Lurchers tend to be friendly if a little quiet, and they are very personable and affectionate dogs that are gentle and loving, and very nice to have around. They are quite sensitive dogs and don’t like a huge amount of noise and rowdiness, and they will soon become distressed if spoken to harshly or ignored. They’re a great fit for many different types of owners As with any other breed Lurchers need to be groomed on a regular basis to make sure their coats and skin are kept in top condition. They also need to be given regular daily exercise to ensure they remain fit and healthy. On top of this dogs need to be fed good quality food that meets all their nutritional needs throughout their lives bearing in mind that Lurchers are high-energy dogs and therefore they need a higher level of protein in their diets Caring for a Lurcher puppy Lurchers have always been highly prized for their speed stamina courage and intelligence. With this said a Lurcher's temperament and personality can be as different as their appearance because it really does depend on their parent breeds as to how a puppy turns out. Some Lurchers can be real "couch potatoes" whereas others are hyperactive but the one constant is that they are usually kind and affectionate as well as extremely loyal to their owners and families. Once a Lurcher forms a bond with someone this remains unbreakable for the rest of their lives. It would be fair to describe a Lurcher as being a loveable mischievous and highly intelligent character and one that is loving and sensitive at the same time. Shannon, F.A. 1956. The reptiles and amphibians of Korea. Herpetologica 12 (1): 22-49 - get paper here Berthold,A.A. 1859. Einige neue Reptilien des akad. zoolog. Museums in Göttingen. Nachr. Georg-August-Univ. Königl. Ges. Wiss. Göttingen, 1859 (17): 179-181

They make wonderful family pets in households where the children are slightly older and are not a particularly good choice for families with toddlers simply because Lurchers can be quite boisterous when they play loving nothing better than to be able to run around when the mood takes them. The other thing to bear in mind is that these athletic dogs can have a strong "herding" instinct which is another reason why they are not a good choice for people with very young children. Lurchers are very intelligent characters and when well trained they excel at many canine sports which includes activities like agility flyball and obedience to name but three. In the right hands and environment as previously mentioned Lurchers are highly trainable and thoroughly enjoy the one-to-one attention they get during their training sessions and when they are competing. They thrive on doing something because it means their energy is being channeled in a very positive manner.Sometimes when Lurchers are spayed and neutered they can put on weight so it is important to keep an eye on how much weight a Lurcher carries and to adjust their calorie intake if a dog seems to be gaining any weight and to limit the amount of food rewards they are given while upping their daily exercise. Carrying too much weight can seriously impact a dog's overall health and wellbeing with obese dogs living much shorter lives. What about allergies?

Modern-day lurchers are not bred for their hunting prowess, but rather to refine the breed’s other characteristics. The main intention of creating the lurcher dog breed was to take the instincts of a sighthound and improve them by combining them with a more intelligent dog. The resulting animal would be able to chase bunnies, hares, deer, or game birds, and hunt them more efficiently. Though it is possible to find a long-haired Lurcher – perhaps when bred with an Irish Wolfhound – most Lurchers don’t have long hair.

Personality

When it comes to their coat Lurchers can have fine and close coats or they can have rougher coarser coats or smoother ones depending on their parent breeds. The most commonly seen colours include the following: