Why Lurchers Over Pure Greyhounds?

[Minkenry 1,044]

I've never had a running dog in my life, so I don't know much about them other than what I've read online, and we all know how reliable random comments online can be! So I came to this page hoping to find some experts on the subject. While out hunting rabbits and rock squirrels in the desert with my pet mink, we see a lot of hares. This species of hare is called a "black tailed jack rabbit" even though they are really hares, not rabbits. I would love to have a dog to run on these hares, but I don't know where to begin.

 

I hear lots about you guys using lurchers, and a few people using pure grey hounds, and was curious about the reasons for mixing greyhounds with other breeds for hunting. I asked someone online, who claimed to be experienced, if Pharaoh hounds were anywhere close to as fast as grey hounds and they said,

 

"Nowhere near close to a greyhound, nothing is, not even lurchers, but apparently they can catch rabbits and are bred for that terrain."

 

I wasn't all that surprised to hear that greyhounds are ridiculously faster than pharaoh hounds, but I was shocked to here that lurchers are "Nowhere near close" to being as fast as a pure greyhound!

 

So my question is, why cross a greyhound with something else if it makes them that much slower? Also what kind of dogs are the best to cross with greyhounds, and why?

 

Also, I've heard about a Middle Eastern dog called a "Saluki" and I hear they are supposed to be just under a greyhound in speed, but with more endurance. Do any of you know much about Salukis?

Edited October 22, 2014 by Minkenry

[Gaz_1989 9,539]

Why cross a greyhound with something else if it makes them that much slower?

 

Simple mate.

 

Speed isn't everything for a working lurcher. Half cross collie greyhounds, bull greyhounds etc are more then fast enough for UK lurcher work and much more durable than a greyhound.

 

Not to mention stamina, feet, thickness, coat, brain. The list goes on.

 

Doesn't mean to say a greyhound wouldn't do the job if that's what you want to see run. I've said before that I will get a greyhound pup one day and raise it as a lurcher with lurchers. I like a fast dog even though it's not necessary.

[Dewclaw69 484]

a greyhound like a saluki is a sight hound. lurchers are bred as gaz said above to introduce other qualities to a dog that the greyhound or saluki does not have. brains for me being the most important.

[Dewclaw69 484]

Not to mention stamina, feet, thickness, coat, brain. The list goes on.

 

 

not sure i'd want to breed thickness into a greyhound cross gaz

[nothernlite 18,076]

Oh dear rob a saluki with no brains here we go lol

[Dewclaw69 484]

Oh dear rob a saluki with no brains here we go lol

only meant that a sighthound is as it says on the box, runs by pure sight and a lurcher breeding introduces other elements to the mix. don't know the first thing about salukis other than they're a sighthound with great stamina.

[Minkenry 1,044]

Why cross a greyhound with something else if it makes them that much slower?

 

Simple mate.

 

Speed isn't everything for a working lurcher. Half cross collie greyhounds, bull greyhounds etc are more then fast enough for UK lurcher work and much more durable than a greyhound.

 

Not to mention stamina, feet, thickness, coat, brain. The list goes on.

 

Doesn't mean to say a greyhound wouldn't do the job if that's what you want to see run. I've said before that I will get a greyhound pup one day and raise it as a lurcher with lurchers. I like a fast dog even though it's not necessary.

 

Cool, so that would be why boarder collies are a favorite part of the lurcher mix. Because they wouldn't take as much from the greyhound's speed as other breeds, plus they have LOTS of brains and endurance. That makes sense.

 

So when you say "feet" I take it greyhounds have soft feet? And by "coat" I'm guessing more insulation from the cold, right? I'm not sure what you mean by "thickness". Is it thick skin, bone, muscle???

 

When you say a fast dog is "not necessary" what quarry are you speaking of? Hares are pretty freaking fast, and I've never seen a dog get close to catching one! I've seen some pretty fast boarder collies get a close slip on a jack rabbit (our local hare species), and the dog never even has a chance at getting CLOSE to it's prey, let alone catching it!!! The jack rabbit just leaves the dog, sprinting ahead of it without a problem! And before that, I was convinced that boarder collie could out run anything with four legs. It could take off after a cow running full speed across a field with a good long head start, and run past it to turn it around like the cow was standing still! That same dog could have a jack rabbit jump right under his nose, and the rabbit would leave him in the dust without a problem.

Edited October 22, 2014 by Minkenry

[Dewclaw69 484]

a greyhound is generally a sprint dog. the collie is bred to work all day so you get a mix of those qualities. added to that, a collie bred lurcher will generally run "smarter" whereas the grey will try to run its prey down with pure speed.

[Maximus Ferret 2,063]

What you need is a saluki or a mix of saluki and greyhound or possibly a fast coyote hound. If I was you I'd go for the saluki.

Whatever you choose the important thing is to find a litter of pups that are bred from dogs that work rather than show dogs.

Maybe this might interest you:- http://www.thehuntinglife.com/forums/topic/311448-coursing-hares-in-new-mexico/

[brenna 365]

My mate hunted jack rabbits in states with greyhounds and they never caught any he told me the jack rabbits were rocket fast and the greyhounds blew up meaning they run out of wind mind you that was 30 years ago I'm sure there's dog bred now that has enough speed and stanina to catch them he hunted them near michigan he back home now hunting the irish quarry atvb

[mushroom 12,827]

Minkery if you have a couple of grand lying around ship some English blood across the pond

 

as said

Greyhound = exceptional speed

saluki = good speed and stamina

lurcher (mix) depending the mix depends on the qualities gained but usually. Coat-thick jacket to keep out the cold and protect the body from scratching etc. Bone-greyhounds salukis etc can have quite light bones so adding another breed say bull will increase bone strength. Brains-sighthounds can be pretty thick so adding other breeds gives them not just intelligence when hunting but the ability to use knowledge learnt without being driven only by preydrive.

 

Obviously other things like stamina, jaw power , feet etc need to be considered.

[desertbred 5,490]

Rob2350 you buy your own admission don't know anything about salukis , so why comment about possible qualities they may or may not have? Yes they are sight hounds but if raised as a worker they will hunt up just as a lurcher and most of them have good noses and a good one will take any quarry.

Edited October 22, 2014 by desertbred

[DogFox123 1,379]

I've never had a running dog in my life, so I don't know much about them other than what I've read online, and we all know how reliable random comments online can be! So I came to this page hoping to find some experts on the subject. While out hunting rabbits and rock squirrels in the desert with my pet mink, we see a lot of hares. This species of hare is called a "black tailed jack rabbit" even though they are really hares, not rabbits. I would love to have a dog to run on these hares, but I don't know where to begin.

 

I hear lots about you guys using lurchers, and a few people using pure grey hounds, and was curious about the reasons for mixing greyhounds with other breeds for hunting. I asked someone online, who claimed to be experienced, if Pharaoh hounds were anywhere close to as fast as grey hounds and they said,

 

"Nowhere near close to a greyhound, nothing is, not even lurchers, but apparently they can catch rabbits and are bred for that terrain."

 

I wasn't all that surprised to hear that greyhounds are ridiculously faster than pharaoh hounds, but I was shocked to here that lurchers are "Nowhere near close" to being as fast as a pure greyhound!

 

So my question is, why cross a greyhound with something else if it makes them that much slower? Also what kind of dogs are the best to cross with greyhounds, and why?

 

Also, I've heard about a Middle Eastern dog called a "Saluki" and I hear they are supposed to be just under a greyhound in speed, but with more endurance. Do any of you know much about Salukis?

Do you know much about salukis then ? what makes you think they are thick LOL

I've never had a running dog in my life, so I don't know much about them other than what I've read online, and we all know how reliable random comments online can be! So I came to this page hoping to find some experts on the subject. While out hunting rabbits and rock squirrels in the desert with my pet mink, we see a lot of hares. This species of hare is called a "black tailed jack rabbit" even though they are really hares, not rabbits. I would love to have a dog to run on these hares, but I don't know where to begin.

 

I hear lots about you guys using lurchers, and a few people using pure grey hounds, and was curious about the reasons for mixing greyhounds with other breeds for hunting. I asked someone online, who claimed to be experienced, if Pharaoh hounds were anywhere close to as fast as grey hounds and they said,

 

"Nowhere near close to a greyhound, nothing is, not even lurchers, but apparently they can catch rabbits and are bred for that terrain."

 

I wasn't all that surprised to hear that greyhounds are ridiculously faster than pharaoh hounds, but I was shocked to here that lurchers are "Nowhere near close" to being as fast as a pure greyhound!

 

So my question is, why cross a greyhound with something else if it makes them that much slower? Also what kind of dogs are the best to cross with greyhounds, and why?

 

Also, I've heard about a Middle Eastern dog called a "Saluki" and I hear they are supposed to be just under a greyhound in speed, but with more endurance. Do any of you know much about Salukis?

In the open desert you should definitely try and get some Saluki blood or even some pure dogs, I wouldn't go for Collie crosses if the main quarry you're after is Jack Rabbits. Edited October 22, 2014 by DogFox123

[socks 32,253]

Minkenry ... Sounds as though you need a saluki collie grey to cover your needs .... You should catch plenty with a mix of this breeding ......

[TOMO 26,005]

Best thing you can do minkenry,,,is talk to the yank fellas on this site,,,and ask there advise,,, or look round the net for an American lurcher site,,,you lads call them stag hounds rather than lurchers...

 

But if your after hares,,,forget trad lurchers,,,,,get yourself a saluki greyhound type,,,,in this country these dogs have a new name....."coursing bred",, wich means it comes from a long line of saluki greyhounds