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LURCHERS are fascinating dogs, bred to be hunters.
They cross sighthound breeds such as greyhound, saluki, whippet and deerhound across base breeds such as working collies, Bedlington terrier, bull terrier and wheaten terrier.
This adds additional qualities such as endurance, nose, intelligence and gameness to the sighthounds’ speed and hunting instinct. Despite their breeding as hunting dogs they can be charming and lovely pets.
Lurchers are usually fairly sensitive by nature and their relationship with their owners is strong. They thrive on close, loving relationships. These dogs have a natural desire to please and want to be liked by people and loved by their owners.
Like Greyhounds, Lurchers are sprinters. Their energy is used up in high speed bursts rather than through long distance running. Extensive exercise is therefore not as necessary as you might think, however they are bred to be hunters and to run in wide open spaces. This should form an important part of your dog’s lifestyle. Lurchers are intelligent dogs and they need appropriate amounts of mental stimulation. This should come in the form of basic obedience training and constructive play such as fetch and retrieve games.
Lurchers, like many other dogs, love food. Alpha Feeds produce a range of nutritionally balanced complete dog food. Their range includes Alpha Sporting Dog a complete and balanced diet containing chicken and rice along with a range of vitamins and minerals which provides a wholesome food. All the ingredients are carefully cooked in order to ensure that digestion is optimised.
Alpha Field Nuggets have been carefully formulated to include fish meal, which is very rich in amino acids, and whole linseed which is rich in Omega 3 fatty acids.
Alpha Racer contains a blend of proteins including meat, fish, and milk which are necessary to achieve the optimum levels of fitness and condition for racing. Selected cereal and vegetable dietary fibre ensures digestive vigour whilst essential minerals and vitamins are added to promote optimal health and vitality. Alpha Racer is a complete food that meets the requirements of dogs in training or racing.
Lurchers are prone to being destructive if teething, bored or frustrated. If you value your soft furnishings, remember to provide an outlet for their desire to chew, or keep your lurcher safely away from valuables. Lurchers are often scavengers and may attempt to break into the kitchen bin or pull food off shelves and work surfaces. Because they are quite leggy, they can reach a good height when standing on their back legs. Rearranging the storage in the kitchen and getting a dog proof bin is advised.
These dogs tend to be very people friendly so handling is not usually a problem. As with all dogs, puppies will need to be handled from an early age and on a regular basis; strengthening the bond between dog and owner. Lurchers are prone to becoming attached to their human companions. This can lead to anxiety when left alone. It is imperative that you take the time to slowly accustom your dog to spending time alone, by gradually increasing the time you are apart. This ‘home alone training’ is much easier when your dog is a puppy, he will be sleeping a lot and get used to being home alone easier.
All young children should be supervised when interacting with any dog.
The majority of Lurchers are fairly gentle as adults so should not pose a problem with sensible children who can respect a dog’s need for space and quiet time. Problems with children and dogs can occur when a child is too young to recognise that a dog has had enough. Young lurchers can be incredibly boisterous and because of their height, jumping up can be a problem with little children.
Before you let your lurcher off the lead in open areas, it is imperative that you have a tried and tested recall command in place. Practice this in the house and garden where there are fewer distractions before moving on to enclosed areas outside. Reward a good response with treats and praise and try to be exciting and fun. Remember that your dog may well have a strong desire to hunt small prey, such as rabbits and squirrels when exercising. When out in rural areas be aware of increased likelihood of wildlife and your dog running off. The majority of Lurchers will be satisfied with the chase and a good stretch of their legs. They really do delight in free running and it is a joy to watch. Try to encourage your dog to play with toys as it will help channel his desire to chase and burn off energy that otherwise may be directed into chasing other animals.
Young Lurchers can be extremely exuberant with other dogs. They are often clumsy until they grow into their legs, but it doesn’t take long for them to work out that they can outrun most dogs. Many Lurchers may be intrigued by small dogs and think of them as fair game. Fortunately, a lot of small dogs are fairly spirited and able to defend themselves but the dog’s owner may not appreciate it if you have no control over your dog. Also Lurchers are often quick to team up; if you have more than one, they can egg each other on when behaving badly.
Training your dog will be crucial to inhibiting the development of the hunting instinct. Good off lead control will make walks more relaxing for you and more fun for your dog. Training your lurcher is therefore very important, and should start from the moment you bring him home. You must remember that consistency is key; if you are always consistent you will avoid confusing your puppy. Train for short spells regularly, puppies have a short attention span but repetition is necessary for a command to be understood and remembered. Cheerful tones rather than threatening orders are more likely to be understood, especially to a sensitive lurcher. Patience is key and frustration will only lead to a stressful and unsuccessful training session. Most of all keep training relaxed and fun.
Lurchers make fantastic pets due to their sensitive demeanour and willingness to please. It is important to remember that they were traditionally bred to be hunting animals, they love food and they have a natural instinct to chase but this is easily solved by good training.
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