Purely Show Lurcher V Purley Working Lurcher

[jerry attrick 264]

Well a little by ling time ago I used to enjoy going to some lurcher shows lambourn being one of them so you can see how long ago I mean 30 40 years ago, I used to go to a show now and again on a Sunday for something to do in summer and maybe meet up with a few old friends, however I have always worked the dogs Iv owned and only would buy pups from genuine working dogs, I know there's still people about I knew 40 years ago who only ever showed there lurchers and never ever worked there lurchers and they still show them and breed from them for show today, there are quite a lot of people do this actually, but I can't help think that these lurchers what are only bred for show and pets and these new designer "greengrass" "Zak dingle" type lurchers are a chance of weakening the breed, over years and years and specially now that hunting with dogs is getting harder and harder, I wonder if our beloved working lurcher in years to come will take the same demise as a lit of other original working dog breeds that are no longer worked and primarily just show dogs and pets, times are changing we no longer hunt wolf or deer or hares and rabbits are on a big decline, I'm not having a dig att anyone or any dog not at all I just sometimes think what is the future for the working lurcher say in another 50 years time ??? Will they just be a crufts show dog in the working breeds, although as I said nothing wrong with owning good looking working dogs that's how it should be, good working and good type, but what is the future long term ??? 30/49/50 years time ? I be interesting to hear other enthusiasts opinions, not trying or wanting to cause a argument it's just discus in, thank you in anticipating your replies, and also do you think my writing is better than what it used to be now I have been to electrocution lessons all the best ol Jerry

[Bosun11 537]

I think the divide between work and show dogs will be wider in the future Jerry.

 

Because of mass backyard breeding, dog shelters are chock full of em and they are now hugely popular with your weekend warriors, harness on dog and hunter wellies on feet, all out in the countryside for the weekend. These poor mutts will never see work, probably never let out of that harness and i believe it'll be these dogs that will be shown and bred from.

 

Though i do believe that workers will always remain and improve over the coming decades. Working dog folk are using improved technologies to communicate and good communication will only raise the bar.

That said, while the internet is in its infancy, it will do more damage than good but sadly, thats to be expected.

[NEWKID 26,094]

As long as a few youngsters keep coming through and picking up the gauntlet, regards working the dogs, it should be alright.

My 2 little uns love the dogs and at parents evening last week bit their teachers commented on it and even drove class debates towards hunting, with one teacher having a class debate on fox hunting ( she's a country type and by far the best teacher in the school). At least they recognise the kids have an interest in it and don't shie away from that discussion.

It's about educated kids coming through, respect for quarry and your dogs, and the pure enjoyment of being out in the countryside.

[morton 5,367]

I too remember the shows in the early ,s,generally they were a meet and greet and the show side was never taken seriously,many an honest lurcher pup was sourced at them then.Slowly the ribbon chasers have taken over and the majority of shows now are polluted with pampered pets and the nuggets that groom and shampoo them,fair play if thats what they desire,don,t masquerade under a Working dog umbrella.Id never source a pup from any show now,the honesty does not come with the shows or the dogs bred for them now,on the whole.A good looking mutt will not work with less intent than an ugly- un,if bred from grafting stock,alas to many lurchers are bred now for appearance over function.Source an ugly litter to be safe .

[Phil Lloyd 10,736]

The lurcher world is forever changing,...so are the men who keep them,...it is called evolution....

 

I stopped wondering and worrying about the future,..long time ago....

 

"What will be,.will be".....

[redquil 219]

It worrys me producing a lurcher purely for show. Just look what has done to a lot of the other breeds of dog out there in a relatively short space of time. Look no further than some of the so called working terrier showman.Showing and doing it are two very different things.Show racing pigeons,gamefowl,welsh cobs etc all down the road to ruin. Hats off to all the boys who care nowt for what they look like but more for how they perform. When I was younger I was in ore when I went to my first lurcher n terrier show,now the odd time ive been forced for a better word to go to a country fair I avoid the show rings like the plague. Shows feck working stuff on the whole over time history has proved that. Suppose Lloydy right should't worry just having a rant!atb.

[keepitcovert 842]

Already happening mate the amount of lurchers around now far exceeds the number that were around in the sixties and seventies, saying that the amount of true working lurchers may well be the same as in the 60s 70s. The internet as said isnt doing us any favours, and my opinion is that it is helping to bring the wrong kind of people into the game ie, peddlers, braggarts and facebook clowns, the lurcherworld has changed and will continue to do so, and not always for the best. YIS KIC.

[redquil 219]

Already happening mate the amount of lurchers around now far exceeds the number that were around in the sixties and seventies, saying that the amount of true working lurchers may well be the same as in the 60s 70s. The internet as said isnt doing us any favours, and my opinion is that it is helping to bring the wrong kind of people into the game ie, peddlers, braggarts and facebook clowns, the lurcherworld has changed and will continue to do so, and not always for the best. YIS KIC.

 

 

Already happening mate the amount of lurchers around now far exceeds the number that were around in the sixties and seventies, saying that the amount of true working lurchers may well be the same as in the 60s 70s. The internet as said isnt doing us any favours, and my opinion is that it is helping to bring the wrong kind of people into the game ie, peddlers, braggarts and facebook clowns, the lurcherworld has changed and will continue to do so, and not always for the best. YIS KIC.

I can mind back in late 70's when I was a kid and just discovered lurchers and when I spoke of them most people not all granted didn't know what a lurcher was! Your right never seen a lurcher about then other than with people who grafted them. Things aint gona get no better with some of the wanabees getting in to the game these days. The real oldtimers will be turning in there graves! Rolf the nonce Harris done em the world of good at animal hospital mind atb.

[low plains drifter 9,459]

I wonder if there will be many places left to work a lurcher in a few decades time, this country is being swallowed up by building sites, and wind farms, feck knows what state the place will be in by another 50 years, sometimes feel it's an unwelcome thing to be working class white british aswell these days

[redquil 219]

True words I fear. My thoughts being very like your own. That's what will end houndwork I fear the chopping up of land with roads n building etc.Not to mention unspoilt land where hunting aint allowed. By that time there will probably only be show ponys no game left anyway.Plus jungle camps all over country. Bet they will have rats in em mind.atb,

[eastcoast 3,727]

Would it be a problem if a type of dog called a lurcher became a K.C. registered breed ? The people who would breed and own these dogs could just own and breed them for what ever reason they may have. How would that have an effect on the person who requires a lurcher to hunt and catch game ? You wouldn't be obliged to obtain a K.C. registered " lurcher " unless you wanted to show it or make the extra money from registered pups. As long as the racing greyhound or whippet survive, together with the working sheep dog or terrier or gundog survives then just find a suitable dog and bitch and breed them together. Hey Presto...a lurcher ! Use them or start a new breeding plan. What will be available for it to hunt and how difficult will it be to do so in the future ? Now that worries me.

[Giro 2,648]

It's about educated kids coming through, respect for quarry and your dogs, and the pure enjoyment of being out in the countryside.

 

Thats the truth of the matter..

 

Its their future we need to protect..

[morton 5,367]

Would it be a problem if a type of dog called a lurcher became a K.C. registered breed ? The people who would breed and own these dogs could just own and breed them for what ever reason they may have. How would that have an effect on the person who requires a lurcher to hunt and catch game ? You wouldn't be obliged to obtain a K.C. registered " lurcher " unless you wanted to show it or make the extra money from registered pups. As long as the racing greyhound or whippet survive, together with the working sheep dog or terrier or gundog survives then just find a suitable dog and bitch and breed them together. Hey Presto...a lurcher ! Use them or start a new breeding plan. What will be available for it to hunt and how difficult will it be to do so in the future ? Now that worries me.

As soon as you put KC in the mix the dog is fecked,the KC muppets have ruined every working dog that came under their umbrella.Lurchers are mongrels and prosper because there is very little KC influence in the majority of lurcher production.Its always been about honesty with lurchers,if a person wanted a lurcher for hunting purpose would they go to a working kennel or a show kennel?,ill guarantee that many a show kennel,many another kennel,would bullshit the working pedigree of the litter to salvage a sale.

[NEWKID 26,094]

Yesterday's moorland mooch

 

They may never work dogs of their own, then again they might..

 

But at least they'll have a bit of understanding to why we do....

 

 

 

[Lurcher315 5]

Few interesting posts here, the rise of lurchers as pets took me by surprise recently when my bitch had a litter of 10, and 7 went as pets! Only 3 went as workers and that's because I kept 1 of them. In times gone by you'd expect all of them to go as workers. Still, each to their own I guess!