Lurcher breed guide

Lurchers are known for being as affectionate as they are athletic!  

Read our guide to find out more about the graceful lurcher breed…

Lurcher breed history

The lurcher’s story began in the Middle Ages, when it was against the law for anyone who wasn’t royalty, nobility, or of the land-owning upper classes to own a sighthound.

A ‘sighthound’ was bred to chase their prey without distraction, meaning that once they’d set their sights on a target, they couldn’t be called off for any reason. This trait made sighthounds very appealing to hunters at the time! Greyhounds are an example of the type of sighthounds sought after by the gentry.

So, the working classes devised a way to have their own elite hunting dogs, by ‘borrowing’ male sighthounds from the gentry and breeding them with their female farm dogs.

It’s believed the appearance of these sighthounds being disguised as ‘scruffy’ crossbred dogs meant working class owners didn’t get into trouble for owning them. Plus, thanks to crossbreeding with highly intelligent breeds, like collies, they’d developed a type of dog who’d listen to their handler’s instructions without compromising on their hunting prowess.

As time went on, these talented dogs became known as ‘lurchers’. Since people started crossbreeding these types of dogs to develop a specific set of skills in their canine companions, lurchers became known as the first ‘designer breed’.

Today, the lurchers we know and love tend to be a cross between a sighthound type dog, like a greyhound or whippet, and either a terrier or a collie. So, modern lurchers often offer the ‘perfect balance between family-friendly gentleness and graceful agility!

Common characteristics of the lurcher breed

Please remember that the following characteristics are considered ‘average’ for lurchers, and since each dog is a unique individual, your lurcher’s characteristics may differ. 

Average height for a lurcher

A lurcher’s height will depend on their parents, though on average, most lurchers are 46-71cm (at the shoulder).

Average weight for a lurcher

Lurchers differ in their weight based on a range of factors, though in general, they tend to weigh approximately 12-32kg.

Average lifespan for a lurcher

Most lurchers usually live for around 12-15 years

Typical lurcher appearance

Owing to the extraordinary variety of breeds included in their ancestry, the appearance of lurchers will vary greatly from one dog to another. For this reason, the lurcher is considered more of a ‘type’ than an official ‘breed’, which means there’s no breed standard for how a lurcher should look.

Generally, however, the majority of lurchers share a tall, athletic, slender frame with long legs and a thin tail that curves slightly at the end. Lurchers also tend to have a lengthier face that tapers to a dark-coloured nose, along with expressive almond-shaped eyes. As for their ears, a lurcher usually has small-to-medium-sized folded ears that may or may not stand upright when something catches their attention.

A lurcher’s coat type can range from smooth and short to wiry and weatherproof, so your lurcher’s individual grooming needs will depend on their specific coat type. However, it’s generally advised that all lurchers are given at least a quick brush once a day, to allow pet parents to check for skin irritation or hidden injuries.

Just as their coat type will vary based on their breeding, a lurcher’s coat could be any combination of colours, patterns, and markings.

Typical lurcher temperament

Despite their athletic appearance, after around an hour or two of exercise each day, lurchers are more than happy to spend the rest of their time snoozing on the sofa!

Due to their love of lounging, lurchers adore nothing more than snuggling up with their family, as well as finding the cosiest spots to curl up into for warmth.

While most lurchers are incredibly intelligent and thoroughly enjoy training activities, it’s important to work on their recall because they’ll naturally want to chase any small animal they see. This instinctively high prey drive can also prove a challenge if you have cats or little animals (like rabbits, guinea pigs, or hamsters). So, it’s vital that your lurcher is safely introduced to any smaller dogs or cats you might already have, and it’s worth keeping your lurcher completely separated from little pets.  

Although many dogs will do absolutely anything for food, lurchers can take snack stealing to a whole new level! If you’re owned by a lurcher, you’ll need to keep food out of their sight and out of their reach – especially if that food is toxic for dogs.

Lurcher health conditions

It’s not unusual for dogs to be prone to certain health concerns depending on the health of their parents, and lurchers are no exception. Here are a few health conditions commonly seen in the lurcher:

• Paw or claw-related injuries (e.g. torn dew claws).
• Gastric dilatation volvulus (or GDV – also known as ‘bloat’).  
• Osteosarcoma (a type of bone cancer). 

Remember: Keep an eye out for any health issues your lurcher may develop, and get your canine companion checked by a vet if you have any concerns. If you are considering pet insurance, be sure to read our guide about insuring your lurcher.

Fun facts about lurchers

Fact 1 – If a sighthound breed is crossed with another sighthound breed, e.g. a whippet is crossed with a Saluki, they’re known as a ‘longdog’ and aren’t classed as a lurcher.

Fact 2 – Lurchers are some of the most commonly seen dogs in the UK!

Fact 3 – Even though they’re usually so obsessed with food that they’re driven to steal it, many lurchers respond better to fluffy toys than treats during training sessions.

Fact 4 – The name ‘lurcher’ is inspired by the word ‘lurk’, which is said to represent the lurcher’s habit of lying in wait before stealing something (particularly food)!

Fact 5 – When lurchers have breeds like the border collie in their ancestry, they’re often fantastic at sports like agility, flyball, and Canicross.