Original Lurcher

[lurchergrrl 1,441]

  On 22/10/2013 at 15:49, skycat said:

 

THE LURCHER.

Is less and shorter than the Greyhound, and its

limbs stronger : its body is covered with a rough

coat of hair, most commonly of a pale yellow colour;

its aspect is sullen, and its habits, whence it derives

its name, are dark and cunning.

Here's a copy of the wood cut of the lurcher:

http://www.diomedia....ageDetails.html

 

 

I absolutely love that description ... never met a lurcher who lacked the capacity to convey the most Eeyore-esque qualities

[shaaark 10,946]

  On 23/10/2013 at 09:49, Joe777 said:

I thought this was quite interesting

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cynegeticus

Bit of a read that mate, but yeah, quite interesting, but don't tell banter, I think he's in denial ,

[birddog 1,354]

what about a wee offshoot guy's..........never liked history at school

 

rather than original, whats the traditional lurcher ?

 

i'd go for a deerhound / collie / greyhound mix 25 / 26 inches rough coated capable on most game

[bullx100% 681]

i watched a documentary years back on medieval Britain and the lurchers on there were mainly stag-hound types owned by nobility and that the poorer lesser status man would try to get the hounds-men (bribes of food and money)who looked after and dealt with the up keep of the dogs to line there sheep herding ,cattle herding farm dogs........and as it was a punishable crime to own a running dog they only kept the dogs/bitches with very heavy coats to hide the fact that they were capable of running down game

[shaaark 10,946]

  On 23/10/2013 at 10:29, birddog said:

what about a wee offshoot guy's..........never liked history at school

 

rather than original, whats the traditional lurcher ?

 

i'd go for a deerhound / collie / greyhound mix 25 / 26 inches rough coated capable on most game

I'd agree with that, and that's how our bitch is bred, sire 1st x collie/grey 25", dam 1st x deer/grey 26 1/2". Was thinking she'd level out around the 25" mark, but finished at almost 29", and I'm glad now that she did, never got her for ferreting, lamping and daytime, and her height has been a bonus, she doesn't struggle on anything

[sandymere 8,263]

To my mind it’s only recently that we have bred to close types, you don't have to go back far to find pictures of greyhounds that are basically lurchers, ie dogs bred to run that came in many sizes and coats. Once these types started to get formalized into breeds it would be increasingly difficult for commoners to be able to get them but they would likely still have the older mongrelized version. These pre true bred running dogs would have been the first lurchers. Lurchers in more recent history such a drovers dogs may well have had a basis in these types which were then bred with more modern types such as collies and pure sight hound types to suit the needs of the day. Its an ongoing story with lurcher still changing to suit the needs of the day.

Edited October 23, 2013 by sandymere

[sandymere 8,263]

 

  On 22/10/2013 at 16:52, Country Joe said:

Not going as far back, about 30 years ago i spoke to a farmer who was then in his eighties,

He told me about a squad of rabbit trappers from the Highlands who would live on the farms trapping rabbits pre myxi using Gin traps, they then would move on to the next farms travelling round and staying

he described their Dogs as long legged Terriers. and some had Collie Dogs. again he said they were long in the leg.

Going back a few years I had an old fella in my clinic who was a rabbit trapper in his youth, he and the crew of Devon boys went to the Scottish Isles rabbit trapping, spending months up there. He said when they had enough they left all the equipment, traps etc up there. I could have listened to him for hours but alas there’s always another waiting to be seen. If it was ethical I would have contacted him and written down his story, he described a different world that is not well documented.

[Robie_n 10]

I read somewhere commoners wernt aloud running dogs unless they had 1 of the dogs legs removed

[shaaark 10,946]

  On 24/10/2013 at 19:22, Robie_n said:

I read somewhere commoners wernt aloud running dogs unless they had 1 of the dogs legs removed

Don't think it was that drastic, depending how close you lived to hunting grounds that held deer, a couple of toes taken off, or hamstrung, something along those lines, as far as my memory recalls what I read years ago. Couple of people on here will correct me if otherwise. Sandymere is normally spot on with running dog history, as I'm sure a couple of others are, but he came to mind first

[Banter 1,751]

  On 24/10/2013 at 19:22, Robie_n said:

I read somewhere commoners wernt aloud running dogs unless they had 1 of the dogs legs removed

gaffer of to a flying start if the bring that back in

[skycat 6,174]

Toes off: not a leg

[Hot Meat 3,109]

  On 25/10/2013 at 14:50, Banter said:

 

  On 24/10/2013 at 19:22, Robie_n said:

I read somewhere commoners wernt aloud running dogs unless they had 1 of the dogs legs removed

gaffer of to a flying start if the bring that back in

 

Lol

[TOMO 27,088]

  On 23/10/2013 at 14:04, sandymere said:

 

  On 22/10/2013 at 16:52, Country Joe said:

Not going as far back, about 30 years ago i spoke to a farmer who was then in his eighties,He told me about a squad of rabbit trappers from the Highlands who would live on the farms trapping rabbits pre myxi using Gin traps, they then would move on to the next farms travelling round and stayinghe described their Dogs as long legged Terriers. and some had Collie Dogs. again he said they were long in the leg.

Going back a few years I had an old fella in my clinic who was a rabbit trapper in his youth, he and the crew of Devon boys went to the Scottish Isles rabbit trapping, spending months up there. He said when they had enough they left all the equipment, traps etc up there. I could have listened to him for hours but alas there’s always another waiting to be seen. If it was ethical I would have contacted him and written down his story, he described a different world that is not well documented.

That would have been an interesting ready sandy.....

[shaaark 10,946]

  On 25/10/2013 at 15:11, skycat said:

Toes off: not a leg

[Robie_n 10]

Toes off would do it like lol