The labrador has been the most popular dog breed in North America and Europe for decades and it already has a large number of “designer dog” hybrid crosses such as the Labradoodle but we have noticed more people specifically asking about working dog labrador crosses.
Although it is nowhere near as possible as the designer dog labrador crosses, a number of people are starting to use a labrador lurcher cross as a working dog to try and combine the best of both breeds into a single dog.
As with most crosses, especially a cross as new as the labrador lurcher cross, the characteristics of the puppies do cover a wide range due to there being no breeding standards set and the pup being able to pull characteristics from either parent.
Due to both parent breeds being solid working dogs, even if the pup pulls the less desirable characteristics from both parents, besides and issues due to health problems, you will still end up with a solid working dog but if the pup gets the better qualities then it can end up being an excellent working dog.
We see a range of different questions from the community about the labrador lurcher cross so we have decided to add a table of contents below to try and make it as quick and easy as possible for our readers to navigate to specific sections of the article.
We have tried to organise the article in descending order of the more common questions that we see from the community anyway though to put the more frequently asked question at the top of the article.
Labrador Lurcher Cross Diet
The majority of labrador lurcher cross dogs will do well on a high-quality dog food that has lean protein sources and animal fats with vegetables always being a plus to top up the nutritional profile of their diet.
As most people want a labrador lurcher cross to be a working dog, you have to realize that the dog’s energy output is only as good as the food that you put in.
If you are using your labrador lurcher cross to work a farm then you may be able to use livestock to supplement the dog’s diet.
There are a number of great commercial dog food options such as a taste of the wild that offers everything a labrador lurcher cross will require in their diet for excellent output from the dog when working.
More and more people are starting to switch over to a custom dog food tailed specifically to their dogs needs too.
This can be a very popular option as it can help you get more out of the dog if you do plan to use it for working while also improving the general health of the dog too.
Although many people instantly presume that custom dog foods are expensive, they can work out to be around the same price as a commercial, off the shelf dog food if you use their monthly subscription services.
Labrador Lurcher Cross Training
The labrador and the lurcher are considered easy to train breeds meaning that the majority of labrador lurcher cross should be easy to train even if you are an inexperienced dog owner.
Both parent breeds are highly motivated by food too making it much easier to train the dog if you use some high-value treats to your advantage.
If you are using your labrador lurcher cross as a working dog on a farm then using cuts of fresh meat will usually work well as the high-value treat for training your dog.
You can also pick up some freeze-dried real meat dog treats too as they tend to work very well with all dogs as a training aid, especially the beef liver treats due to having such a strong scent that dogs seem to love.
Although not essential, picking up a decent dog training course may be worth it if you are brand new to owning a dog, especially if you want your labrador lurcher cross to be a working dog.
Being able to successfully recall your dog while out on jobs and get the dog to do exactly what you need it to do is important so training it correctly should be a high priority as soon as you get your labrador lurcher cross.
Labrador Lurcher Cross Health Issues
A labrador lurcher cross will usually be a healthy mix but it can end up having issues with hip dysplasia and elbow dysplasia from the labrador lineage in the dog.
The lurcher lineage can have less serious issues such as gastric torsion, torn toenails, and some foot or muscle injuries. If you are planning to work the dog then keep an eye out for early signs of heatstroke and heat exhaustion too.
The lurcher lineage in the labrador lurcher cross will often get the dog to want to work constantly and this does spike their body heat and bring them close to heatstroke and heat exhaustion quite easily.
If you are working your dog on a hot day then this can become even more of an issue so keeping a transportable water dog bowl with you and a water supply is always a good idea.
Be sure to only give your labrador lurcher cross small amounts of water in their bowl at a time to prevent them from drinking too much too quickly and having issues with temperature shock.
This is a common yet easy to avoid problem that we often see where people will give their labrador lurcher cross too much cool water and then the dog drinks it all quickly and drastically lowers their core temperature causing potential problems.
Labrador Lurcher Cross Temperament
The temperament of a labrador lurcher cross takes after both parent breeds with the dog usually being quiet, loving, intelligent, gentle, outgoing, and loving to work. This can make a labrador lurcher cross an ideal working dog and a great family dog at the same time.
With the labrador lurcher cross loving its exercise it is highly recommended that you meet the exercise requirements that we will cover below but unlike other high output breeds like the Belgian Malinois. F
or example, a labrador lurcher cross tends not to display destructive behavior if its exercise needs are not met every day.
This can easily put a labrador lurcher cross ahead of other popular working dog breeds that can start to chew your home up if they don’t get their exercise.
The temperament of the labrador lurcher cross usually means that it also likes to snuggle with its family and show you plenty of affection too. This makes the breed a solid option for someone who needs high output working dog by day and a relaxed, loving breed by night.
Labrador Lurcher Cross Exercise Requirements
A labrador lurcher cross will usually need at least two walks of one hour each with at least 15 minutes of being able to run each day.
Due to the labrador lineage in the labrador lurcher cross they are great for chasing down balls and bringing them back to you. This makes it quick and easy to get your labrador lurcher cross to exercise and run around while playing chess on a field.
With the receiving instinct from the labrador lineage in a labrador lurcher cross being so strong, you can usually use something like a Chuck It! to ensure that your labrador lurcher cross gets all of the exercises it needs with ease without you having to do much.
If you are using your dog as a working dog then there is a very high chance that it will meet its daily exercise requirements during the working day.
We know that more and more people are starting to get dog treadmills to let them exercise their dog with ease and although these can be excellent investments, you have to remember that your dog will usually poop and pee while out on its walk.
If you do choose to take the dog treadmill route then be sure to still let your labrador lurcher cross out of the house to do its business on a regular basis.
Labrador Lurcher Cross As A Working Dog
A labrador lurcher cross can be an excellent working dog with the majority of the initial demand for the breed being from people who needed a reliable working dog that offered more versatility than either of the parent breeds.
A labrador lurcher cross basically compounds the advantages of both parents into a single dog that can be an outstanding working dog.
As we touched on back at the start of the article, even if your labrador lurcher cross takes the less desirable characteristics of both parents it will still be a solid working dog.
If your pup draws on the stronger qualities for working dogs from both parents then a labrador lurcher cross can often be a better working dog than a normal labrador or lurcher.
The lurchers intelligence levels also help to score a labrador lurcher cross more points over some other breeds as they can be a great problem solving dog.
If you are using the dog for game or vermin control, a labrador lurcher cross will often excel in areas where problems occur and a normal labrador may struggle.
Conclusion
That brings our article going over the labrador lurcher cross to an end. We hope that we have been able to help as many of our readers as possible understand the advantages of owning a labrador lurcher cross, especially if you will be working the dog. Even if you just want a family dog that loves its excersise a labrador lurcher cross can still make an excellent pet and suit the needs of many active families.
