I think A IMO it depends what crosses they are. Sadie is a lurcher, she is gsd x greyhound (mum) and ridgeback (dad). She is much like a greyhound really, sheds like a gsd. She was the only one in the litter not to have the ridge but as they can be crosses of a lot of different breeds and have many different breeds in the parentage they can all be very different. One rule is though, they are mostly quite sighthound like but often with better recall than a pure hound. They do have a high prey drive as a rule as that is what they are bred for. Sadie has never needed excessive exercise, she's like a grey, she's happy with a run or a chase and then laze about but she can walk for miles without tiring too, she just doesn't demand it as a rule. You'd be best off looking into the breeds in the mix and going from there. If you don't know, then look into the typical behaviours of sighthounds. Hope that helps!
Thanks Kel...very interesting. I don't know much about Lurchers at all. We're not getting one..just interested!
Lurchers are generally a sighthound , often a grey, crossed with a worky type dog such as a collie. Whippet and beddy is a very popular cross for a smaller one. And then this cross may be bred from to another dog so they are not always first crosses either. They are generally used on rabbits, hares foxes, e.t.c. and the vast majority i'd say are bred to work rather than for pets or show or anything like that so most have a high prey drive at least.
It would again depend on the individual dog, I would think because3 they are sighthounds that most would be high prey drive just like my zois,. Some people don't let zois off lead . Mine get their off lead runs provided they well away from main roads and traffic and they are not muzzled. It is hard to be more specific about his.
I have limited experience of lurchers, but did walk a couple when I was a child for my mum's friend in the village where we lived. Both were very dog aggressive and had a very high prey drive. Their owner's son did use them for catching rabbits. The gamekeepers up here where I live also have one or two lurchers each and they are purely for working. From my limited experience though, they can be trained and let off lead, but beware if there are any small furries around!
So like most things it just dpeends on the dog?! My OH met a Borzois the other day and commented on how lovely it was!
That's about it Ailsa. As Moobli says be wary around small furries, but having said that my two live happily with my dachie and my cat. My oldie Ludmilla and the cat were best friends and both slept on my bed, but if she saw a cat outside that was a different matter . Glad your OH was taken with the Borzoi he met
He was very much so!!! I think it's the pointy face thing...reminded him of someone!!!!! Funny they differentiate between cat in the house and cat outside isn't it? That's brilliant!
Generally I would recommend lurchers to anyone looking for a first dog or a nice low maintenance dog. But agree in general it depends on the cross. Pharaoh is laid back, requires little exercise, was a little dim to train (little head not much brain room). Has very good recall and after some work will even recall from a chase. Though depending on the speed of my command occasionally with rabbit He has had very few health problems and these have all been 'mechanical' sprains, pulled tendons, running into trees that sort of thing. He has never had anything internal or even as much as a sniffle. Oh... He is a thief! Don't let his svelte lines and innocent face fool you he is a pig on stilts! But we love him. He's a cuddle monkey, and thinks he's a lap dog. He gats cold and will seek the warmest place to sleep. I have had to lift his paws out of the fire before and usually have to turf him out of the bed before we get in. He's not timid, but is 'delicate', likes hugs and to be close if things are scary, cold, odd, bright, dark, or indeed most of the time he can seem aloof to strangers. He's not aloof, just dim. He's not afraid of strangers, just doesn't know what to do with them. But maybe that's just Pharaoh
