Lurcher vs Hanover Hound - Breed Comparison | Petzlover

Sometimes referred to as a Hanoverian Hound, this dog dates way back to the 17th century in Germany.

This dog breed continues to be fairly rare today and has always been used as a hunting and tracking dog. It is believed the dog comes from bloodhounds dating back to medieval times. The dog isn’t recognized by the AKC but he is a member of the Scenthound group.

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.

This is a sturdy, well built dog with a short, smooth, dense coat which is a reddish-brown color with brindling.

He is a well built, deep chested dog standing at about 50 – 55cm in height and weighing 48-53cm. He has the typical dark brown, soulful eyes of the Hound dog with long, broad, floppy ears.They usually have black noses, he has a deep chest, strong, straight legs and long, tapering tail.

Temperament:

Calm and gentle, the Hanover Hound is a loyal dog who bonds closely with his human family. When you socialize him he gets along well with children.

He is a hunting dog and loves nothing more than to be following some scent. You can call out his name, but he will not likely take notice, so determined is he to track down his prey, being known for his superb sense of smell.

His hunting instincts are strong and this means that you won't often find him being kept essentially as just a pet – they are first hunting dogs and then pets. Nonetheless, as already suggested, the Hanover Hound is more than capable of forming a strong bond with his human family, making a good family pet.

He is aloof and wary with strangers and this makes him a good watchdog. It is important to have him trained and socialized as then he becomes obedient and amicable when you need him to be like that around friends and family.

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 Hanover Hound is an intelligent dog breed that responds well to training and socialization. They are dedicated hunting dogs but they are loyal and loving to their human family.

He will require an owner who is active and on the go while being firm and consistent with his treatment of him.

When socialized, he makes a good friend of children too. Keep him busy, exercise him, provide him with good food and consistent love and attention and he'll make you a devoted hunting companion and friend.

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.

Capable of living to between 10 and 14 years of age, the Hanover Hound, like many other dogs, may well be prone to some of the more common dog illnesses there are.

Ear Infections:

Because of his long, floppy ears, he will typically be more prone to developing otitis externa. This is why it is important to be checking your long, floppy-eared dog regularly and cleaning his ears to avoid wax- and dirt build-up and infection. Chronic ear infections will have to be treated by your vet.

You'll recognize the illness when you see your pet shaking his head often and scratching at his ears.

Hip Dyplasia:

This is a genetic orthopedic disorder that affects many dogs and will eventually cause lameness. Hip dysplasia is due to malformed hip joints.

Entropion & Ectropion:

Eye diseases and problems with the eyelid can cause your pet a lot of discomfort as this is when an eyelid rolls in and then rubs against the eye.

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.

Exercise:

The Hanover Hound is a hunting breed so he won’t easily adapt to life in the city with a tiny garden. He will need a large garden or a farm to run around in.

He is a hunting dog that loves to put his nose to the ground and to follow a scent. This is a dog breed which will need to be provided with a good amount of exercise every day to ensure his happiness and health.

Diet:

As a large dog breed, you want to be sure to be feeding him a high quality food. It is always a good idea to add in some home-made food to his kibble. Read the packaging carefully of commercial manufactured dog foods and make sure you get food that is geared towards large, active breed dogs.

Add in cooked food such as cooked chicken, vegetables or brown rice and pasta and remember to include some raw meat into his diet from time to time.

Before dogs were domesticated they would eat raw meat as opposed to harmful grain based commercial dog foods of today. Benefits of adding in some raw meat from time to time include healthier skin, more energy and shinier coats and eyes. Make sure your pet has a constant supply of fresh, cool water.

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.