Greyhound vs Lurcher

Compare the Greyhound to the Lurcher. Use the tool below to compare temperament, size, personality, maintenance requirements, and everything else between Greyhounds and Lurchers.

Quick Summary

Below are a few quick comparisons between the two breeds.

Owner Experience - Both the Lurcher and the Greyhound are good for new owners, but the Lurcher is a slightly better choice.
Children - Both the Greyhound and Lurcher are great with children.
Grooming - Both the Greyhound and Lurcher are very low maintenance and easy to groom.
Barking - The Greyhound bark/howls frequently. The Lurcher has a low tendency to bark.

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Greyhound vs Lurcher

Breed Name	Greyhound	Lurcher
General Details
Breed Type	Purebred	Purebred
Is Hypoallergenic	No	No
Lifespan	12-15 yrs.	8-15 yrs.
Height	25-30 in.	22-28 in.
Weight	60-85 lb	55-55 lb
Intelligence	High	Average
History
Origin Country	Egypt	Ireland
Origin Year	4000 BC	1400 AD
Temperament
Overall Friendliness	Very Good	Very Good
Family Friendly	Very Good	Very Good
Kid Friendly	Very Good	Very Good
Pet Friendly	Very Good	Below Average
Stranger Friendly	Very Good	Very Good
Personality
	Affectionate Loving	Affectionate Enjoys Attention Loving
Living Environment
Apartment	Yes	No
Indoor	Yes	Yes
Small Yard	Yes	No
Medium Yard	Yes	No
Large Yard	Yes	Yes
Temperature Tolerance ¹	65°F to 80°F	45°F to 80°F
Barks/Howls	Very Often	Rarely
Exercise Needs
Energy Level	Low	Medium
Exercise Required	Low-Medium	Medium-High
Top Running Speed	45 mph	38 mph
Strength	High	Medium
Grooming Needs
Coat Maintenance	Medium	Medium
Shedding	Medium	Low
Dander	Medium	Low
Drool Amount	None	Low

¹This is estimated min/max temperature range for a healthy adult dog. Dogs that live indoors, puppies, seniors, unwell dogs, and/or dogs with improperly groomed coats may overheat sooner and get cold more quickly.

Instincts & Behavior Comparison
Breed Name	Greyhound	Lurcher
Breed Mentality
Dominant/Alpha	No	No
Family/Pack	Yes	Yes
Independent	No	No
Breed Focus
Distracted Easily	No	No
Average	No	Yes
Focused & Patient	Yes	No
Breed Instincts
Aggression	Very Low	Below Average
Burrow/Digging	Below Average	Below Average
Chasing	High	High
Follow Commands	Average	Very Low
Fighting	Very Low	Below Average
Guarding	Below Average	Below Average
Herding	Below Average	Average
Hunting	High	High
Protection	Below Average	Below Average
Remove Vermin	Average	High
Sledding	Below Average	Very Low
Watch	Below Average	Below Average

Health Comparison
Breed Name	Greyhound	Lurcher
Lifespan
Lifespan	12-15 yrs.	8-15 yrs.
Common Health Issues
Allergies	Yes	No
Alopecia	Yes	No
Bloat	Yes	Yes
Cancer	Yes	No
Cataracts	Yes	No
Cold Intolerance	Yes	No
Heart Murmurs	Yes	No
Hip Dysplasia	Yes	No
Hypothyroidism	Yes	No
Musculoskeletal Injuries	Yes	No
Osteoarthritis	Yes	No
Osteosarcoma	Yes	No
Pannus	Yes	No
Progressive Retinal Atrophy	Yes	No
Sensitivity To Anesthesia	Yes	No
Vitreous Degeneration	Yes	No

Appearance Comparison
Breed Name	Greyhound	Lurcher
Coat
Fur	Yes	No
Hair	No	Yes
Coat Type
Double Coat	Yes	No
Single Coat	No	Yes
Wire Coat	No	Yes
Smooth Coat	No	Yes
Coat Texture
Straight	Yes	Yes
Rough	No	Yes
Scruffy	No	Yes
Shaggy	No	Yes
Wavy	No	Yes
Coat Length(s)
Short	Yes	Yes
Medium	No	Yes
Coat Color(s)
Black	Yes	Yes
Black & White	Yes	No
Black Brindle	Yes	No
Black Brindle & White	Yes	No
Blue	Yes	Yes
Blue & White	Yes	No
Blue Brindle	Yes	No
Blue Brindle & White	Yes	No
Blue Fawn	Yes	No
Blue Fawn & White	Yes	No
Fawn	Yes	Yes
Fawn & White	Yes	No
Liver	Yes	No
Liver & White	Yes	No
Liver Brindle	Yes	No
Red	Yes	No
Red & White	Yes	No
Red Brindle	Yes	No
Red Brindle & White	Yes	No
White	Yes	Yes
White & Black	Yes	No
White & Black Brindle	Yes	No
White & Blue	Yes	No
White & Blue Brindle	Yes	No
White & Blue Fawn	Yes	No
White & Fawn	Yes	No
White & Liver	Yes	No
White & Liver Brindle	Yes	No
White & Red	Yes	No
White & Red Brindle	Yes	No
Blonde	No	Yes
Brindle	No	Yes
Golden	No	Yes
Grey	No	Yes
Tan	No	Yes