Fun Lurcher Facts For Kids

A lurcher is a group of mixed breed of dogs that actually cross between a sighthound, like a greyhound, and any other breed of dog, like a terrier. The dogs are thought to have first bred in Great Britain.

Any dog breed among the lurchers is rather healthy and known to live for over 13 years. Appearance traits, like the height and weight of the lurchers, can depend a lot upon the height and weight of the parents, but generally, they fall under the category of big dogs.

Even the coat color can vary a lot and can be of any color depending on its parents. The coat can either be short or long-haired.

They have a lean, long body with muscular legs. The body shape of the dogs happens to be a bit more like the sighthounds.

The dogs have a gentle personality yet high prey drive, due to which they will start chasing smaller animals. The dogs also like lure coursing sports.

If you are thinking of getting a lurcher, we request you to visit your nearest rescue center for dogs first. In the rescue center, you might find a dog that will benefit a lot from your help.

Read on to know more about the lurchers, and if you like this article, then check out chinook dog facts and wire-haired dachshund facts.
 

Lurcher Interesting Facts

What type of animal is a lurcher?

The lurcher is a type of dog.

What class of animal does a lurcher belong to?

The lurcher dog belongs to the class Mammalia of animals.

How many lurchers are there in the world?

The breeding of lurchers has been seen to have happened accidentally in many parts of the world. However, the history of this group of breeds tells us that they were first bred as a substitution for sighthounds. Till this day, a large number of them are bred according to the demand of society for dogs.

Other times, it can happen in the homes of dog owners. Hence, the birth of many lurchers happens without anyone monitoring. That's why the exact number of lurchers in the world is not known.

Where does a lurcher live?

The lurcher is not one breed of dog, it's a group of many cross-breed of dogs. The history of the lurchers tells us that they were first bred in Great Britain.

In the middle ages, laws were put in where it was said common people could not own sighthounds like the greyhound.

At this time, people started breeding sighthounds with other breeds of dogs as a loophole.

Later, it has been found that many people started breeding lurchers in Spain for the same reason as well when sighthounds became the dogs of only the noble people. Since then, they have been bred in many parts of the world, and in today's time, they can be seen living as pets all over the world except Antarctica.

What is a lurcher's habitat?

The lurchers were first bred as a loophole to a law that prohibited common people from possessing sighthound dogs. People wanted a breed that had the agility, the prey drive, and the speed of a sighthound, like a greyhound.

They bred other breeds of dogs, like terriers, with a sighthound to come up with new breeds of dogs, that we call today the lurchers. This tells us that since the beginning, these dogs have been living with humans to help them hunt and kill other animals.

Since that time, these dogs have been seen living in household environments.

The coat of the dogs vary. The single-coated lurchers would be more vulnerable to cold weather, whereas the double-coated lurchers would be more resistant to change in weather around them.

Who do lurchers live with?

Lurchers can be great company for the hunters, but they can live with other people as well. Their loyalty and affection towards their owners and other family members know no bounds.

They can be good around children, but it's advised that they should be always under supervision when they are around children. They do not get along with other smaller animals, even smaller dogs. Their hunting tendencies may act up and they will start chasing around the small animal and might even kill them.

As a result, they cannot live with smaller animals, like cats, or rabbits. They can be wary of strangers, but with proper training that can be changed.

How long does a lurcher live?

Lurchers are known to live for about 13 years. They may live more than 13 years, but that depends on the lifespan of the parents and their health. The mortality of any dog largely depends on their health, as the only things that threaten their lives are diseases and injuries.

How do they reproduce?

These dogs are either bred by the owners or by expert breeders. If you are thinking about breeding them at your home, then first you need to check a few things out.

Firstly, if the dog and bitch  chosen for breeding purposes have any health conditions. Test them by the regulations the kennel clubs have put up for the dog breed of your dog and bitch.

If they have any health issues, they might pass them on to the puppies. Next would be to check if the dog and bitch have any negative personality traits, that the puppies might inherit from the parents.

If both the dog and bitch don't have any health issues or negative personality traits, then the condition is that they are at least two years of age. Along with the age, the bitch should have already had at least three or four heat cycles before she's chosen for breeding.

The gestation period is for about 60-63 days. After that, about three or four puppies are born.

What is their conservation status?

The conservation status of the lurcher dog is Not Listed under the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List. Domestic dogs are popular and the group of dogs is not facing any great threats at this moment, so it can be assumed that their population is not threatened in any way.

Lurcher Fun Facts

What do lurchers look like?

Lurchers are usually big-sized dogs. Their appearance depends a lot upon the parents. Most lurchers are crosses between the greyhound, Irish wolfhound, whippet, or Saluki and other dog breeds, like any of the terrier breeds or herding breeds.

Generally, these dogs get their long and lean body from the sighthound. The lurcher usually has a deep chest and muscular legs to help them run. Usually, the head and the muzzles of the dogs are long and narrow and the ears stand semi-erect.

Coat and eye color and the length of the coat can depend a lot upon the parents. The lurcher can either have a short-haired or long-haired coat. They can also be either single or double-coated dogs.

How cute are they?

The dogs have an intelligent, alert look rather than a cute one. With their long, lean body and muscular legs, they look pretty athletic as well. The dogs are intelligent, affectionate, loyal, gentle, and can be good watchdogs. These traits only add to their charm.

How do they communicate?

All dogs communicate through body language and vocal means. For example, some signs that your dog is afraid or stressed are if the dog is moving or walking slowly, or if it's pacing or moving away from you or something.

Being playful, wagging its tail, and occasional excited barking are some signs that your dog is happy.

Lurchers are not heavy barkers, but they will bark on various occasions, like when they see any stranger or feel any danger is oncoming. They might bark if they are bored and haven't had enough activity, or they might bark to draw your attention towards something.

How big is a lurcher?

The height of the lurcher depends a lot upon the parents, but generally, the lurcher dog is about 22-28 in (56-71 cm). Lurchers are generally twice in terms of the height of Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, who grow up to around 12-13 in (30.5-33 cm) in height.

How fast can a lurcher run?

Lurchers can be couch potato dogs like bullmastiffs, but they also like to run. They can run at a pretty fast speed as well. The lurcher is known to run at a whopping speed of 40 mph( 64.4 kph).

How much does a lurcher weigh?

Lurchers are big-sized dogs. Their weight is about 60-70 lb (27.2-31.7 kg). Keep an eye out on the weight of your lurcher. If their weight is not within this range, they may be overweight or underweight, which can cause a wide range of diseases.

What are the male and female names of the species?

The males of the species are called dogs and the females of the species are called bitches.

What would you call a baby lurcher?

Babies of all dogs are called puppies, so the baby of a lurcher would be called a lurcher puppy.

What do they eat?

The food habit of any dog depends on three things - age, energy level, and size. The food habits of all dogs change once when they enter into adulthood from puppyhood and again when they enter into their senior years of age.

The puppies should be given food many times a day in small amounts, and that should change to meals two times a day at a gap of 12 hours and no more, in their adulthood. Lurchers are big in size and have moderate energy levels, hence requiring moderate exercise.

Thus, they should be given the right amount of food.

You can give them treats while in training. The lurcher is known to steal food, so keep an eye on that as well!

Are they slobbery?

Lurchers tend to drool very little, so they are not slobbery at all. They shed at a moderate level, and regular grooming can help with the reduction of shedding. Hence, the lurcher is rather a clean dog breed.

Would they make a good pet?

Lurchers can be a very good pet, but not all dogs are suitable for everyone. These dogs are not suitable for homes where the owners have other smaller pets, like cats or rabbits.

They are good around children, but it's better to not keep them as pets if you have babies or toddlers at home. Hence, they are not the best family pets. Their intelligence and gentle nature mean their trainability is high, but need training from a very young age.

Did you know...

This group of cross-breed is not recognized by any major kennel club. As a result, no breed standard has been given by any kennel club.

Lurchers may act up if they are left alone for a long period of time, as they are sensitive in nature. Any breed of lurchers should get the training from an early age to be able to stay alone.

What is the temperament of a lurcher?

The temperament of the lurcher tells us that these dogs are affectionate and gentle, don't need high maintenance, and are healthy. Despite having high hunting and watchdog ability, prey drive, and trainability too; can be couch potatoes at times, hence need moderate exercise.

These dogs also like lure coursing sports. They are good with children under supervision, but not with cats or other smaller animals. Regular grooming for them is necessary.

Do lurcher sleep a lot?

The lurcher is known to be a bit lazy at times and can sleep a lot. Some say the lurcher has even been seen sleeping a deep sleep with its eyes open.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other animals including wild yak facts and white-lipped peccary facts.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable lurcher coloring pages.