Proper choice?

[Ratreeper 441]

I am hopefully getting my first lurcher this year. I have given it a lot of thought about what i want from the dog and have been out to get practical experience. I have learnt my field craft in other field sports so i think i am sorted, all thats left is getting the lurcher itself.

I will be hunting rabbits primarily, day and night. But when i shoot foxes i would like to use it to catch any left injured. Apart from this i need what everyone looks for in a lurcher so i can hunt everyday. My preference though would be a very intelligent dog and as small and agile as possible without being too small to tackle a fox.

 

 

So after a bit of thinking i reckon a 3/4 greyhound 1/4 collie? I will take any advice on board though if people can think of anything else i need to consider. Are there any hunting breeds that can offer the same as a collie to the mix? A dogo sort of thing...

 

 

Cheers

[Ratreeper 441]

over 90 views and no advice? must be a boring question asked too often...

[Guest Ditch_Shitter]

Sorry, mate. I saw this one when it first went up and, frankly, found it an interesting consideration. But due to my having no personal experiance of the exact breeding ye mention there, and there being such a top heavy wealth of oh so knowledgable, self appointed 'Dog Men' banging around this place of late? I thought I'd just pass it by. Wouldn't want to put any more delicate 'noses' out of joint!

 

Now though, as the 'experts' are probably all bushed out from arguing among themselves, I'll tell ye what I think. As just a guy whose had a Dog or two and known a few well enough. Not legends. Just honest, workaday Dogs. Bit like what it sounds as if you're looking for, right?

 

I remember a Dog that was either 1/8 Staffie, rest Whippet. Or it could even have been 18th part Staff. I suspect the latter as, even then it rather messed with my head that anyone can work out how the hell ye arrive at that description. But there it is. Either way, that Dog was unstoppable. Looked like a 'nice' whippet. Went into fox like hell on legs. Rabbits? Bush? Pfffftt!

 

Then I personally had a little " Bull X ". He had collie back in there somewhere too. Smallish Dog ~ I never did take a tape measure to him because f*ck his exact size; He did all he needed to do. Where did his height at the shoulder come into it? ~ and, again hell on legs.

 

Mate of mine had a 3/4 Grey / Collie (Never mind who from ) and she was fine by him. Took rabbits and fox in her day. She was though a lot bigger than those other two Dogs. Very timid natured though. And I've seen that in more than one such cross.

 

Another mate again had a Dog of that cross. Again, it favoured the Greyhound in size and yet, this time, the Collie made it the slyest damn thing I ever encountered! Wasn't so much timid as surly and guilty. That damn Dog could look untrusting and untrustworthy if it were having it's belly rubbed.

 

Looking back on the latter two though, I wonder if they'd be compact enough for you? And the first two? While that dash of " Bull " gave them so much; People caught up in the 'modern' frenzy seem to want bigger, far more 'Masculine', shall we say, " BullX's ". Not sure where ye'd find the quality smaller Dogs.

 

 

Anyway, just my thoughts and I'm afraid I really haven't much else to add on the subject. Oh! Except to say that some of the people I've spoke to have said that the more Collie in there, the more of an 'experianced' persons Dog they can be. Watch out for that then.

 

Dogo? Please: Do Not start going off on flights of fancy about getting Anything said to have f*cking Dogo anywhere near it! A 'Real' Dogo ye simply don't want to know about. Trust me on this. Anything available, in lurker form, over there? Ye Really don't want to even meet such people as would be offering ye one! Good Grief!

 

Why not just look out for a nice, nicely bred " Lurcher " pup and have a fantastic decade or so together, doing what ever happens next? Ye don't need a Strad' to learn how to play a fiddle.

[Rocks 77]

Sorry posted it twice

Edited July 2, 2007 by Rocks

[Rocks 77]

I would agree get something that is out of good honest dogs that our used for what you need. You do not want a timid or overbearing dog untill you are ready. Timid dogs are not really good pets for the family you will probable have before the dog is gone and overbearing dogs are neat to show off but can you afford the vet bills associated with some of the over eager crosses. I think that if you want a dog for a job buy a pup thats parents are doing it and go for good tried and true type not fad dogs as you might get disheartend with the possibility of a no good one. Wait for the cross and the color you like, take your time and you will enjoy the dog alot more. Most important get a dog from someone that has a reputation for quality dogs that are well reared. There have been some really well reared dogs posted on this site in the past from fairly knowlegable dog men and do not buy a pup untill you look at a few litters as you can then make a educated choice on excactly what you want. Trust me the good breeders will wait a day or two if you are honest with them about what you are doing. I am no expert at the dog you want as I hunt different prey but if it advise from other people then that is mine as I have owned a few dogs and had to learn the hard way with lots of capital and time spent just to line others pockets.cheers and a good post Ditch

[Ratreeper 441]

Cheers, sounds like sound advice. The favourite dogs i have seen hunt had alsorts in them (can't remember but it was complicated), but i don't want to sound like i don't know what i am on about to a breeder so i wanted to narrow it down. Next step, getting a list of shit hot breeders and asking how their dogs were bred?

 

thanks again, great forum

[workindogz 0]

i really like 1/4 bullxgrey they are very good all rounders as for dogo crosses only time will tell if they work out right, the first gen i think will be like a heavy bull cross so the 1/4 may be better do you know any one with them?

[Morris 0]

My personal preference but for your type off hunting, many would disagree but a straight whippet/greyhoud. Whippet i found have a bit of intelligants. Any i've seen will readly take a fox from there second season. Fantastic in rabbit. day or night, or too ferrets. But that onlys my views.

[luke 2]

beddiexgreyhound should do the job hard to beat for a bit of every thing

[FERRETBOY 680]

i agree with morris you wont go far wrong with a whippet x greyhound as your first lurcher there not stupid by any means did fox and hare pre-ban and a class act on the rabbits.

 

good hunting

 

rew

[swamper 11]

iv got a whippet x greyhound and thay are fantastic....but and its a big one

you will need to be aware of the type of ground you are going to run it on

if its rough the i would go for the beddie X grey

if its good land then the whippet x greyhound

JMO

[Rocks 77]

I would not worry about knowing to much, just be honest when talking to the breeders and make good friends with them and they will be there to help weather you buy from them or not. This hobby is all about the next generation of hunters and the old timers will gladly talk dogs with you as long as you are honest and respect them. You will get farther with the dogs by letting them do the talking for ya.