Complete beginner

[penn2017 0]

As a someone with no idea where to start or any family friends interested in working their dogs where do I start?

Will my pair of 6 month old whippets with a bit of greyhound be able to go out lamping sporadically and still be family pets for country walks most of the time?  Can I just have a pair of pets and just get them out when time allows or should I be regularly working them to get the best out of them?

Any other advice on how I can get started or even what I should be reading to get me going?

Thanks.

[Attaboy 159]

Hi Penn, this is how I started out with lurchers about 2 years ago. I wanted a dog and, being into foraging and fishing, a mate suggested a lurcher. I liked the idea of a dog that could put food on the table now and then. 

I have a young family, Allotment and work as a gardener so don't have a lot of free time but do manage to fit in a bit of mooching (basically taking your dog out, early morning usually best, for a walk with a view to catching something for dinner) and lamping.

You may find that you get chatting to people while walking the dog (dogs do that to people) and find someone to take you under their wing. That's what happened to me and it has worked out beautifully. For now just get the dog out where there are rabbits, he'll know what to do but be careful... the notion of the odd rabbit for the pot can turn into an all consuming addiction!

I got a couple of books, understanding the working lurcher by Jackie Drakeford and The lurcher by John Hutcheon, which were useful.

Hopefully you'll get some advice from people on here who are more experienced than me.

Well off to walk the dog before the sun comes up!

Good luck

[blackmaggie 3,377]

Penn get them stock broke and use to live stock  first and there's no rules to say they can't be pets a lot of lurchers are and still go out working if you go lamping just take the one to begin with maybe get a couple of ferrets and have a bit of fun that way  main thing is just enjoy yourself that's what its about watch Perdy's progress on YouTube for some tips hints or there's other films you can watch theres ferreting lamping etc and get a few books 

[shaaark 10,932]

Try to steer clear of anyone that tells you your dogs should be 'smashing'  stuff by the time they're 10 months old. Give em plenty of time to mature and grow.

All my dogs have been pets first and foremost, then workers secondly.

One of my best dogs was mostly whippet with a dash of greyhound

[green lurchers 16,852]

Spend the summer basic training not easy with two young uns might have to split them up but you got plenty time  good luck 

[Black neck 16,257]

9 hours ago, shaaark said:

Try to steer clear of anyone that tells you your dogs should be 'smashing'  stuff by the time they're 10 months old. Give em plenty of time to mature and grow.

All my dogs have been pets first and foremost, then workers secondly.

One of my best dogs was mostly whippet with a dash of greyhound

They should be smashing stuff hee hee hee that's the spirit brother ?