Tenterfield Terrier vs Lurcher - Breed Comparison

The 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.

The ancestors of the Tenterfield Terrier came to Australia with the British and from them came this Australian breed. The English terriers were bred to be ratters on the ships to Australia. Today’s breed is a hardy, strong, athletic and agile dog. These first dogs were miniature Fox Terriers, bred for ratting. The miniature Fox Terrier was an established breed in the late 19th century in Australia with families and was know as a Mini Foxie. The breed became a steady presence in homes by the 1920’s.

The breed might not have been named after the area of Tenterfield as many have guessed. Instead they may have been named after a breeder. The owner of the Tenterfield saddlery was called Tenterfield Saddler and he owned several of the breed. In 1990, Don Burke, a television personality suggested the breed be named the Tenterfield Terrier.

The Miniature Fox Terrier Club of South Australia. Now there were several clubs in Australia and a lot of disagreement about exactly what type of dog a miniature fox terrier was. Some did not think the name was legitimate, but they wanted recognition from the Australian National Kennel Club (ANKC). So, they became the Tenterfield Terrier Club of Australia in 1993. They were recognized by 2002.

Today the breed standard for the Tenterfield Terrier is different from the one for the Miniature Fox Terrier. They are now entirely separate breeds. In addition to the ANKC, the breed is recognized by the New Zealand Kennel Club but not by the AKC. It is also recognized by the American Pet Registry, Inc, the American Canine Registry and the Dog Registry of America, Inc.

It 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.

The Tenterfield Terrier is square and compact. He has a head shaped like a wedge and unusual in the terrier group. They have pricked ears and are predominantly white mixed with tan or black. They could also be tri-colored in black/tan and white or tan/liver and white. They have naturally occurring bob tails or docked tails. The nose is usually black unless the dog is liver colored, they have liver noses. The jaws are strong, and lips are tight with a strong neck.

The 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.

1.Children friendliness – yes like most other terriers they love kids.

2.Special talents –high prey drive and sense of smell.

3.Adaptability – they need space even though they are small. They need a lot of exercise. They can adapt if they get another exercise. They can live in apartments and can play indoors as well as out.

4.Learning ability – They are extremely intelligent, but they can be stubborn like all terriers.

Every 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.

They are small in stature and because of their face they seem to have dental issues. The breed does not have a lot of health issues but deals with the same issues as many small terriers. Not all members of the breed are susceptible to these, but some are just like the Australian Terrier.

1. Legg-Perthes Disease – hip disorder occurring in puppies.

2. Cruciate Ligament Rupture – Weakness can cause this to happen.

3. Seizures – Can be medicated.

4. Patellar Luxation – Moving kneecap can cause pain and lameness.

5. Diabetes – rare but does happen.

Brush 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.

1.Feeding the puppy – Don’t overfeed but do feed high quality puppy food for small breeds and terriers.

2.Feeding the adult – This is an active breed but don’t overfeed. Feed a high quality adult dog food for terriers or small breeds. Feed 2 times a day.

3.Points for Good Health – the breed has a lot of stamina and energy.

4. Games and Exercises – The breed has a high energy level and needs a lot of exercise. He is a terrier and loves to “go to ground”. Play activities that allow him to do that are best. He plays barn hunt, lure coursing and terrier specific competitions.