to run anywhere that there might be other animals around.

It sounds terribly drastic...but better safe than sorry...

Here's a link to an interesting article on a lurcher internet forum which discusses this issue and includes some real experiences of lurcher owners whose dogs have unfortunately killed... Lurcher Link forum

Complacency and believing that "my dog will never do anything bad" could well lead to disaster...so PLEASE take this aspect of the "lurcher personality" into consideration if you are thinking about getting a lurcher as a pet...

If you're considering getting a lurcher from a rescue centre or anywhere else, do lots of research to find out more about them - internet forums are a great place to find people who know a great deal about lurchers and have first hand experience.

* Photo credit - me! It's my handsome Lurcher boy Tigger relaxing on the sofa!

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I've had dogs all my life - they've always been crossbreeds, but I knew nothing about Lurchers.

My first encounter with a Lurcher was when I was quite young. An aquaintance of my older brother had one - a deerhound cross, a very tall, hairy, rough coated, grey dog. I wasn't allowed to do what I usually do with dogs (get down on the floor and play with it) as the friend told me that the dog wasn't a pet...he kept it for "a bit of poaching". This concept was a new one on me and I didn't really understand why or how a dog could not be considered a pet!
When I grew up and got a home of my own, I got two puppies, litter brothers called Max and Sam. They both lived long, happy lives, adored by me and adoring me back.

Max died at the age of 14 and Sam died two years later and I was HEARTBROKEN to lose the last of my beautiful boys. I didn't want another dog. I felt that to even consider such a thing was a betrayal to their memory and no other dog could ever come close to the sheer wonderfulness of my boys, but my son grieved for Sam so much that my partner suggested perhaps we should reconsider...



So it was, that one Sunday afternoon with a heavy heart and no enthusiasm, I found myself in a local dog rescue centre taking a small, skinny, reddish-brown dog striped like a tiger for a short walk.

We were told he was a Lurcher - I remember thinking "he looks nothing like a Lurcher" based on my one previous meeting with a Lurcher - my eyes were not yet opened to the diversity of Lurcheryness. I didn't want this dog, or any other dog...all I wanted was my Sam back. However, my son fell in love and so we ended up with this timid and to my mind at the time rather strange looking creature...because of his colouring we named him Tigger...

Within a week, Tigger's sweet, gentle nature had got right under my skin and into my heart. Tigger has eyes that look into my very soul...he is the most loving dog I have ever encountered and is truly special.

In hindsight, I now think that I must have been suffering from defective eyesight or possibly insanity, when I met Tigger for the first time, as I now cannot understand how I could have thought that a dog so noble and handsome as Tigger is, looked "rather strange". Tigger is unbelievably gorgeous. His coat is light brindle, and encompasses every shade of gold, brown and red imaginable, dramatically striped with a black contrast. He is stunning, there is no other word for him...there's not an ounce of fat on him, he's elegant and dainty and he's my Mr Handsome. He's most likely of Whippet origins :)

Tigger's favorite things in life are balls, sausages and a comfy bed.



About 6 months later, back we went to the same rescue centre to get Tigger a friend. We'd tried re-homing another male lurcher but Tigger's submissive nature (Tigs is a big WUSS) meant it didn't work out, so we thought we'd try him with a girlie.

Out trotted the prettiest little lady-dog I'd ever seen. A cute, little delicate blonde puppy, who moved like a dressage pony...she and Tigger hit it off straightaway and she came to live with us...keeping with the "fur colour" theme we called her Amber...

If Amber was human, she'd be a supermodel - a long-legged blonde with exotic golden eyes and the temperament of a diva, Amber is a Princess.

Amber is predominantly Greyhound ancestry.

Amber rules the roost and is definitely Top Dog. She's intelligent, resourceful (she's the one who works out how to open doors and leads occasional escape expeditions) and she loves her comfort. She hen-pecks Tigger and bosses him around, but he loves her regardless.

Amber gets kissed several thousand times a day...she's scrumptious and soooooooo BEAUTIFUL... :)



A year later, and by now, true devotees of all Lurcherkind, we acquired a cute little black girlie puplet who we called Ebony...


Ebony is the least "lurchery" looking of the three -I'm really not sure what her mix is, she's got the deep sighthound chest and the folded back Greyhound/Whippet ears, but her legs are shorter and I'd guess she's got quite a bit of Black Labrador in her make-up.

Ebony bounces...a lot...she's sweet, still puppylike and daft as a brush. She's the lickiest dog I've ever met - her tongue is out of her mouth far more often than it's in.

Tigger occasionally finds her constant enthusiasm for everything in life irritating (like an annoying kid sister), but Amber loves to play with her.

Ebony gives the loveliest, snuggly cuddles and she's got such a lovable and endearing personality, even non-doggie people get won over by her.

Here's a picture of Tigs and Amber doing their couch potato thing - Amber spends a lot of her time upside down - it's a well known Lurcher trait known as "roaching" and nearly every Lurcher I've ever encountered does it - a lot!

I LOVE MY LURCHERS!



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