Lurcher

A large, slender but muscular dog, with a short dark, speckled coat and short ears flopped into a v shape, stands lowering their chest to the floor, in a bowing position on the grass, eager to play! The dog is smiling with their pink tongue hanging out of their mouth to the side.

Lurcher

Calm, gentle, affectionate and loyal, Lurchers make ideal family pets and companion dogs. Whether you’re thinking of borrowing one or getting your own, we’ve pulled together lots of fun and interesting facts you should know about the breed, courtesy of the Lurcher owners in our community.

What is a Lurcher?

The Lurcher is a type of hound that results from a cross between a sighthound with another type of working dog. An example of a sighthound is a Greyhound, Saluki, Whippet or Wolfhound, with the working cross being anything from a Collie to a Terrier.

How much exercise does a Lurcher need?

A medium sized, black, slim dog with a long nose and rough coat is standing in the woods looking forward to exploring — Doggy member Winter

Lurchers require at least two walks a day, and need the option to stretch their legs out for at least one of their walks. Given they have a strong prey drive, many owners opt to keep their Lurchers on the lead when out and about.

“Jessie and Alfie don’t need masses of exercise - one good, long walk a day followed by lounging around at home is perfect for them.” - Aurelian, owner of Jessie and Alfie.

What is the temperament of a Lurcher?

Lurchers are loyal dogs who form a very strong bond with their owners. They’re trustworthy, gentle dogs whose temperament varies massively depending on the contributory breeds within the crossing.

“Leonard is such a chilled out, loving boy. He’s very clever and attentive, and just adores running around, sleeping and cuddling.” - Thalia, owner of Leonard.

Are Lurchers easy to train?

A shaggy, silver haired, slim dog with a long nose and long legs is relaxing in a garden — Doggy member Charlie

The trickiest job you will have when training a Lurcher is working on their recall. Their love for chasing other animals and their high prey drive means they don’t always have very good recall. Regular training classes can help improve this, whilst also socialising them.

Rosie will happily sit, stay and give a paw in return for treats.

- Alicia, owner of Rosie.

That being said, here are a few funny quirks that some of our members’ Lurchers have:

Elliott, owner of Lexi

Lexie loves a good run around, but she’ll get upset because she knows you can’t run as fast as her.

Audrey, owner of Breeze

Breeze loves lying in the sunshine, eating roast chicken and stealing treats from strangers’ pockets.

Lucy, owner of Van

Van is very cheeky and loves chewing up bits from the recycling bin.

Most common Lurcher names on BorrowMyDoggy:

Oscar
Alfie
Finn
Daisy
Molly
Charlie
Lucy
Lola
Luna
Jess

BorrowMyDoggy member Harry joined with his Lurcher, Lampea. Harry’s parents were going on holiday and were looking for someone to take care of Lampea.

You can read Lampea’s story here.

High paws to our lovely community for letting us share these facts about their Lurchers. Paws crossed you found them helpful :)

Looking for the pawfect Lurcher to join you on a walk? Or would you like your Lurcher to make a new friend? Why not sign up to BorrowMyDoggy today.