Adopting a Lurcher from a Rescue or a Shelter
If you are looking to adopt a Lurcher, you’re in luck: There are many great options available. Here is how to get started.
Use the Web. Start your search online at asite like Petfinder.com. This resource lets you perform either very general or very specific queries. For example, if you’re looking for a housetrained Lurcher in your area, Petfinder will allow you to filter search results by your request.
AnimalShelter is your go-to resource finding animal rescue groups in your area, which are great places to look for a Lurcher in need of a home.
Otherwise, don’t discount your local newspaper or even social media to help in your search!For example, a quick post on your Facebook page can invite your entire community to serve as your eyes and ears in finding a Lurcher to bring home.
Talk to Local Experts. Start talking with vets, dog walkers, groomer and other pet pros in your area about your search for a Lurcher to adopt. These individuals are often the first group people turn to When they make the tough decision to give up a dog.
Of course, the most important thing you can do for your new Lurcher is taking him to the veterinarian soon after adoption. Your vet can identify any current or potential problems, and will work with you to set up a preventive regimen to help get your new dog’s health on the right track.
What You Need To Know About Lurcher Health
Lurchers are considered a pretty healthy cross-breed. The main health concerns for Lurchers are gastric torsion, torn toenails, foot or muscle injuries, and heat stroke or heat exhaustion. They may also be prone to osteosarcoma (bone cancer). Lurchers with herding breeds in their ancestry may be prone to eye problems. Hypothyroidism is common in many dog breeds.
Ask if the breeder has screened the puppy’s parents for thyroid disease and eye health. A thyroid evaluation from the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals and certification of eye health from the Canine Eye Registry Foundation are points in a breeder’s favor.
Careful breeders screen their breeding dogs for genetic disease and breed only the healthiest and best-looking specimens, but sometimes Mother Nature has other ideas and a puppy develops one of these diseases despite good breeding practices. Advances in veterinary medicine mean that in most cases the dogs can still live a good life. If you’re getting a puppy, ask the breeder about the ages of the dogs in her lines and what they died of.
You can play a large part in keeping your Lurcher healthy just by helping him maintain a healthy weight. Obesity is one of the most common health problems seen in dogs. Taking preventative measures is always preferred, but you can also help your dog lose weight by exercising him and giving him an appropriate amount of food.
The Lurcher may have a rough or smooth coat. Weekly brushing will keep the coat healthy and free of dead hair. Introduce him to grooming early in life so that he learns to accept it willingly and patiently.
The rest is basic care. Trim his nails as needed, usually once a month, and keep his ears clean and dry. Check the ears weekly for dirt, redness or a bad odor that can indicate an infection. If the ears look dirty, wipe them out with a cotton ball dampened with a gentle pH-balanced ear cleaner recommended by your veterinarian.
Good dental hygiene is also important. Brush the teeth frequently with a vet-approved pet toothpaste for good overall health and fresh breath.
We are often asked if Lurchers, Greyhounds and other Sighthounds can successfully live in a home that has cats. The short answer is that some can and some can’t. It is an individual thing. Sighthound puppies and some Lurchers that have not been worked are the best candidates to home with cats.
Lurcher SOS hounds that have been tested in a home with cats are termed as cat trainable and are deemed suitable to live in a home with cats, provided some precautions are taken by the new owner at the start of the adoption until the dog and cat know each other (eg muzzling, just in case). We will advise new owners on how to properly introduce their new hound to their cat. Any Lurcher SOS dog that is cat trainable will have that fact noted in their write up. If it doesn’t say cat trainable in the information about a particular hound, then that hound is NOT cat trainable so if you have a cat, do not apply for one of our dogs unless it says cat trainable, cat workable or cat friendly against their name. Dogs for Adoption
A Lurcher is not a breed of dog but is a type of hound that results from cross breeding a Sighthound with another type of working dog such as a Collie or Terrier. The Lurcher is unique to Ireland and Britain and has been with us a very long time. The development of the Lurcher as a ‘type’ of hound is thought to originate from the time when only Noblemen were permitted to own pure bred Sighthounds such as the Greyhound, Saluki, Deerhound, Whippet and Wolfhound. The punishment for a Commoner for possessing one of these types of hounds was death. So the Lurcher was born to fulfill the need for the Commoners and Poachers for a fast and efficient hunting companion.