Prepare for unexpected vet bills
Lure coursing is an activity in which any canine would likely love to participate but, in the case of the Lurcher, this type of activity is literally their bread and butter, having been bred for it. What is “lure coursing”, you ask? Basically, lure coursing is any sport which involves dogs chasing a mechanically operated lure. This is the basic training of the racing Greyhound in which the dog is trained to follow the mechanical lure as it travels around the track. Lure Courses can be a simple oval, or a figure eight, or it can have any number and type of obstacles over, under and around which the dog must maneuver. It is generally done as a timed event and not only works the speed of the animal but also helps to develop the problem-solving capacity of your Lurcher. The cost of the lure course opportunity will vary depending on how the course has been developed, so it will likely be a moderate expense for you.
Obedience training is a great activity which can serve several purposes. It is great exercise for both you and your Lurcher because you, as the handler, will need to walk and run with your dog as you train them for the various commands they are required to learn. It is also a great safety net for your beloved pet - there have been many a pet saved from being hit by a car by using the command, “down - stay!” And, then there’s the issue of you or one of the kids being literally dragged down the street as your pet chases a small animal during a walk period. Obedience training is also a major exercise which requires the Lurcher to utilize that intelligence which was bred into them as they learn to behave based on certain cues given in verbal language and body language by their handlers, with the goal being to be able to control them off leash.
A great way to take boredom of feeding time is to put their food into a toy that will dispense the food when properly manipulated. The Lurcher is a very intelligent animal and loves to be challenged especially in problem-solving areas.
Lurchers are highly intelligent canines, being bred to ensure intelligence and reliability. This high level of intelligence requires mental challenge and stimulation as often as possible, ideally on a daily basis. Puzzle toys enable your lurcher to get great practice in problem-solving, a task they dearly love!
Playing a variety of types of "find the treats or toy" games will hone the search and rescue skills of your lurcher. These canines have been bred to have great noses and eyes, getting these traits from the sight-hound and working breeds from which they were bred.
This game teaches your Lurcher to identify food items, toys, treats and other items by associating what they look and smell like to the name or title you're giving them. It teaches them to associate words or names with these objects - an important connection in the original purpose of their breeding.
Your Lurcher is an amazing animal. You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to see how intelligent they are or how speedy a hunter they are. The most important thing to remember about your Lurcher is, because they are so intelligent, speedy and have such a sensitive sniffer, they will likely require more activities which will challenge these traits. These activities which we have discussed today are only the tip of the dog’s tail, there are so many more which your imagination can invent once you see how your Lurcher will enjoy and thrive on these types of activities.