Choosing a Pet

Are you Ready? | Which Breed?

Which Breed?

Back to breed selection

Lurcher

Breed Character & Physical Characteristics
Breed Origins
Living With You

Breed Character & Physical Characteristics

Calm and mild-mannered

Love to sleep and tend to be almost invisible indoors

Not the bravest dog

Cross between a sighthound and any other breed so differs a lot in height and weight

A Lurcher is a cross-breed between a sighthound - a Greyhound, Borzois, Saluki, Whippet, Afghan Hound or Irish Wolfhound - and any other breed of dog. But by far the most common is the Greyhound-cross.

Lurchers were carefully bred to keep the speed of the sighthound so that they could be used in rabbit coursing - a pastime for which they are still used. They also retain the strong hunting instincts originally bred in Greyhounds and other sighthounds.
These days, the dignified-looking Lurcher is still mainly bred for function, and so there is no official standard for it. As a result, in some circles it is only referred to as a 'type' of dog, rather than a breed, and has no Kennel Club classification.
Back to the top

Breed Origins

Companion for 'commoners'

Can be traced back to the1600s

Name from Romany word 'Lur' meaning thief

Most commonly the Lurcher is a Greyhound-cross. During the Renaissance period, any nobleman owning a Greyhound was especially well respected and the Greyhound was often put on display as a status symbol amongst the nobility.
As time wore on, Greyhounds and their fellow sighthounds became deliberately cross-bred with other types to produce a suitable hunting companion for 'commoners'. This new breed was called the Lurcher - and it quickly gained reputation as a poacher's dog. This cross-breeding can be traced back to 'tinkers', or Romany gypsies in England and Ireland during the 1600s. In fact, the name Lurcher comes from the Romany word 'lur', meaning 'thief'. Always very much a dog of the British commoner, it is to this day unusual to find them outside the UK.
Back to the top

Living With You

Lurchers:

Need regular outbursts of energy

Obedience levels generally very good

Bred to chase small furry animals so be aware when out in the country

Tends to be more robust and healthy than most pedigree breeds

Probably the most common trait of the Lurcher is a great love of people. Lurchers, even if they have had a bad start in life, tend to be very affectionate. They are great characters with a genuinely human sense of humour. They are also not the bravest of dogs, and would rather avoid a difficult or challenging situation.
The calm and mild-mannered Lurcher can prove to be an enthusiastic playmate but also a couch potato. True to their Greyhound parentage, they love to sleep and tend to be almost invisible indoors.

Although most Lurchers don't need long walks every day, they do need regular short bursts of intense energy. 'Outdoorsy' families are ideal for the Lurcher, providing the chance to burn off energy in short bursts.

Lurchers were bred to chase and kill small furry animals so be aware when out in the country and make sure your train you Lurcher well. Their obedience level is generally very good, and they learn commands fast and execute them without too much fuss.
Back to the top

Back to breed selection