Pet Wonderland

• Home
• About

From A Gypsy’s Poacher To The World’s Favored Pet

Posted on 04-07-09, under PET.

During the 17th century, the Gypsies and travelers who roamed Great Britain and Ireland tagged along with them a clever poacher dog called the Lurcher. This dog is not a breed but rather just a type which came from a combination of several dog breeds. The Lurcher is the result of crossbreeding of several sighthounds with Greyhounds, Terriers or Collies.

This dog was primarily used for poaching small animals such as hares and rabbits. In fact, the name Lurcher is taken from the Roman word lur which means “thief. The once known Gypsy’s pet became a favorable pet of many households around the world today.

Crossbreeding of the Lurcher is commonly composed of three quarters sighthound although it varies from case to case. The usual combinations of the Lurcher are Greyhound and Collie, and Greyhound and Terrier. A Lurcher bred from a Greyhound is mostly preferred for size and form.

There is no set size for the Lurcher and so it can come out looking small as a Whippet or as big as a Deerhound. The coat can also vary depending on which breed was used for crossing. The coat can be short and smooth like the Greyhound, long and thick like Collie, and coarse and broken like the Terrier.

This dog has an undercoat that is smooth and which thickens in winter; and it can shed moderately or heavily. The legs are long and straight, and the chest is deep which provides a good lung capacity for the dog for a better endurance. There is no exact set of color for this breed because it will all depend on the sighthound used in breeding.

There is no fixed temperament for the Lurcher too because it also varies depending on breeds used for crossing. Some Lurchers may have temperaments similar to a Greyhound and there are some that have temperaments like that of the herding breeds or terrier breeds. Most Lurchers, however, possess strong hunting instincts that they got mostly from the sighthhounds.

This dog is fun-loving, loves to be with the master and affectionate. It learns quickly and does not hesitate to follow commands of the master. The Lurcher is also very energetic that’s why families who own a Lurcher are advised to allow the dog to be active.

A confined space is not recommended for this energetic dog as it needs to be active daily. It needs to live in a house with a wide fenced yard so it could perform exercises such as walking and running. This dog is extremely fast, a great racer and a natural chaser and catcher of small game that’s why it should only be let loose in a wide, safe and enclosed area.

Related posts:

1. A Modern Designer Dog Called Cavachon
2. Boston Terrier Health Problems Are No Different From Other Dogs
3. The Luminescent American Eskimo Dog
4. The Hardworking, Agile and Intelligent German Shepherd
5. The Boston Bull Terrier. Complete Information You Need.

• Home
• About