On Wed, 22 Apr 2009 14:26:35 -0400, Tara Green
wrote:

When you have a breed like BCs with a set of highly specific, highly
developed instincts, crossing those dogs with another breed with differing
or contrary instincts can make for very muddled-up puppies. Think Basset x
BC, for instance.

But then Lurchers, using BCs are a very
popular cross in the UK.

I would actually like to have a UK lurcher (BC x greyhound). The
greyhound tones down the BC and the BC adds biddability (and recall!).
But tons of lurchers are bred in the US, too, including many hundreds
of greyhound x coonhound crosses. Unfortunately, the demand for them
isn't all that high.

I don't think it has to be any more muddled
than any other cross. But I do think care and
respect for what breeds are going into the
cross, as well as *serious* consideration for
health, mental stability, and an ability to
live in modern homes should all be the focus.

Yes. Years ago, when the overwhelming majority of ex-racing
greyhounds were killed; the fact that they make excellent pets was
largely unknown because only a few breeders/owners/trainers took dogs
home as pets when their 'careers' were over. Most people assumed that
they were too high strung (ha) or had too high a prey drive to be
pets. (It's actually kind of amazing that they do make good pets,
considering that they have very little socialization and are bred for
speed and speed alone.) But not too many people are clamoring for
greyhound x coonhound crosses, and although some are OK as pets, much
depends on which breed traits predominate in any given indivicual.
Some of the crosses being bred for sleddog racing are pretty
ridiculous, too, IMO. Unless you're going to keep the byproducts,
don't do the breeding.