Lurcher Puppies for Sale in Scotland

If you’re looking for a Lurcher puppy in Scotland, type in your postcode and let Pets You Love alert you to any dogs for sale or rescue in your area.

The Lurcher is not actually recognised Kennel Club breed of dog, however, Lurcher-type dogs, which are similar in appearance to the Greyhound, have been around for centuries and they were highly-sought after for their silent hunting skills when tracking down prey.

The Lurcher is a mixed breed that has come down the centuries from breeding sighthounds with terriers and herding dogs including Border Collies, Whippets, Scottish Deerhounds and Irish Wolfhounds. They were thought to have been bred by Romany travellers who bred them purely for their intelligence, silent hunting abilities and companionable nature.

A breed standard resulting in the Lurcher was recognised in 1948 and not only as a hunting dog, but as affectionate companions and family pets.

Nowadays, the elegant Lurcher can be found in family homes across the land such is their kind and affable nature.

Lurchers can differ in size and personality – many that have Irish Wolfhound heritage will be larger in size than those Lurchers that have descended from a Whippet lineage.

Likewise, they can vary in personality - with some being complete couch potatoes and others being particularly hyper-active! All of these characteristics this will depend on their genes, so potential owners should ask lots of questions to find out exactly where their dog is coming from and the nature of dog’s parents and grandparents!

Temperament

Built for stealth and speed, the Lurcher is a very intelligent dog. His personality can be roughly gauged against that of his parents as all Lurcher’s are unique - although his main trait as a family dog is loyalty and affection to his owners. Once a Lurcher forms a bond with his owner, they become friends for life!

The Lurcher can make an excellent family pet more so when there are slightly older children in the home and not little ones. This is simply as they love to run around play and large and boisterous as they are they could easily knock small children over. The Lurcher can also have a strong herding instinct and feel the need to herd the family up on outings and this isn’t good with small children.

Owners should take care to ensure that their Lurcher puppy is well-socialised and introduced to new people, dogs of all shapes and sizes and new surroundings from an early age, so that he will become a well-adjusted and confident adult dog. Otherwise the Lurcher can become a bit timid and nervy and this can result in a Lurcher who is a bit more aggressive which isn’t good for the dog or anyone else!

Training sessions should always start early with the Lurcher and be kept relatively short and interesting with food treats as he is a very food motivated dog.

Description of the Lurcher

As mentioned above, Lurchers come in varying sizes, depending on they decend from the smaller Whippet or larger Irish Wolfhound crossing. They can vary in height and weight ranging from 55 to 77 cm and from 27 to 32 kg!

Nonetheless, the Lurcher is an elegant breed; powerful, muscular, lithe and athletic and not unlike the Greyhound

The Lurcher is a nicely proportioned dog – elegant with a long neck, long body and long strong legs - straight at the front and more muscular at the back!. His shoulders are muscular, laid back and well defined to show off a broad chest. He has dark oval eyes and is always on alert with his intelligent gaze and watchful manner. He has a strong muzzle and jaw and a perfect scissor bite.

The Lurcher’s coat can vary in colour from black, blue, red, brindle or fawn with or without white markings or all all white and his coat can be fine and short or they can have rougher, coarser coats depending on their parent breeds.

Lifespan

If you’re looking for a Lurcher puppy for sale in Scotland, it’s worth knowing that this breed can live between 12-15 years. It’s a long commitment to any pet, but the Golden Retriever will become a well-loved member of the family!

Exercise

The Lurcher is an athletic dog that needs at least an hour to two hours’ exercise per day with access to a back garden as these dogs love to roam around the garden too - although a high fence that is dug deep into the soil should also be erected to avoid any Lurcher escapee antics. The Lurcher’s prey-drive is so high that he would chase the neighbourhood cats for all he was worth if he was set free!

Such an intelligent big dog also needs mental stimulation otherwise boredom can creep in and dogs can start being destructive in the home as their way of letting off steam!

Owners keeping a Lurcher as a family pet will need to give their dog mental and physical stimulation and doggy obedience and agility classes are a good way to keep these dogs busy and entertained. Lurchers will love the activity and interaction with their humans.

These classes are also a good way of socialising your dog with as many other dogs as possible which help him to learn doggy behaviours

Grooming

Grooming the Lurcher whether short and close haired or rough textured is relatively easy and a brush once or twice a week is sufficient to keep his looking good.

If allowed to roam in the countryside, these dogs will also need an occasional bath to keep them smelling sweet, but this should be done with a gentle shampoo and they shouldn’t be bathed too often.

The Lurcher should also have his ears cleaned on a regular basis so wax cannot build up and cause infection. He should also have his nails cut regularly too.

Feeding

The Lurcher is best kept on two meals per day of good quality wet or dry food. No matter how well trained he is, the Lurcher will pinch food if left on a table or worktop - he just can’t help himself, so owners need to take care around their own food and give the Lurcher space when he is eating his!

Owners should keep in mind that treats should make up only 20% of their dog’s diet and take care not to overfeed as this can actually shorten the dog’s life. The Lurcher must also have access to drinking water at all times.

Cost of Keeping a Lurcher

Those looking for a Lurcher puppy in Scotland should know that the average price for a well-bred dog ranges between £100 to £300! Owners should really do some research before buying and always ask to see the puppy with its mother and in its place of birth before entering into a contract to buy a puppy.

It will costs on average between around £60 to £90 per month to keep a Lurcher in your life. This includes food, pet insurance, grooming, vaccinations and neutering.