How did I know Houndy would be on the rehoming websites!

This is a "how long is a piece of string" question................lots of things ARE Lurchers and equally lots of things AREN'T. The accepted wisdom is that a Lurcher is a form of sighthound crossed with another working type of dog ...typical example is a Greyhound X Border Collie. This gives you a hunting dog with speed and brains.

However, a Lurcher is a TYPE of dog NOT a breed....so there are many different crosses which are Lurchers. Some of the most common are :

Saluki x Greyhound
Bull Terrier x Greyhound
Bedlington Terrier x Whippet
Bearded Collie x Greyhound
Border Collie x Greyhound
Border Collie x Deerhound
Jack Russell Terrier x Whippet


but there are endless variations- the crosses are normally chosen for their ability to work a particular quarry. For example a Saluki x has the speed and stamina to work hares, a Bull x has the tenacity and strength to work foxes, a Bedlington x makes a good rabbiting dog. The terrain can also play a role in the dog's make-up - the vast open spaces of the Fens and Moors mean a bigger dog can find its pace, but the small drystone walled fields in parts of Yorkshire and Derbyshire mean a smaller dog with a quicker turning speed would be of more use.

There are also Lurcher x Lurcher strains, which the owners can trace back through generations of careful breeding and throw a certain "type" of dog. It's quite common at Lurcher shows for knowledgable folks to say "that looks like a Joe Bloggs dog" and be right

There are also a lot of unscrupulous folks who have jumped on the bandwagon and breed anything they think they'll make money out of....some of the dogs even being stolen for this use!

These days not all Lurchers are used as working dogs and many enjoy a life of luxury lounging around on the sofa Cool but it's still important to try and research what type of Lurcher you're going to own, because the behavioural traits of the parent breeds really DO influence the behaviour of the pups too.

I am looking for a deerhound lurcher bitch puppy. I already have a deerhound lurcher dog. He has had a fab life. My hubby is a countryside warden and takes the old dog with him everyday up the woods and moorland. But hes getting a bit tired now and prefers to stay at home and relax on his sofa some days.

I have been looking for one for ages but am finding it difficult to get a straight cross.

We would love a deerhound bitch but they are a bit too expensive for wardens wages.