choosing the right cross for me, first lurcher

[Jamo 90]

For your first lurcher you want something which is relatively easy to train, calm by nature with a temperament to match. Don't just listen to what cross people are recommending: they might be on their first or second lurcher as well, and with Collies for example, you can get hyper lunatics, and dead calm steady dogs: it all depends on the breeding.

 

If your'e serious about getting a dog to suit you, have a real think about what you want to use the dog for: no sense getting a 26" bull cross with balls of steel if you want a rabbiting companion to do a bit of ferreting and lamping with. Nothing against bull crosses whatsoever, and they are usually very people orientated and fun to train, but it would be a bit like getting a top end range rover when all you need is a steady little jeep type vehicle.

 

Steer clear of anything with a lot of Saluki in it: they are usually harder to train and need a lot of exercise and work to keep them happy, especially when they're young.

 

Also consider the type of land you're going to be working the dog over: grass land? Arable: plough, drilling,stubble? Flat land or hills? Rough moors, woods?

 

You won't go far wrong with a good well bred Collie Greyhound type, but IMO the most versatile lurchers are often, not always, lurcher to lurcher bred and contain many different breeds which may include all the ones already mentioned.

 

Best thing you could do is get someone with experience to point you in the right direction, and recommend some litters to you.

 

great advice, the area has some real flat areas, with rough grass bushes areas steep hills and such, i dont need big strong dog for rabbits i know that, i have worked for a bloke who has/had working dogs he drives around with a wippet saluki looking thing but i think shes got alot more in her,shes great so calm and obiediant and is the reason i started thinking about getting a rabbiting dog, the bloke offered to get me one from somone he knows but at the time i wasnt 100% sure so i didnt bother, i might be able to get in contact with him to see if any pups are about as he even told me before all i need is a small dog for it

[moocherboi 8]

For your first lurcher you want something which is relatively easy to train, calm by nature with a temperament to match. Don't just listen to what cross people are recommending: they might be on their first or second lurcher as well, and with Collies for example, you can get hyper lunatics, and dead calm steady dogs: it all depends on the breeding.

 

If your'e serious about getting a dog to suit you, have a real think about what you want to use the dog for: no sense getting a 26" bull cross with balls of steel if you want a rabbiting companion to do a bit of ferreting and lamping with. Nothing against bull crosses whatsoever, and they are usually very people orientated and fun to train, but it would be a bit like getting a top end range rover when all you need is a steady little jeep type vehicle.

 

Steer clear of anything with a lot of Saluki in it: they are usually harder to train and need a lot of exercise and work to keep them happy, especially when they're young.

 

Also consider the type of land you're going to be working the dog over: grass land? Arable: plough, drilling,stubble? Flat land or hills? Rough moors, woods?

 

You won't go far wrong with a good well bred Collie Greyhound type, but IMO the most versatile lurchers are often, not always, lurcher to lurcher bred and contain many different breeds which may include all the ones already mentioned.

 

Best thing you could do is get someone with experience to point you in the right direction, and recommend some litters to you.

 

great advise, sometimes i think people dont take in to account the type of ground they will be running on. buy a lurcher they think should do a job but it struggles in the field. e.g getting a big lurcher yet running in small fields.

[Jamo 90]

on the steep hills theres isnt much rough ground, would a wippet size be ok getting up the hill at speed?

[steveS.Yorks 161]

Who would recommend a grew to a new starter wihout knowing the land? and most of the time it dont matter how flat/soft the land is anyway a grew will still find something to hit

 

Listen to Skycat mate[as much as i dont like admitting a woman is right ] shes talking sense.

 

My own thoughts would be a beddy/whippet/grey type,beddy/whippets are stubborn as a rule but a bit of grey sorts it out,if you get a genuine one bred by lads that work them and have bred to keep a pup,you wouldnt go far wrong.Thyre fast enough,good feet as a rule and i know plenty that are happy with theirs,at the side of most x's you have a much better chance of getting what you want from this x they dont vary that much.

 

The whipp/greys [grews] are accident prone,crap feet and stupid.

 

Collie/grey f1's have their uses but can be strange and hard work,not to mention not very sharp [allways exeptions im talking in general] bred on a bit to lighter fast dogs they can be really good on rabbits,ive got one bred this way myself.

 

Just suggestions,based on having working and breeding all of the above at one time or another,good luck with it.

[Jamo 90]

thanks for all the input guys and gals, im gonna get in touch with a man with a dog and see if i can find me a decent pup