The lurcher is not a dog breed in its own right, but a crossbreed that is the result of breeding a sighthound with another breed. It is a lightning-fast hunting dog that tracks its prey by sight and not by scent. Find out what else characterises Lurchers in the zooplus breed profile.
The lurcher is not a pedigree dog, but a cross between a sighthound and a non-sighthound. Various sighthound breeds as well as various working and utility dogs are used for breeding.
Greyhounds or whippets are usually used on the sighthound side. However, Saluki, Borzoi or Deerhound blood can also run through a lurcher’s veins.
The other part is often made up of herding dogs such as collies or large terriers.
How big and heavy does a lurcher get?
Typically, lurchers reach a height of 69 to 76 centimetres at the withers and a weight of 27 to 32 kilograms. This makes them one of the larger dogs.
As there is no uniform breed standard, lurchers vary in their appearance. Depending on which breeds its parents belong to, lurchers can have a short coat, semi-long coat or even a double coat.
The coat can be smooth, rough or wavy. All coat and eye colours are possible.
Muscular, long-legged dog
Despite the wide variety of coat colours and structures, the sighthound genes make it possible to define some characteristic features of this crossbreed dog.
Lurchers have a slim, athletic build with a broad chest and narrow waist. They are extremely muscular and have a low body fat percentage. Their legs are strikingly long and their snouts are long and pointed. The ears of these mongrels stick out to the side. They can stand upright or hang down.
The Lurcher inherits its slender, muscular build and enormous stamina and speed from the greyhound.
Character: Persistent hunter and sensitive family dog
Thanks to their sighthound genes, lurchers have a keen running and hunting instinct. Originally, these extremely agile crossbreeds were used to hunt small game such as rabbits and birds without barking. To this day, these dogs are typically used for hare coursing, where two or more dogs chase a startled hare.
Lurchers are attentive, persistent sighthounds that can cover large distances at high speed. However, they are also extremely people-orientated, affectionate dogs that bond closely with their owners.
A lurcher is not a beginner’s dog
A lurcher that is appropriately stimulated is a gentle family dog that is calm and patient with children. However, introducing them to a household with cats or small animals can be difficult due to their strong hunting instinct.
Lurchers are considered to be extremely intelligent, sensitive dogs that are in tune with the moods of ‘their’ people. These loyal animals want to be part of the family and not be left alone for too long. They need a lot of attention and belong in the hands of experienced dog owners because of their strong hunting instinct.
Docile, friendly four-legged friend
When training a lurcher, patience, trust and clear communication are the name of the game. Although these docile four-legged friends are generally easy to train, they do not cope well with severe or excessively harsh treatment. Rather, they respond well to cooperative and gentle training.
Well-socialised lurchers are always friendly towards people – they are not even suspicious of strangers. As such, this loving companion and hunting dog is not suitable as a guard dog for your home.
Lurcher’s home and exercise needs
The active, eager to run greyhound cross is not suited to a life in a small city flat. A house in a rural area with a large, well-fenced plot is ideal for them.
The sporty four-legged friend needs plenty of exercise and the opportunity to run freely. However, this is only possible in safe, restricted areas, such as dog sport courses.
Good recall is a must
Lurchers can only be taken off the lead on their daily walks in the woods or park if they have perfect recall. The risk of them escaping and running after a squirrel or hare is simply too great.
Dog sport with a lurcher
Coursing is the perfect dog sport for these speedy hunting partners. These are sighthound races that are modelled on hare coursing in an open field.
Agility or flyball are also good ways to tire out your athletic mongrel. These options will simultaneously satisfy the play instinct of these agile crossbreeds.
Care and nutrition: What are lurchers’ needs?
The level of grooming required depends on the length and condition of the lurcher’s coat. For short-haired specimens, it is sufficient to brush their coat once a week. Semi-longhaired pets need to be groomed more often and, if necessary, have their coat done by a professional at the dog grooming salon.
As greyhounds and greyhound mixes like lurchers are prone to paw injuries, their paws must be checked regularly and their claws kept short. Their ears should also be checked from time to time and cleaned if necessary to prevent inflammation.
Fast-release energy for the nimble runner
As a breed that loves to sprint around, lurchers need relatively large portions of a high-energy food. A balanced mixture of proteins and carbohydrates is recommended here. Animal protein is important for nourishing muscles, while carbohydrates from potatoes and vegetables provide quickly available energy.
Many greyhound breeders and owners rely on dry food. In their experience, wet or raw food contains too much water, which can lead to diarrhoea in nimble racing dogs. However, this has not been scientifically confirmed.
Health: Beware of injuries
Lurchers are robust dogs with stable health. Due to their physique, however, they have an increased risk of suffering gastric torsion, which can be fatal.
These animals are at risk of injury to their paws and muscles, especially when partaking in greyhound racing. If unfit dogs are overstrained, they can experience what is known as ‘tying up’. This is a muscle disease that can be fatal in the worst case and is also known as lumbago, rhabdomyolysis or myoglobinuria.
How long do lurchers live for?
This crossbreed dog has a very long life expectancy and lives to an average age of 12 to 15 years.
Breed-typical diseases are practically non-existent. Occasionally, eye problems such as cataracts and various heart diseases are observed. In old age, some animals develop bone cancer.
Cold-sensitive dogs
As they are quite sensitive to the cold, lurchers should wear a dog coat when walking in winter.
History: Where does the lurcher come from?
The lurcher originates from the British Isles. The crossbreed was bred there by the Travelling community around 600 years ago. Travellers are various groups of people who moved around and earned a living as tinkers or rogue traders, for example.
Because they were officially forbidden from owning greyhounds and hunting, members of the Travelling community bred greyhounds with working dogs. The aim of the breeding programme was to produce fast, strong dogs that could be used for poaching.
What does the name lurcher mean?
There are several explanations for the name “lurcher”. One possibility is that the name of the crossbreed derives from the verb “to lurch”, which means “to creep about”. Alternatively, lurcher could be derived from Romani, where the prefix “lur” means “thief”.
Good to know: If two sighthound breeds are mated with each other, the offspring are not called lurchers, but longdogs.
Not an independent breed
The lurcher is not recognised as an independent breed by the FCI canine organisation. The reason for this is that this crossbreed can be made up from many different sighthound and working dog breeds, which leads to a non-uniform appearance.
However, efforts are being made to establish a binding breed standard.
Breeding and acquisition: How much do lurchers cost?
As the lurcher is a crossbreed that is not formally recognised as its own breed, there are no officially registered breeders with breeding associations. Anyone wishing to buy a lurcher must therefore look for a responsible dog breeder themselves.
Lurchers are rarely found outside Great Britain and Ireland.
The price for a puppy of this crossbreed breed is usually around £800.
End of the line: animal shelter
Lurchers are often not held in high regard in their home country. As mixed breeds, they are not allowed to compete in official dog races or pageants. They also have a certain reputation, as they originated as animal companions of the Travelling community.
For this reason, greyhound mixes repeatedly end up in animal welfare centres in Great Britain and Ireland. Sick or older four-legged friends that can no longer be used for hunting have a particularly low chance of being homed.
Conclusion: A demanding four-legged friend for experienced dog lovers
A persistent hunting partner, a docile companion, and a friendly family dog: a lurcher combines many attractive characteristics. If not put to work as hunting dogs, they absolutely need another task to pursue, such as dog sports like lure coursing. Caring for this sensitive greyhound mix is demanding and time-consuming. As such, this crossbreed is only suitable for active, experienced dog owners.
Lurcher profile
Special features:
The lurcher is a crossbreed created by mating a sighthound with a working dog such as a collie or terrier.
Character:
sensitive, affectionate, attentive, persistent
Height at withers:
69–76cm
Weight:
27–32kg
Fur:
short, semi-long or double coat
smooth, rough or wavy
all colours
Coat care:
low to medium effort
Energy level:
needs a lot of activity and likes to move around
Beginner dog:
no
Barking:
hardly barks
Life expectancy:
12–15 years
Typical illnesses:
cataracts, gastric torsion, heart disease, tying up
"A life without a pug is possible, but pointless," Loriot once said. I would unreservedly agree and add: "A life without horse, cat and rabbit as well!" My heart beats for all animals big and small and I have the great fortune to be able to write about my passion as a freelance author. With my articles I would like to raise awareness for animal welfare and give useful tips to animal lovers.
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