Lurcher vs American Staghound - Breed Comparison | MyDogBreeds

Lurcher vs American Staghound - Breed ComparisonLurcher is originated from United Kingdom but American Staghound is originated from United States. Both Lurcher and American Staghound are having almost same height. Lurcher may weigh 9 kg / 19 pounds lesser than American Staghound. Both Lurcher and American Staghound has almost same life span. Lurcher may have more litter size than American Staghound. Both Lurcher and American Staghound requires Low maintenance.

History

lurcher - historyThe Lurcher is a crossbreed dog that doesn’t seem to have too much certainty around it. There are stories that Lurchers may have been bred to produce a sighthound with more intelligence for hunting.

Hunters discovered that breeding certain breeds with sight-hounds produced a dog better suited for hunting and working purpose.

A Lurcher is a sighthound, a classic working crossbreed and some of the dogs used to bring about this breed were Greyhounds, Deerhounds, Whippets, Border Collies, Bedlington Terriers and Irish Wofhounds among others. This means that the Lurcher has many different looks as well. In the UK, Lurchers have their own shows, but no registry recognizes the dog.

american staghound - historyThe American Staghound is hunting dog and type of sighthound that is not recognized as a separate breed. They have historically been bred to hunt coyotes and then other game. Even though they are not considered a separate breed some of their breeding lines have existed much longer than some officially recognized breeds. The American Staghound is a cross between the Greyhound and the Scottish Deerhound. There was probably some Borzoi mixed in as well. The Staghound is believed to have traveled with General Custer across the American West. The breed is a long-legged running dog with the speed of a Greyhound, the sighting ability of sight hounds and more endurance than any running breed. They are incredible athletes with amazing agility and have been bred to course game – coyotes mostly – and therefore are bred with a very intense prey drive. In the past they chased stags and deer and today they chase coyotes and hare. Coyotes are much faster than wolves and fight just as hard. The American Staghound is the only breed fast enough to track down the coyote. However, the breed is not recognized by the AKC. Hunting with an American Staghound today is not very different from hunting with them in medieval times. Strict breeding practices and the non-commercialization of the breed has led to the almost perfect preservation of this hunting breed. They have not changed very much over the centuries. They have been breeding Staghound to Staghound since the early 1800’s. At times very, good hunting dogs from Greyhound and Deerhound stock are added to the mix. For hundreds of years now the closed breeding has led to what might be the finest coyote chasing sighthound possible.

Description

lurcher puppy - descriptionIt is difficult to put a size and weight to the Lurcher, This is because of the many dogs used in his development, so that they vary in size and coat type. Generally though, he is a deep chested dog that stands roughly between 50 – 75cm and weighs 25 – 32kg.

However, because Whippet was a dog used in his development, he could be as small as a Whippet, the size of a Greyhound or Deerhound.

Generally he has a shortish coat. Colours of the coat vary greatly so you can find fawn, cream, white, grey, black, tan, silver or grey and bi-colored. The ears are usually small and can be floppy or held erect or back and the tail is usually long.

Temperament:

The Lurcher’s temperament is much like that of the sighthound – loving and calm. It is a good idea to have the Lurcher trained and socialized to help prevent both timidity or aggression.

He is an independent and intelligent dog and can be easily trained. He is a gentle dog and will get on well with children and pets in the home as he is a fairly relaxed breed with a quiet temperament, loving to spend time with his human family. Another advantage is that he is low maintenance and makes a great pet when shown love and care.

american staghound puppy - descriptionWhen you look at the American Staghound you can clearly see the Scottish Deerhound and the Greyhound lines. They have strong running muscles in their long legs and deep chest. He is of course a sight hound, so his vision is acute. His running endurance is second to none. It is this endurance in running all day that makes the American Staghound difference from the Scottish Deerhound and the Greyhound. Yes, both the Deerhound are greyhound are great runners, but the American Staghound runs just as fast with an endurance level ten times that of the other hounds. His heavy bones structure and thick skin are also different from the other racing fast sight hounds.

Characteristics

lurcher dog - characteristicsThe Lurcher is a working- and hunting dog that won’t do well in the city, as he requires large spaces to run.

He is a dog that will need you to provide him with games and other activities as well as a walk every day to keep him fit and lithe. He will therefore require an owner who loves to be active and who is consistent, firm, fair, patient and kind.

With the right human family, the Lurcher is a loving, devoted dog who will make an excellent family pet.

american staghound dog - characteristicsThis dog was bred to run fast and long after something it sees. They are not considered hyperactive but won’t live well in a confined space such as an apartment or condo. You will need a single-family house with a large yard. Though they are affectionate, family dogs, they are not cut out to be guard dogs. They are not especially protective or territorial, though they may bark at what they can see in the distance. They are calm in their homes if exercised enough and great with children. They are often gentle and loving. They are pack oriented and accept other dogs, but they are not welcoming toward cats or other prey sized animals. Be careful with the AS around small children as he might knock them down or see them as prey as well. They consider anything smaller that runs to be prey. When chasing prey, they are not only fast and enduring, they are tenacious and courageous. Remember that this is a breed that has been bred true in order to hunt and only in order to hunt. Their hunting instincts will override almost any other. Over the centuries only the best hunters were allowed to be bred so that only the best hunters would be born.

Health Problems

lurcher puppies - health problemsEvery dog has the potential to develop genetic health problems, but the way you feed a dog and look after it will play a huge role in his wellbeing.

Lurchers are looked upon as being a pretty healthy dog breed and they can be with you for between 10 and 15 years.

Some of the main health concerns with this dog would be bloat, ear- and eye infections or heatstroke.

Remember that if you’re getting a new puppy, you can prevent some of the major life-threatening diseases by having your puppy vaccinated.

Heat Stroke:

Dogs pant heavily when they’re hot. When the panting isn’t enough, the dog’s body temperature rises and this can be fatal for your pet.

The signs of heatstroke in dogs include vomiting, diarrhea, dullness and loss of consciousness. Being locked in a hot car, being over-exercised or left in a yard without shade and water can bring on heatstroke.

It is imperative to remove the dog from the hot place immediately and cool him down by spraying cold water gently over him while making sure no water enters the mouth or nose. Get him to the vet if you can because of shock and the fact that other problems could have developed.

american staghound puppies - health problemsThe American Staghound has been bred so consistently within the breed and true that they exhibit very few health problems. All running dogs are susceptible to joint issues, but the Staghound has less than most. Two issues they do face more often are a problem with anesthesia if they ever need it and the propensity to be vulnerable to bloat. Since they are a centuries old hybrid there are no real health issues born of genetics.

Caring The Pet

lurcher dogs - caringBrush your pet’s coat at least twice a week.

The Lurcher just loves to run and be free, so this is a dog that will want a long walk every day.

Check his eyes and inside his ears for ear infection. Find out how to clean inside the ears and make sure they are kept dry.

Keep his nails clipped, as long nails can hook and cause painful injury to the paw area. Check his teeth too and brush them because dental disease is the root cause of many other diseases.

Make sure your dog has a comfy, dry, warm place to sleep.

Encourage health and longevity by giving your pet high quality food full of vitamins and minerals. If you’re going be giving him commercially manufactured food, make sure its one of the better ones. Try and add in homemade food such as boiled chicken, brown rice and vegetables and add this to his kibble as a tasty treat. Some raw meat added in when you can afford it will also be to his advantage.

Feeding

american staghound dogs - caringIt is important that you don’t ever over feed you American Staghound as they are thin and bred to run. Even though they are heavier boned than their closest relatives, they are still very susceptible to obesity if overfed. The adult AS should be fed about 4-6 cups of dry food every day in at least 2 meals but 3 of more would be better. This will prevent bloat.

Health issues

As previously mentioned there are no genetic issues with the health of the American Staghound. Bred for one reason and one reason alone for many centuries has led to this healthy state. Also, as stated previously they can have issues with bloat and anesthesia. The issue with anesthesia comes from the fact that the American Staghound has very little body fat to muscle ration. The issue with bloat or torsion can be avoided with many smaller meals and not running your Staghound right after they eat a large meal.

Exercise and games

Of course, the American Staghound loves to run and if you are not going to hunt with her, you will have to find another source of vigorous physical activity. Every day from puppyhood on the AS must be stimulated mentally and physically in order to grow and mature correctly. He must have a home where the freedom to run is an everyday experience, not a dog park once a week. If you ride bikes, race walk or run on a daily basis this might be the dog for you. They obviously excel at games like lure coursing and can be good at agility.

Basic Information

Group:
Working dog
Hound dog
Origin:
United Kingdom
United States
Height Male:
50 - 75 cm
19 - 30 inches
67 - 77 cm
26 - 31 inches
Height Female:
50 - 75 cm
19 - 30 inches
63 - 75 cm
24 - 30 inches
Weight Male:
25 - 32 kg
55 - 71 pounds
25 - 41 kg
55 - 91 pounds
Weight Female:
25 - 32 kg
55 - 71 pounds
22 - 39 kg
48 - 86 pounds
Life Span:
12 - 15 Years
12 - 14 Years
Litter Size:
3 - 8
3 - 5
Size:
Large dog
Giant dog
Other Names:
None
AS
Colors Available:
white, grey, cream, black, tan, All colors - fawn, silver or grey and bi-colored
Any
Coat:
Short- or long haired
Shag, Slick or Broken
Shedding:
Moderate
Moderate
Temperament:
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Courageous, Curious, Energetic, Friendly, Gentle, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Protective, Quiet, Responsive, Social, Territorial
Affectionate, Alert, Courageous, Energetic, Gentle, Intelligent, Loving, Stubborn
Grooming:
Low maintenance
Low maintenance
Trainability:
Easy
Hard
Hypoallergenic:
No
No
Kids Friendly:
Yes
Yes
New Owners Friendly:
Yes
No

Comparison with other breeds

  1. Samoyed vs Lurcher - Breed Comparison
  2. Presa Canario vs Lurcher - Breed Comparison
  3. Mackenzie River Husky vs Lurcher - Breed Comparison
  4. Pyredoodle vs Lurcher - Breed Comparison
  5. Lurcher vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  6. Lurcher vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  7. Lurcher vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  8. Lurcher vs Akita - Breed Comparison
  9. Lurcher vs Doberman Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  10. Lurcher vs Alaskan Malamute - Breed Comparison
  11. Lurcher vs Bullmastiff - Breed Comparison
  12. Lurcher vs Great Pyrenees - Breed Comparison
  13. Lurcher vs Boerboel - Breed Comparison
  14. Lurcher vs Alapaha Blue Blood Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  15. Lurcher vs Labrador Husky - Breed Comparison
  16. Lurcher vs Argentine Dogo - Breed Comparison
  17. Lurcher vs Giant Schnauzer - Breed Comparison
  18. Lurcher vs Africanis - Breed Comparison
  19. Lurcher vs Belgian Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  20. Lurcher vs Goldador - Breed Comparison
  21. Lurcher vs Bandog - Breed Comparison
  22. Lurcher vs Belgian Shepherd Dog (Groenendael) - Breed Comparison
  23. Lurcher vs Dogo Cubano - Breed Comparison
  24. Lurcher vs Dogo Sardesco - Breed Comparison
  25. Lurcher vs Beauceron - Breed Comparison
  26. Irish Wolfhound vs American Staghound - Breed Comparison
  27. Francais Blanc et Orange vs American Staghound - Breed Comparison
  28. Billy vs American Staghound - Breed Comparison
  29. Scottish Deerhound vs American Staghound - Breed Comparison
  30. Great Dane vs American Staghound - Breed Comparison
  31. Bernese Mountain Dog vs American Staghound - Breed Comparison
  32. English Mastiff vs American Staghound - Breed Comparison
  33. Newfoundland Dog vs American Staghound - Breed Comparison
  34. Neapolitan Mastiff vs American Staghound - Breed Comparison
  35. Anatolian Shepherd vs American Staghound - Breed Comparison
  36. Leonberger vs American Staghound - Breed Comparison
  37. Alaunt vs American Staghound - Breed Comparison
  38. Bully Kutta vs American Staghound - Breed Comparison
  39. Alangu Mastiff vs American Staghound - Breed Comparison
  40. Mountain Burmese vs American Staghound - Breed Comparison
  41. Gaddi Kutta vs American Staghound - Breed Comparison
  42. Pyrenean Mastiff vs American Staghound - Breed Comparison
  43. Bisben vs American Staghound - Breed Comparison
  44. American Staghound vs American Mastiff - Breed Comparison
  45. American Staghound vs American Molossus - Breed Comparison
  46. Moscow Watchdog vs American Staghound - Breed Comparison
  47. Nebolish Mastiff vs American Staghound - Breed Comparison

View/Compare Breeds

Popular Dog Breeds