Hiya.
We look after the daughter's Sprocker and Short Haired Pointer/Spaniel cross, but a change in circumstances means we might just be in the position to be owners.
Snell like, we've looked after a few different breeds over the last few years:
Border Collie - far too intelligent for a dog, bit needy.
Dalmatian - thick as mince, but fun.
GSD - all seem to be deformed these days , bred to conform to some bizarre standard. Wife has had them before but possibly a bit big for us, although I do think they are excellent dogs. See also Rotties and Dobermans - a few friends have adopted them without any issues and we both like them as breeds, but possibly a bit much.
Not keen on Labs or Spaniels.
Friend has a working terrier/Shit-zu cross, bit left field but a wonderful dog, possibly the nicest we've looked after, but hard to find as they now seem to be a 'designer' breed.
Love longdogs and terriers, so a Lurch would seem to make sense.
We fostered an ex racing greyhound a few years ago, no issues apart from utter laziness and scared of pretty much everything and everyone.
It'll be a young rescue dog, lots near about.
All advice welcome, but a whippet/terrier cross sounds just about perfect so far.
Thanks in advance.
Mate of mine had greyhound/staffie cross lurcher. Such a lovely dog. On the right here, with my GSP
[img] https://tinyurl.com/ycayazyv [/img]
Died of cancer at a young age.
They now have another rescue lurcher, with just the most lovely temperament of any dog I've known. They are a bit nervous of him around other dogs, I don't think for any particular reason, other than they're just careful, cos he is massive. Looks like he's had great dane in him somewhere along the line. Can't find a pic of him.
Great picture Dez. 🙂
Lots of rescue Staffies about, but not many crosses and again, possibly a bit too powerful for us. Mate has a rescue Malamute which I just can't walk, even on a body harness - too powerful. No one likes to see a fat bloke being dragged behind a dog that's just too big for them. 😀
We have a lurcher, whippet cross pointer. She came from a rescue centre at 14 weeks. Amazingly intelligent, but very trainable and obedient if you are up to it. Very loving but also bossy (believe me) She is great company and good with children. My trail dog. Probably too bright if it is your first dog. Sorry cant put pictures on stw.
We have had a lurcher since she was a pup. Now 9 years old. She's a right old mix bit of Bedlington, Bearded Collie and Border Collie rest is wbippet and Greyhound. Perfect pet. Mum has a Whippet xBedlington, really nice natured dog but mad as a box of frogs.
Here's ours
Back in November, we adopted a 4.5 year-old bull lurcher. We've put in some hard work with her but it's paid off. Today for example, we walked her with a 9 month old whippet/collie cross as a stooge dog.
This little fella hasn't been mistreated as such but hasn't been given the best start. He needs someone one who will be patient and doesn't mind putting the work in. If that's you, he's got the potential to be the best friend ever. Despite his start, he's got a lovely temperament. It's just,that at 9 months old, he's basically only where a 12 week old puppy would be. However, he does seem to be house trained and he's a bright one, keep to please so I think he'll be easy to train.
And if you've not guessed, he's looking for his forever home.
Oh god.....stop it. 🙂
Argh. Trying to post a pic of Zippy taken today with mine and Onza's long doggo and loading photos on your phone via another site is proving to be nightmare....
My parents have two lurchers at the moment, one who they bought as a pup, the other (younger of the two) was a rescue dog. Their dog before these two was also a rescue lurcher.
Yeah, basically they're a bit nuts. Really loving, soft as you like but a bit mad. The rescue dog is a saluki/whippit cross, looks great but came to them with a few issues. He was apparently dumped INA field by some travellers along with his siblings and was found scavenging for food. When they took him in he would steal food where ever it was, you couldn't leave anything out. He broke a wooden bread bin that was left on the worktop so he could scoff a whole load of bread. He's got better with time and is still learning (several years later).
The one they had from a pup is a collie/wolf hound/grey hound mix. I think he looks better but isn't as "pretty". It was hoped he would be the sensible one but that idea soon went out the window. Again, soft as anything and very loving.
Oddly, neither of them seem to like German shepherds or husky dogs for some reason.
Great fin, full of character but if they see a squirrel, rabbit, monkjac deer or the neighbours cats they are off and will only come back when they feel like it. You will not be able to catch them if they don't want you to!
Meet Rebus and Neo
We have a longdog. Saluki/Greyhound. Rescue, so obligatory training issues to get over (not been walked much).
She's the laziest animal I've ever come across.
Cannot be let loose where rabbits or deer are.
Lovely temperament. Very good with our noisy offspring.
Usually takes herself off into another room when things get "a bit much".
Excellent dog though. Stays clean & easy to care for on the grooming front too, as not much hair. Needs a coat in winter!
Fostering a lurcher staffie cross at present. Was used as a breeding machine by the happy -go-lucky-heather-selling-driveway-installing cultural minority until she was rescued. She’s got plenty of fight scars as well.
when she arrived we had more than a few “accidents”, stolen food and destroyed articles but she has calmed down a bit now and if we go out we move all items that could be chewed and leave out a sacrificial cardboard box.
She’s a lovely thing, very attentive (unless cat squirrel appears) but we’ve got her used to our Ferrets. She’s gradually picking up commands and fitness and loves a cuddle on the sofa though personal space seems an alien concept. She’s currently draped over most of the living room floor.
We’ve what we think is a deerhound/greyhound longdog. Was a rescue we got aged about 9 months 5 years ago. His name is Albert.
He is awesome. Spends 23 hours a day lying on the sofa and the other one hour running round like a lunatic. Chases everything small and furry and absolutely not safe around sheep. Strangers stop us to stroke him and say how lovely his eyes are.
Definitely improved our lives having him around
Just re-read the post above.
Oddly, neither of them seem to like German shepherds or husky dogs for some reason.
Our girl has been "a bit funny" (as in, a few growls, pulling on lead) around a couple of German Sheps and Mastiff types. Currently clueless as to why, as she's been generally brilliant meeting all sorts of dogs on and off lead.
Yeah it's weird, started with the wolf hound cross and think he might have passed it on to the other one now! Generally fine with other dogs, both on a off the lead. Favourite game it to run around with other dogs off lead, let them nearly catch them then take off at speed, gain some distance a do it all again. It's much more fun for is when we can find them similar build play mates
No one likes to see a fat bloke being dragged behind a dog that’s just too big for them.
You'd be surprised.
Oddly, neither of them seem to like German shepherds or husky dogs for some reason.
As doesnt like GSD either but she got bitten by one years ago. Leads me onto a weakness of lurchers they are very thin skinned and burst easily, very healthy dogs bjt you still need insurance or some savings. Costs a lot to stitch them up.
Favourite game it to run around with other dogs off lead, let them nearly catch them then take off at speed, gain some distance a do it all again.
Ours shows her collie genes. Runs in a big circle with other dog chasing, when the other dogs cuts across the circle to catch her she doesnt change direction or angle she just lengthens her stride a little to beat the other dog.
Yes, and the propensity to crash through the undergrowth in pursuit of a deer can lead to all manner of cuts and bruises. The older one has also developed a form a epilepsy so is on constant medication.
Still, the above referenced saving and insurance is true for any dog. My mum had a horse before the dogs, that was expensive to fix!
She’s a lovely thing, very attentive (unless cat squirrel appears) but we’ve got her used to our Ferrets
How'd you go about that? We've got guinea pigs and my wife is desperate for a dog. A rescue greyhound is the most sensible option for us I think but training it not to eat the small critters sounds like an impossible task, so I was just banking on making a super, super secure cage and putting a gate on the living room door so the dog can't get in (in theory) but if you can train them up a bit it'd be good.
When we've introduced our friend's lurcher (many things, some collie and some other stuff) to them it's been a success on all accounts - the pigs aren't arsed by her, so don't run away, which in turn means she's not interested in them other than as a curio to watch through the bars of the cage.
The lurcher, by the way, is the best dog I've ever met. Well behaved, gentle, not too much of an arsehole as far as dogs go and great to ride bikes with.
I wouldnt expect to get a lurcher or greyhound not to kill anything small and furry. You would need to keep then separate.
I wouldnt expect to get a lurcher or greyhound not to kill anything small and furry. You would need to keep then separate.
Sounds reasonable. I'll stick with plan A - Fort Knox for rodents.
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Our hairy hound. Used to come for a trot beside the bike but now he's 12, he prefers frequent shorter walks. Never met a sighthound I didn't like 🙂
Not lurchers I'm afraid; our two - you did mention whippets!
Had them both from puppies; Goose on the left will be two in August and Charlie was three in May. They're are a good size for being able to get at least some space on the sofa. Echo above comments regards being lazy and sleeping around 96.3% of the time. Clean, affectionate, think we've done okay training them...
I've never had dogs before and never want to be without one. Would love to get a larger sighthound sometime, ideally a rescue grey - or even a podenco or galgo.
My brother has had a few rescue ex racing greyhounds and all have been brilliant
initially scared of their own shadow, but it comes down to uncertainty of new surroundings and all settled down well.
Most surprising upside was they all loved crowds and noise, even fireworks... we reckon it’s due to the racing and tracks.
they are bone idle and happily sleep all day, will go for a walk but aren’t really that bothered.
he can only get them to run if his wife holds them while dashes off about 100 yards away then they are majestic....
and being sight hounds they don’t chase on smell so are very unlikely to take off after deer etc as not much chance they will see one ( deer are way too shy )
and being sight hounds they don’t chase on smell so are very unlikely to take off after deer etc as not much chance they will see one
Oh how we laughed when my mates greyhound pulled down a muntjac on the zebra crossing outside a park in Reading!! Luckily it had the usual poor greyhound teeth so the deer escape mostly unharmed when the old deer, in the car, got out and screamed at the dog. Same dog got mauled by a squirrel in the same park a year or so later, needed several hundred quids worth of stitches!
Yeah, maybe it's because Suffolk is flat and they can see further but mm folks dogs most definitely go after muntjac (or anything else that basically isant a dog). In their youth they could easily catch rabbit and hare, bringing them back proudly to my parents
I suppose Badger is a Lurcher, with emphasis on the Collie bit. He’s 50% collie, 50% lurcher, and the lurcher looks to me to have been bull terrier with something long legged and short haired. Either way, Badger is the most epic pup I’ve even owned. Smart but not needy, confident but not aggressive, biddable but still characterful. A very happy chap that has brought a whole new dimension of fun to our household ☺️☺️☺️ Six months old now, and maybe mostly finished growing? We’ll see.
Holly dog. Came into my fiancee's old practice as a stray just before last Christmas and came home a week later (all proper protocol followed).
Absolutely the best thing to ever enter our lives, she has the most fantastic personality. I think we've been very lucky as she's not really got any issues despite being most likely abandoned due to having little to no hunting instinct (obviously good for us). As others have said, she can be nervous around other dogs and is very selective about who she selects to chase her around and show off her speed. Recall could be better but she's getting there. Definitely a bit accident prone, she's taken a dew claw off three times now.
Couldn imagine not having a lurcher, they really are the best.
