It’s all in the mix

Ed Cook extols the virtues and constant capabilities of the collie-cross lurcher, when it comes to an ideal dog for rabbiting but says that they do have a mind of their own

If you ask 100 different lurcher owners “what is the best cross lurcher” you will get as many different answers and probably wish you hadn’t asked. With the Hunting Act 2004 restricting the legalities of “running a dog”, these days I keep dogs purely for my job of rabbit control.

Terrain matters

Each breed brings something to the mix: some bring speed, others bring agility, while others offer brain. A dog bred to catch rabbits doesn’t need to be big as being cumbersome is a disadvantage. That said, a dog too small may not be able to retrieve so easily or be suited to certain terrain such as heather. A lot will depend on the area you hunt and the ground. Terrier, gundog and sheepdogs crossed to running dogs in the shape of whippets or greyhounds are common crosses for such a task.

I’m a fan of the Border collie-cross lurcher and have kept the same family for some years. The collie-cross has over the years passed in and out of fashion among lurcher owners but its capabilities remain constant, especially in the correct hands.

Pause for thought

They almost all have a quirky style in their approach to work and to life and that is a characteristic I like in a dog whom I have as a companion and share my days with. Some say collie-crosses “think too much” and true enough, a lurcher consisting of a notable percentage of collie will need stimulation. In the field such “think too much” blood can lead them to “weigh up” a situation and many will pause with a thought of “to pursue or not to pursue”. People can find this extremely frustrating, while others realise that such logic keeps a dog from going to old bones too quickly.

My old lurcher Fern, who was half collie, would stalk rabbits up the beam, meaning one rabbit could take 10 or 15 minutes to catch or miss. This is why some prefer the collie blood diluted with more running dog as greater dilution can diminish this trait. Rum, on the other hand, who is of similar mix, once galvanised will hit a rabbit at full speed – and both very aware of their surroundings.

Patience and focus

For me, the importance of a dog comes when ferreting: I don’t need a dog with lightning speed but one that puts itself in the right place at the right time and grabs rabbits as they bolt. This is where a good dog can become very effective given experience. A dog with patience and focus is a common trait in collie ancestry and I like that. Some say they are easy to train and while that is true and they are quick on the uptake, they can also learn less desirable traits and fast.

Each collie-cross I have worked with has had its own unique style or weird habit, depending on how you look at it, but I kind of like that and, to be honest, I’ve got a few strange habits of my own that they also have to live with.

“they all have a quirky style in their approach to work and to life. i like that”