Breakout ^12**1944, France.**A trapped company of Allied troops have stolen a Tiger tank and are attempting to force their way through encircling Axis lines!
The Lurcher is not a
dog breed,
but rather a type of dog native to the
British Isles. It is a hearty crossbred
sighthound
which is generally a
cross
between a
sighthound and another sort of dog - usually a
Pastoral breed or
Terrier.
Collie crosses
have always been very popular. Lurchers can be crossed several times. There is
no set type, so they can be as small as a
Whippet or as
large as an
Scottish Deerhound; but most are chosen for a size that is around the size
of a Greyhound, and a distinct sighthound form is preferred.
Generally, the aim of the cross was to produce a sighthound with brains, a
canny animal suitable for the original purpose of the Lurcher,
poaching.
Developed in the
middle
ages in
Great Britain, the Lurcher was created because only
nobility
were allowed to have
purebred
sighthounds like
Irish Wolfhounds,
Scottish Deerhounds,
Greyhounds,
and Whippets
whereas crosses, or curs,
had no such perceived value. Similarly, nobility owned most land and commoners
were not allowed to hunt
game
on crown
land or other noble estates. It was important that the lurcher did not
resemble too closely a sighthound, as the penalties for owning (and if you owned
one then by default you were a poacher) a sighthound were high. The original
lurchers therefore were generally heavier coated dogs who could herd sheep as
well as bring home a rabbit or hare for the pot.
Roma,
more commonly known as Romany Gypsies, were instrumental in developing the
Lurcher type, and the word Lurcher is believed to derive from a
Romani word 'Lur' meaning thief.
The Lurcher has as many varied uses as types can be crossbred, but generally
they are used as a hunting dog which can chase and kill their prey. Most
Lurchers today are used for general pest control, ie
rabbits with or
without the use of ferrets or the lamp,
foxs, they have also
been successfully used on
Deer and
hare in the past.
The only truly sport use of the lurcher (ie has no pest control value) is
hare
coursing however most hare coursing dogs are pure greyhound. The Lurcher is
best used in open ground although different crosses suit different terrains.
Lure
coursing and
dog racing
is also popular in areas with little available hunting or for people who dislike
hunting. The modern Lurcher is growing from its old image of disrepute to
heights of popularity as an exceptional family dog, and many groups have been
founded to rehome Lurchers in
pet households.