Crossbred Working Terriers

[Lucy 0]

Here's a thing I've often pondered, so please educate me...

 

A lurcher is a crossbred dog and most likely the make-up of the dog will be determined by the kind of work it will undertake - ie a Bull Cross will work deer, a predoninantly greyhound lurcher may work large fields (like in Essex), collie cross more likely to work in parts of the country where short bursts are required - smaller fields, etc etc. I know that's quite a few sweeping statements and extremely generalised, but hopefully you get my drift... We breed lurchers differently for different work...

 

So, in the working terrier world, we have four main types - Russell, Patterdale/Fell, Lakeland & Border. Each designed for slightly different jobs in different areas - the russell for ratting and bolting foxes, the fell/patterdale for fox work in the Lake District where the terrain is tougher, the lakeland for following vermin and the border again, for bolting foxes.

 

With the exception of the Zetland Hunt, who (correct me if I'm wrong - I know you will anyway) bred some Border blood into their patterdales to calm them down and therefore now have created a seperate type of "patterdale", why do we cross breed our terriers?

 

As I said, in the working terrier world we have these four main categories and many people specialise or favour one type or another, so why cross breed them? And, just for the record here, I'm not critising the fact that they are cross bred, just interested to hear your views on why we sometimes do instead of sticking to the types already created and maintaining and improving those lines/types...

[Lucy 0]

dont think im qualfied to pass comment, but looking forward to hear some a these replies

Me too - Not sure what to think of the fact that there has been so many people reading the topic, but noone commenting... Interesting! Come on everyone! Give me your views!

[hang & bang 114]

worker to worker no matter the type best to best

 

not the best answer i know but not geting into it in full.

[hang & bang 114]

some the other lads do ye a nice write up im a lazy bas##rd

[Lucy 0]

some the other lads do ye a nice write up im a lazy bas##rd

Yeah - see what you mean, but then does it matter to the terrier world that we would be getting away from the "types". I suppose it doesn't matter to the true working man, but does matter to the showing man... But I'm sure there's other opinions out there... C'mon!

[bshadle 5]

Well, I know I'm not qualified to do it or pass judgement on it, but I have a friend who has crossed a fine-working Russell dog with a fine-working smallish Border bitch trying to downsize the Border for our smaller earths here as well as add some of the Border's characteristics to the Russell style. He could probably explain it better than I can though.

 

The first generation cross all have sort of a red fell appearance. One pup turned out to be a nice size for here, the others somewhat large for my taste but still smaller than the Border dam. Saw the small one work a few weeks ago, it was a real cracker. He told me it might be a little too hard for its size and have a shorter than usual working career because of it.

 

If he carries on with it, it'll be interesting to see what the next generation cross looks like and how they work. Guess a lot depends on whether he takes it back to the Border or Russell.

[hang & bang 114]

some the other lads do ye a nice write up im a lazy bas##rd

Yeah - see what you mean, but then does it matter to the terrier world that we would be getting away from the "types". I suppose it doesn't matter to the true working man, but does matter to the showing man... But I'm sure there's other opinions out there... C'mon!

 

 

show man NEVER cross breed as it be pointless

 

working man best to best no matter the look of the mutt once its a good grafter its worth breeding of if its done it season after season.

[hang & bang 114]

id not be happy whit a "bolt" i want my mutt to find and keep game bottled up till i dig down...

[harddigging 42]

a working dog must suit the purpose there created for the reason we cross breed for lurchers is for the simple reason the greyhound cant cut the custard in every aspect we want from it so we add other suitable crosses to add to the greyhound what we belive is lacking ie bull collie or what ever, but with the terriers the work has allready been done for us to such a high standard that they have there own reconised breed stamps so there is no real reason to cross breed but like said earllyer up up the post if you breed from generations off proven workers your on the right track. but with all things dogs the kennel club and the show men are throwing a spanner in the works allready taking down a high percentage off russles and borders just prey that the patterdale dosnt become kc registerd its allready on a slippery slope down its getting hardder and harrder to get hold off a well bred terrier pup as i am finding at the moment