This is the problem with keeping working lurchers, especially coursing dogs. They have such a small working window. My old dog is 10, and my working dog is 3. In 3 years time he will be 6 and I would be looking at a pup to take over. The 10 year old would be 13 and could still be fit and well, so I'd have 3 dogs then, 2 of which would be retired! I think my next dog will be a mouching dog, that dosnt rely on speed and would have a longer working life, more like a gun dog.