My Life with Lurchers

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The mum’s did not seem stressed. I paid as much attention to them as I did the pups. They were relaxed and friendly. In the United States, they are conducting such tests, ranging from 'Introduction to Quarry' and 'Junior Earthdog' to 'Senior Earthdog' and 'Master Earthdog'. To date I know of no master earthdog tests being held but just under ten dogs hold the senior earthdog title. In the introduction test, the terrier (or working Dachshund) has two minutes to enter a ten-foot tunnel, negotiate a 90 degree turn and 'work' the quarry for 30 seconds. The American enthusiasts say that "you put a dog down the hole but you get a terrier out of it". In the master earthdog test, acting in a brace, a dog has to follow a 100 foot scent trail to a hole, which is intentionally a false one, investigate the false den without giving tongue, then navigate 30 feet of tunnel, three 90 degree turns, a false exit, a constriction point and an obstacle.

It is common to find the less diligent researchers linking the 'tumbler', quaintly described by a number of sixteenth century writers, with the lurcher. Correspondents contributing to country sports magazines on the subject of lurchers often sign themselves 'tumbler'. But the tumbler was the decoy dog, a very different animal altogether. The much-quoted Dr. Caius, for all his learning, knew little about dogs and yet has, over the years become known as some kind of authority. But even he mentioned the 'thevishe dog or stealer, that is the poaching dog'. His lengthy and hyperbolical description of the tumbler is a graphic account of the antics of a decoy dog and valuable for just that. I know of no lurcher which hunts by 'dissembling friendship and pretending favour', as he described the hunting technique of the tumbler.The office is not a selling point (to put it mildly). I am sure David knows where everything is but it looks as though it had its last clear out in the mid 80's and does not give the impression of a professional efficient business. I have to say that I found their knowledge, approach and management to be much better than I first expected when I entered the office.

David starts with a working collie BITCH and mates it to a greyhound dog. THAT is a colliexgreyhound. If you use a colie dog and put it on a greyhound bitch YOU DO NOT GET THE SAME THING. That is a Geyhound x collie. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE? This is where those who do not understand genetics start to get found out! He is a 'volume breeder'. On each for the 4 or 5 visits that I made I recon there were approx. 10 litters between 0-8 weeks. INSTINCT. Collies have the herding instinct in their genes. Even a town bred collie, if taken into the countryside from 6 weeks and reared as a farm dog will grow up like a farm dog. The instinct is deep in the psyche, all it needs to bring it to the surface is ENVIRONMENT. Environment and training. penny the labrador she has been with me for 4 years the owner was breeding out of her annualy she came to a age he did not want her any more she will be with me forever But whatever their size it is possible to judge these admirable dogs more effectively. If we are going to judge them, let's do it properly. A hound which hunts using its speed must have the anatomy to do so. Immense keenness for work will always come first but the physique to exploit that mental asset comes close second. A lurcher must have a long strong muzzle with powerful jaws and a level bite. How else can it catch and retrieve its quarry? The nose should be good-sized with well-opened nostrils, for, despite some old-fashioned theories, sighthounds hunt using scent as well as sight.It would be good to see appropriate recognition for the boar-lurchers or hunting mastiffs, whether described as docgas, bandogges, seizers, holding dogs, pinning dogs, perro de presas, filas, bullenbeissers or leibhunde. They should at least be respected for their past bravery and bred to the design of their ancestors. A big game hunting breed like the Mastiff of England seems prized nowadays solely for its weight and size. The Englische Dogge ( 'dogge' then meant mastiff) was once famous throughout central Europe as a hunting mastiff par excellence. It is a fact that, in the boar-hunting field in central Europe in the period 1500 to 1800, many more catch-dogs were killed than the boars being hunted. In those days there was a saying in what is now Germany that if you wanted ‘ boars' heads you had to sacrifice dogs' heads’. But the best physique is squandered without keenness in the chase and immense determination, an alert eager expression in the eye indicates this and is essential. A judge has to ask himself: will this dog hunt? Can this dog hunt with this anatomy? Better judging, based on a more measured assessment, should lead to the production of better dogs. Fieldsports folk have too much sense to allow such a concept to degenerate into a judgement based purely on cosmetic appeal, mere handsomeness and not ability to function in its designed role. Lurcher shows are a bit of fun; the only real test for such a dog is in the chase. But that 'bit of fun' can raise standards too if the judges' criteria are sound. Who wants to win with an unworthy dog? David was keen to point out that they are inspected by the local authorities to ensure that they are compliant (whatever that means). From my perspective it would help if he did have such welfare inspection certificates on view. This variation in type manifests itself at lurcher shows today, with classes for rough and smooth-haired dogs and those under or over 26 inches at the withers. Some breeders swear by the Saluki cross and others by Bedlington blood; some fanciers favour a rough or harsh-haired dog and others the smooth variety. A minority prize the 'Smithfield' blood from the old drovers' dogs and there are often more bizarre crosses such as Beardie cross Dobermann, German Shepherd Dog cross Greyhound and Airedale cross Whippet. The concept, as always with a hunting dog, is to find the ideal match between quarry, country and conditions on one hand and speed, determination and hunting instinct on the other. Chapter 3: Sources of Speed: Hunting by speed, development of the sighthounds, deficiencies of show ring hounds, sighthound phenotype rooted in function. Impact of the Greyhound, remarkable pace from anatomical make-up. Gazehounds different from sighthounds; Greyhounds replicated abroad: Galgo, Chart Polski and Magyar Agar, supreme canine athletes. Desert sighthound, the Saluki: great stamina, long-distance sprinter, good feet, difficult to train, widespread use in North Africa and Middle East. The miners' Greyhound: the Whippet, amazing sprinters, tenacity from terrier blood, importance of heart and liver size and lung room, crucial role of sound shoulders; must be conserved as a sporting dog.

It would be good to see appropriate recognition for the hunting mastiffs, whether described as seizers, holding dogs, pinning dogs, perro de presas, filas, bullenbeissers or leibhunde. They should at least be respected for their past bravery and bred to the design of their ancestors. A big game hunting breed like the Mastiff of England is prized nowadays solely on its bulk. It is possible that in the boar-hunting field in Central Europe in the period 1500 to 1800 more catch-dogs were killed than the boars being hunted. In those days there was a saying in what is now Germany that if you wanted boars' heads you had to sacrifice dogs' heads. But in these times what exactly is a lurcher? If you look around at a lurcher show, it is soon apparent that the event would be better labelled "any variety, sporting dog", for the height, weight, coat and colour is essentially anything but uniform. For a lurcher must be a cross-bred dog, fast enough to catch a hare, crafty enough not to get caught doing so, silent at all times and able to endure the cold and the wet. Old-timers would say it really must be a working sheepdog cross Greyhound to be a true lurcher, but Deerhound, Whippet, Saluki, Bedlington terrier and Staffordshire Bull Terrier blood have all been used down the years to instil gameness, a more protective coat, stronger feet or greater stamina.He is a ‘volume breeder’. On each for the 4 or 5 visits that I made I recon there were approx. 10 litters between 0-8 weeks.