Lurchers

the beer revolu

Question: Why do people use the term "lurcher" so frequently to describe their dogs when it isn't particularly descriptive, at all? It seems to me that people use the term lurcher as if it's a breed.

Perhaps my understanding of the term is wrong but as I see it, "lurcher" could describe a whippet crossed with a chihuahua or an Irish wolf hound crossed with a great dane. Surely it's not particularly descriptive to call both these dogs lurchers?

Am I missing something here?

Wrecks my head when I see a really beautiful cross breed and out of curiosity I ask the owner what mix of dog it is, only to be told, "lurcher". I'm really none the wiser from that information as it is usually obvious that there's some type of sighthound in there!

granturismo

Describing a dog as a 'lurcher' is no different from describing a terrier cross or terrier type as a 'terrier'. Terriers can look any terrier - Jack Russell, Cairn terrier, Kerry Blue - completely different looking dogs, but most people understand what a 'terrier' type is and also what a 'lurcher' is.  

You said it yourself - its a mixed breed with a sighthoud appearance. I have a lurcher thats like a large whippet or small greyhound in appearance, I'm happy to call her a lurcher.

DBB

I think "lurcher" traditionally describes a cross specifically between a sighthound and a working breed, which in Ireland (from what I've notuced anyway) almost always means a whippet or a greyhound crossed with, in the case of whippets, one of the leggy working terrier breeds like Bedlingtons or Patterdales, and in the case of greyhounds, one of the bull breeds, collies, GSDs, or a more common one these days, Malinois. Indeed, a 3-way split between Greyhound, bull breed, and a drivey working breed seems to have become popular in the past 20 years as a hunting dog, as they are a combination of fast, strong, and determined!

The vast majority of lurchers in Ireland are purpose bred to do a job... but a lot of them fall by the wayside due to there being too many of them, or because they haven't made the grade as a hunter. A bit like greyhounds actually, now that I think of it.

Greys and whippets being deliberately bred to non-working breeds is reasonably unusual, I think? And using any other sighthound breeds is also pretty unusual, in Ireland anyway.

Working-type lurchers are very common in rural Ireland, some parts more than others. Lurchers do tend to have a "look" to them that's evident from puppyhood!

I haven't really come across people describing non lurcher types as lurchers though!

the beer revolu

That's very interesting DBB, and informative.

Unfortunately, though, when I ask an owner what their beautiful dog is and receive the reply, "lurcher", I'm still not receiving much information. I don't like to continue the conversation with, "I know it's a sighthound crossbreed, I was enquiring if you know what the cross is?" I just go away with the thought that "lurcher" is not a very informative term.

Terrier2023

a whippet is a pure bred sight hound as is a grey hound when either of these breeds are crossed with another type of dog that litter of pups are lurchers.

the beer revolu

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121979272#Comment_121979272

Isn't it obvious that I knew that?

Terrier2023

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121979511#Comment_121979511

most sighthound owners know the cross of their lurcher and are more than delighted to share the knowledge

RurtBeynolds

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121634288#Comment_121634288

Why don't you just skip to the real question then? "Do you know what the cross is?"

The Continental Op

I think the point may have been missed that while a lurcher is a sight hound cross working dog the working dog is there to give some brains to the operation. So the dog will take some training as apposed to a long dog which is a sight hound sight hound cross. Just try getting recall from a greyhound saluki cross.

fits

I had two and could only guess as to their parents. But they were wonderful dogs.