Ireland A Little bit of history, I dug up on the Lurcher, hope it is of interest to you

[appleblossom 703]

The lurcher is a type of dog originating in Ireland and parts of Great Britain. While not a pure breed, it is generally a cross between a sighthound and any other breed, depending on the qualities desired by the breeder. Collie crosses are popular, given the working instinct of a sheepdog when mated with a sighthound, gives a dog of great intelligence plus speed good results for the huntsman.

 

Lurchers, given their breeding to purpose, can be as small as a Whippet or as large as a deerhound, but most are

of a size similar to that of the greyhound.

The coat type will again be variable depending on the crosses involved . As you would expect, types range from short and smooth like that of the greyhound, to slightly longer and thicker like that of the boxer, to the extreme rough and broken - like that of a border terrier.

 

A lurcher need not contain greyhound in any form whatsoever, for instance a Saluki x Collie, or a Whippet x Terrier are lurchers. They need not be first crosses either.

 

It has been said that in the 14th and 15th century the English and Scottish governments banned ordinary working people from owning sight-hounds, like Irish Wolfhounds, Deerhounds, and Greyhounds, though no documentation from the time can be found to verify this. It is thought that lurchers may have been bred to avoid legal complications during this time. Generally, the aim of the cross is to produce a sighthound with more intelligence, an animal suitable for hunting rabbits, and other game. Over time, hunters discovered breeding of certain breeds with sight-hounds produced a dog better suited to this purpose, given the lurcher's combination of speed and intelligence

 

The lurcher has as many varied uses, as types can be crossbred, but generally they are used as hunting dogs that can chase and catch their prey. Most lurchers today are used for general pest control, typically rabbits and foxes.

Sighthound heavy lurchers move most effectively over open ground, although different crosses suit different terrains. Sighthound heavy lurchers excel at sports like lure racing .

Because lurchers are not purebreds they are not recognized by any of the major kennel clubs . However, the North American Lurcher and Longdog Association was recently created to serve as a registering body for lurchers and longdogs in the United States and Canada. The average life span of a Lurcher is 12-15 years .

 

Margaret Mc Stay

Edited December 3, 2012 by appleblossom

[dennned 172]

very interesting margaret,

[appleblossom 703]

very interesting margaret,

 

Thanks Denned