Can anyone help?

[Rory4 267]

just wondered if is many lurcher workers in southwest, i live in somerset & have only seen one person on this site from devon! everyone live any closer! also i am a beginner & want my first lurcher. from what i have read it has kinda persuaded me to start off with collie x, would be going after mostly rabbits there are plenty about in fields i would be working. been lookin for few months but no puppys of this type im my area! hope you can help, cheers

[Rory4 267]

was hopin for atleast one reply

[artic 595]

I would do some reading, if you havent already, speak to people on here that work collie x's.

Do you have land to work the dog?

Get as much info as pos, then get yourself a pup, take your time, bond with it, care for it, and most importantly have fun together.

 

As for company, go out on your own to begin with and train your pup. Too many people at this stage will ruin your dogs concentration, and can pick up bad habits from the older dogs, but dont rule out the older dog as they do bring on the pups!

[TOPPER 1,809]

pm LadyP she has all the info on the local lads

[hunter-girl 10]

artic is 100% right - do plenty of research before you start - make sure you know all the basics about lurchers and working them, how they need caring for, the best methods of training for the different crosses - because they all learn at different speeds and in different ways.

 

Take your time - that is the most important thing to do.

[sandymere 8,261]

As above find out about different crosses, maybe go to a few shows and see a variety of types and speak to their owners, though take a pinch of salt with you. I live in North Devon and find that the majority of the fields i run are pretty small so something with good early pace is reqd if lamping which means 3/4 sight hound. Then think about size ie just lamping rabbits then whippet size is ok but you may find this limiting later on. My own lamper is a beddy/whippet to greyhound that stands 23" and is very quick but small and light enough to be reasonably agile. If you will be ferreting then a bit of collie can bring a little more intelligence so it's horses for courses but remember you have to like the dog as well as work it so looks will play there part as well.

good luck s

[Guest foxyjo.]

Hello. I'm on the devon/dorset/somerset border and bought my first lurcher a few months ago. I talked to lots of people on here about the different crosses and their pro's and cons. I wanted a dog for rabbits and something manageable as it was my first lurcher, so I went for 3/4 whippet 1/4 bedlington. It was this cross or one very similar to it that I wanted so I waited for quite a while until one came up and in the end I got her from an advert on this site, and fortunately she was in Dorset, but I think you should be prepared to travel for the right cross to suit you.

I also sorted out lots of permission before I went ahead and got her, as there's no point having a dog if you've got no hunting.

I still ask lots of questions now as we are just starting out, (she's 11 months now), but I tend to do it through PM's but that's cos I know who's opinion I want.

There are some very knowledgeable and helpful people on here, who I'm sure will give you all the help and advice you need. If you read the lurchers section regularly, you can pick up some good tips, and if you're unsure you can always ask.

[Rory4 267]

cheers for all comments! ya would have quite alot of land to work! not the biggest of fields but loads of dem all surrounded in hedge rows, would really like to go ferreting with the dog? ya read quite alot of books! anyone got colie x & what you think?

[Rory4 267]

thanks foxyjo! ya got the permission like said in last reply. do like look of bedlington xs! in most books said collie x good for beginners thats main reason want one & do like look of dem aswell!

[socks 32,253]

collie crosses are not the best dog for a first time lurcher owner mate ... they need a certain way of bringing on to get the best out of them otherwise you will end up with a hyper active neurotic dog that will test your patience on a daily basis .........

[Guest foxyjo.]

Oh she's just gorgeous Rory!! But probably not what you're expecting!! Most of them tend to be quite hairy but as mine is only a 1/4 cross, she is very whippety in looks, just a bit thicker set and you can tell about her head she's got beddie in her.

I too thought about a collie x before I had her, but I was advised they can be a little too intelligent for the beginner. (I hate being a beginner in anything, but I am, so... ) The one thing I really didn't want to do was stuff up a good dog because of my own inexperience, so I decided to go for the whippet/beddie cross instead. Whippets can be a little bit wild, but are good on the retreive, fast to turn, and fantastic pets, (important when you have a house full as I do!)and Beddies are a bit harder and maybe a bit steadier, but can be a tad wilful. She's also the perfect size for rabbits, and as that was what I wanted to hunt, it seemed pointless to have a monster where a fairy can do the job!

 

I'm an absolute sucker for the bigger lurchers though, as several of the chaps off here will tell you, Mars has the most beautiful thing which I was virtually dribbling over, (even though he's so rude to me ), when I saw her, and I love some of the bigger crosses, but i figured there was time for that in the future when Lucy and I have cracked this rabbiting malarky and become experts ourselves!!

 

Whatever you chose, the very best of luck to you.

[hunter-girl 10]

collie crosses are not the best dog for a first time lurcher owner mate ... they need a certain way of bringing on to get the best out of them otherwise you will end up with a hyper active neurotic dog that will test your patience on a daily basis .........

 

 

I have to say that my thoughts are really the same as above - you do really need to know what you are doing with one to keep it under control as a good working dog!

 

I would go for something along the lines of 3/4 greyhound/1/4 beddlington or even a deerhound/greyhound.

 

here is an idea for you from my personal experiance.........I have a 3/4 grey/1/4 belguim sheppard - he was easy to work with from the very start as he has the natural hunting abillity of the wolf which is where the belgium comes from and everything else from the greyhound - very easey to train both yourself and the dog

[Rory4 267]

you got any pics of your sheppard x hunter-girl! never seen one! finding all comments helpful, as said complete first timer so hardly no anything & all i do no i have read in books! would a whippet bring anything to the party for a beddy x greyhound or should i stick to one or the other??????????

[hunter-girl 10]

you got any pics of your sheppard x hunter-girl! never seen one! finding all comments helpful, as said complete first timer so hardly no anything & all i do no i have read in books! would a whippet bring anything to the party for a beddy x greyhound or should i stick to one or the other??????????

 

 

I have some in my gallery on my profile which you can see if you click on my name.

 

I will also put some more up later for you as i have them on photobuck to put on here but cant do it at work. I will PM you this evening if thats ok??????

[Rory4 267]

ya thats totally cool. look forward to seein them