Other names Kangaroo Dog Lurcher Color Any Life span 12-15 years Origin Ireland Rank Breed | Coat Any Litter size 6-8 Scientific name Canis lupus familiaris Higher classification Dog | |
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Breed status Not recognized as a standardized breed by any major kennel club. Similar Lurcher, Scottish Deerhound, Saluki, Whippet, American Staghound |
A Longdog is a crossbreed between two sighthounds. They are distinct from the Lurcher which is a cross between a sighthound breed and a non-sighthound breed (usually a herding breed, gun dog or a terrier). The Longdog is an attempt to create a better coursing dog, and is not expected to have the working qualities of a good Lurcher, although a few come close.
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Appearance

Because they are crossbreeds, longdogs vary in appearance depending on which breeds were used in the cross. They can be as small as a whippet or as large as a wolfhound. Their coats will also vary depending on the breeding. Some have short coats, some have long coats and some have broken coats.
Longdog crosses

Common longdog crosses are Saluki crossed with Greyhound, Deerhound crossed with Greyhound, and Whippet crossed with Greyhound. These dogs are generally bred for some of the same purposes as the Lurcher, but usually have more speed as opposed to the generally greater endurance and trainability of the Lurcher.

History

Lurchers were originally kept to catch rabbits when driven from their burrows; In the early 1950s, myxomatosis wiped out most of the rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) in western Europe, but did not affect the hares (Lepus europaeus). Faster dogs were needed for coursing, or running down the hares (the hare can run at speeds up to 72 km/h / 45 mph.) The Longdogs were developed, mixing various types to get a dog with the preferred style of coursing. Coursing with purebred Greyhounds is still considered an "elite" sport.
Popular culture

"Longdog" is a song by folk duo Show of Hands - the gist of the song being that if you own a Longdog you are probably a poacher. Show of Hands' fan club members refer to themselves as Longdogs.