Dog advice please.

[di]

I've finally(after several years)convinced Andi that we need a four legged member of the family...I grew up with dogs and really miss having one and feel the kiddies are more than ready.

The turn around is due to a rather gorgeous pup we met at the lottie and hopefully there's still a sister left looking for a home,it's a Bedlington terrier/whippet cross....when I got home and googled a picture of an adult one Andi fell in love too

Now for the help bit!
All of the people I've spoken to directly that have experience of them say they're wonderful dogs,respond well to training and most importantly brilliant with children...but then I had to do the Google thing
Several posts were from people saying they can't let them off the lead because as soon as they see something small and moving they're gone and don't come back when called....does anyone know if this is common with the breed or if it's more down to poor training?
I know a lurcher is a hunting/chasing dog and I'd love to be able to watch it run and chase...but with the knowledge that with decent trainig it will come back when I call it to.
I don't work so would have a lot of time on my hands for training.

Thoughts please?

[Glutton4...]

Di, dogs are like kids - train 'em right, they're fine. Personally, I find Dogs sooooooooo much easier than kids, that's why I've never had kids! Anything with Terrier in, will have a hunting instinct. Anything with sight-hound in, will want to run/chase.

Time spent doing the obedience, from day one, is the key.


Oh, by the way - that was a YES!

[HeyWayne]

If I had muscles I'd resemble the incredulous sulk!

Very envious - good luck.

[rustylady]

I still stand by the old saying "there's no such thing as a bad dog, only bad owners". Get them early, train them well, love them and they will do anything for you.

[Glutton4...]

I still stand by the old saying "there's no such thing as a bad dog, only bad owners". Get them early, train them well, love them and they will do anything for you.

Yup - I'd go with that too!

Wayne - just shut up and get a bl*ddy Dog, will ya!!!?

[di]

If I had muscles I'd resemble the incredulous sulk!

Very envious - good luck.

Wayne I really am sorry...I even hunted down your thread from a while back...which took some doing young man...just how many threads have you started?!
If it makes you feel slightly less sulkish,I've not got round to asking the Landlord yet

G$ and Rusty...I agree with the start them right approach...just a little worried I'd be fighting a losing battle with a lurcher...I just love them to look at,know they're affectionate and also like the fact they're a dog with a purpose.I just don't want to end up with a dog that was born to run having to be kept on one of those stretchy lead things...but nor do I fancy one that's gonna jump the park fence and bring me some school mates kitten

[HeyWayne]

I still stand by the old saying "there's no such thing as a bad dog, only bad owners". Get them early, train them well, love them and they will do anything for you.

There you go again, getting dogs and husbands confused. Time for your medication.

Wayne - just shut up and get a bl*ddy Dog, will ya!!!?

Just waiting for LW's folks to move Sowf, and we probably will. Probably.

[di]

Just waiting for LW's folks to move Sowf, and we probably will. Probably.

In my world probably and will have pretty much the same definition

[FionaH]

What Glutton said Train it well and you should be fine. Most dogs are only as good or bad as their owners!

[SarzWix]

I grew up with a whippet cross called Sally. She was a little sweetheart, really obedient, good with kids, other dogs, postmen... In fact whippets are generally a bit shy, and more likely to hang round your legs than run away. Lurchers are a bit more boisterous.

I'd recommend a whippet cross to anyone, I loved mine to bits

[Glutton4...]

...G4 and Rusty...I agree with the start them right approach...just a little worried I'd be fighting a losing battle with a lurcher...I just love them to look at,know they're affectionate and also like the fact they're a dog with a purpose.I just don't want to end up with a dog that was born to run having to be kept on one of those stretchy lead things...but nor do I fancy one that's gonna jump the park fence and bring me some school mates kitten

Sight Hounds want to run, flat out, for five or ten minutes, twice a day. The rest of the time, they sleep. I wasn't interested in them (grew up in a house full of Retrievers) until my Sister had a rescue Greyhound. She was soooo lovely, my Sister then had a Lurcher, as did a friend. Lovely Dogs! I have a friend with Deerhounds, but I can't afford one of those!

There you go again, getting dogs and husbands confused. Time for your medication....

Nope - they're about the same. Well, except Dogs are easier!!!!!

[di]

G4...sorry!I just realised I misspelt your name...and you corrected it...sorry!

I knew the Vine was the place to get lots of positive encouragement
Seriously though,I do have my heart set on the breed...or some other small lurcher type,but am prepared to be put straight by anyone that tells me I'm mad to contemplate getting one.

Something that has really took me by surprise.Since Andi said yes I've been looking at the for sale sites...mixed breeds have actually become more expensive than pedigrees...well some.
I also really loke Wheaten Terriers but so far,other than one dodgy 'free to good home' ad,they're about £700....yet once thought of as the 'Poor mans working dog'

[di]

I grew up with a whippet cross called Sally. She was a little sweetheart, really obedient, good with kids, other dogs, postmen... In fact whippets are generally a bit shy, and more likely to hang round your legs than run away. Lurchers are a bit more boisterous.

I'd recommend a whippet cross to anyone, I loved mine to bits

Our Postie's got two Staffies...don't think he'd be too bothered my a tiddly little Beddy Whippet cross

My favourite dog from childhood was Carla our GSD...soppy as heck but a bag of nerves...my Mum was taken by the runt of the litter...Ash really wants one but both me and Andi would prefer a smaller breed while the kiddies are little.

[Nicos]

This is the lurcher cross my daughter and her partner are looking for!!!!
.They've been trawling through the internet tracking down a female pup for when they get home from here .
They have a house rabbit and an indoor cat- so it'll learn from an early age that 'retrieve' is forbidden!

OH was brought up with deerhounds, pointers and lurchers and the only hairy moment was when one of the deerhounds decided to chase a mahoosive stag in a park ( yup- he called off at about 3 feet away from it's heels)
...stag bouncing away at full pelt and deerhound gaining on him was a tremendous site- everyone stopped and watched with horror...a few weeks later a sign went up saying all dogs had to be on leads ( ooops!)
...and nope- he never had chased before nor since.

I'd say it's all down to training too

[danmon_81]

Its not easy....Poppy (springer) wants to chase everything all the time....but thats her nature......you'll need to work on it with them young but its very easy to do....you just need to be the centre of their attention all the time and keep them within a resonable distance from you......you can get them focused on a toy from a young age or ball.....there will be times when the test your patience but lets be honest its more than worth it with what you get back from them!!!!!!!!