Italian greyhound!

Smellydog

Well-Known Member
Poor Rake Aboot's loss has brought to mind an old question of mine.

Has anyone ever come across an Italian greyhound cross?
I don't even know if they are worked by anyone but being a fan of crosses I often wonder 🤔.
 
I've never seen one that I would give house room to.

Lurchers & terriers were my bread & butter for 15 years, and I've never known any of the boys to ever own such a dog, even a cross.

Go for a proper coursing type whippet. Even when I followed the whippet coursing, there were whippets, then there were good whippets, dogs with stamina, heart and good feet.
 
See them at the horse shows & some country fairs . A think if you could cover one with a nice bedlington would make cracking lil rabbit dogs
Both give tongue but it’s not the sin of sins it used to be
If you getting my meaning SD
Al dig out some old photos of my bedlington dog max
 
Poor Rake Aboot's loss has brought to mind an old question of mine.

Has anyone ever come across an Italian greyhound cross?
I don't even know if they are worked by anyone but being a fan of crosses I often wonder 🤔.
Not a good base to start with Smelly.
There's better stuff available out there.
But like what's already been said its a completely different world these days for working Terriers and Lurchers. Compared to pre 2003.
My digging days are well over, i won't own another Terrier (he said)..
But Lurchers with be a part of me until the day that im sprinkled across the ground..
 

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I've never seen one that I would give house room to.

Lurchers & terriers were my bread & butter for 15 years, and I've never known any of the boys to ever own such a dog, even a cross.

Go for a proper coursing type whippet. Even when I followed the whippet coursing, there were whippets, then there were good whippets, dogs with stamina, heart and good feet.
Hello chaps :-) - now i apologize if i am asking what i may be considered common knowledge in the UK, but what is "a lurcher" ?.-)
 
Hello chaps :-) - now i apologize if i am asking what i may be considered common knowledge in the UK, but what is "a lurcher" ?.-)
Traditionally, a cross between a sighthound.. greyhound, whippet or Saluki and a herding type dog, the aim is to achieve a dog fast enough to hunt and catch anything edible, this cross hopefully has some brains.
A cross between two sighthounds, bred for outright blistering speed and stamina, with little brain, are Longdogs... also very useful.

Now let the arguments begin :rofl:
 
Traditionally, a cross between a sighthound.. greyhound, whippet or Saluki and a herding type dog, the aim is to achieve a dog fast enough to hunt and catch anything edible, this cross hopefully has some brains.
A cross between two sighthounds, bred for outright blistering speed and stamina, with little brain, are Longdogs... also very useful.
Thank you - I've never read such a clear distinction of the difference between lurchers and long dogs. 👍
 
Hello chaps :-) - now i apologize if i am asking what i may be considered common knowledge in the UK, but what is "a lurcher" ?.-)
There is an element of truth to my 'norden arl'nd friends words but generally speaking and how I understand it is that a coursing dog will follow the course the prey takes.
A lurcher will lurch into the prey to catch it.
Head it off or cut a corner of cornering prey, intercept preys manoeuvring etc.

Hare coursing dogs scored points on how true they coursed a hares course with no deviation. A competing sport developed.

A lurchers aim is to catch by any means as quick as possible. Characteristics ideal for a poacher etc.
Despite their reputation they have adapted and become not only good pets but also good hunting companions legitimately.
 
You old romantic Smelly..

Competitive coursing dogs run under the coursing club rules at historic events such as the Anglia Cup and Waterloo are never run on live quarry very often to stop them learning to "run cunning", like you say, points scored for the outrun, first turn etc... The object is not necessarily to necessarily catch the hare.

Different ball game match coursing, 3-3 or 5-5 runs for each dog slipped singularly, the dog with the most kills is the winner, simples...

A lurcher was a dog to feed a family, so the quicker they learned to bring home the bacon, the better, and as easily as possible, that's where the dash of collie comes in handy, generally adds a bit of brain, and also they have a streak of "cunning" running through their veins.
I remember the night my old cur bred lurcher first ran cunning on the lamp, I thought where the hell has the dog got to, then she came out of the darkness into the lamplight and picked up the rabbit as easy as wink before it got to the hedge... I was as chuffed as Hell with her. It was a good night when they wanted to sit tight, she had that off to a fine art, picking them from the seat.
Alpha, my first dog..
20240414_212202.webp
 
Not a good base to start with Smelly.
There's better stuff available out there.
But like what's already been said its a completely different world these days for working Terriers and Lurchers. Compared to pre 2003.
My digging days are well over, i won't own another Terrier (he said)..
But Lurchers with be a part of me until the day that im sprinkled across the ground..
Good old Scooby 👍
 
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