1/4 Sight Hound Lurchers

[neems 2,406]

Racier dogs aren't always faster off the mark,a lady down the road from me has a big strong lab x that's quicker than most lurchers off the mark and smashes through any cover.

 

Not very fast once in its stride compared to a racy one but great in small fields with a lot of cover.

 

I've never seen a 3/4 x,would love to see one work though.

[Neal 1,807]

I catch more now with my pure kelpies than I did previously with lurchers and I've always assumed it's because I work them in very small fields connected by thick hedges and bordering dense woodland with even thicker undergrowth...or it could just be that my lurchers were crap!

As I've mentioned on here before, my eldest was hit by a van as a pup and has never been particularly fast but he often knew where to look...but at nearly fourteen all he catches now is burrs!

[jeemes 3,570]

Ive got a 3/4 Bull 1/4 Greyhound bitch I bought off here. Shes not heavy and should have no problems catching rabbit etc. Shes only young but just never runs out of gas.Should make a good lamping/ferreting and genral mooching dog,and game.

[trenchfoot 4,243]

So do you guys think (those with experience with the 1/2 cross and the reverse 3/4) that only a 1/4 sighthound is enough in a leggy pastoral dog to make a good ferreting, mooching, companion which will catch some bolters?

How slow can you go? I mean this as a genuine question! I've seen my Brittany almost catch rabbits on a open field, usually just a gear short but he isn't build for speed and quite small at 17"tts.

 

Would a very racy collie or maybe a very racy malinois as a pure breed/non lurcher/sighthound fit into the same roll the 3/4 does or is that 1/4 really needed? Maybe a 1/4 whippet would be better? (no lamping included) Genuine question! Not trying to open a can of worms. Land to run on would be steep hills, forest/woodland, some small open spaces/fields

 

I'm thinking about something like this (not mine, just from a working shepherd site):

 

Cracking looking animals those. I have no doubt they could catch a bunny a or two, I have a collie on our yard that can do that. However, you may get to see lots of sport, you may not get to eat much. If it's your first lurcher pick something racier, and a minimum of half x otherwise until you know which way is best for you and your ground, at least you'll be happy. Heavily base line dogs are not for everyone

 

Edited August 1, 2013 by trenchfoot

[beast 1,884]

i think as a general knockabout try-at anything hunting dog, half collie is as much as you need for most people. whether the other half is greyhound or sighthoundy lurcher is a matter for some debate however.

[shaaark 10,190]

I like fast dogs, and I know that where I go hunting they will catch alot more than less sighthoundy types, but as I've said, I still like those types

[Fretwell 59 15]

I have a 3/4 reverse welsh collie whippit had plenty of crashes that a sight hound out for a while but got back and keep going good strong dog and shouldn't let you go hungry in the right place but it ant all about the bag size its about enjoying what you are doing in my opinion

 

Matt

[Fretwell 59 15]

I have a 3/4 reverse welsh collie whippit had plenty of crashes that a sight hound out for a while but got back and keep going good strong dog and shouldn't let you go hungry in the right place but it ant all about the bag size its about enjoying what you are doing in my opinion

 

Matt

[Neal 1,807]

I completely agree with Trenchfoot's comment above.

 

Time and again, people with more experience that I will tell you that the best all-rounder is a half cross and that it can give you your best starting point. Some people then think, "Yeah, I need more speed now," whereas others, like myself, think, "I need more base blood."

[Poacherspocket 189]

Bossie youve hit the nail on the head for me I know a 3/4 pastoral dog will never be as fast as maybe 90% of normal bred lurchers but when your talking about a dog like in the 2 pictures of the shepards them with a quarter sighthound for the extra bit of speed would be probably a good ferreting, mooching and lamping dog on the right ground. And in my opinion those 2 shepards look fitter than a lot of dogs you see posted on here. So the right pastoral dog with a touch of speed added in maybe could be a decent thing

[Bossie 90]

I have a 3/4 reverse welsh collie whippit had plenty of crashes that a sight hound out for a while but got back and keep going good strong dog and shouldn't let you go hungry in the right place but it ant all about the bag size its about enjoying what you are doing in my opinion

 

Matt

 

Have you got any pics of him/her?

[paulsmithy83 567]

You get a dog to suit your ground I hope. That's if you got a brain. So would like to think the owners of these do well enough with them, otherwise why would they have them in first place

[THLpatrick 555]

Ive been told abut 3/4 1/4 etc and as said above,get the right type half cross of a good stamp and you wont go far wrong and should be capable as the 3/4 and not lack to much for the pace..not saying there the fastest etc but you get the drift

[staffs riffraff 1,068]

I don't think sight hound get enough credit when it comes to breeding etc they add more than speed that desire to catch has got to be there as well as some will run through a brick wall and if that outright desire to chase at all costs ain't there the dogs ain't gonna be as good. Jmo

[birddog 1,354]

I don't think sight hound get enough credit when it comes to breeding etc they add more than speed that desire to catch has got to be there as well as some will run through a brick wall and if that outright desire to chase at all costs ain't there the dogs ain't gonna be as good. Jmo

whilst accepting that sighthound is an essential ingredient in a lurcher, bedlingtons, bulls, collies, wheatons etc all have desire and heart and when the sighthounds have bounced off the brick wall and lying in bits they'll still be trying