A Few Facts About The Bull Greyhound
The Bull greyhound isn’t your everyday dog. There are few of them around, and most of these are to be found in the United Kingdom. But reports seem to confirm they are an interesting cross and make a good pet and companion.
The Bull greyhound is a cross between the Greyhound and the Staffordshire Bull Terrier. The result is a lightning fast (not unexpected) hunter, used primarily for hunting smaller game such as foxes and rabbits. The Bull greyhound is even capable of taking down a deer.
A hare on the other hand, which when running seldom goes in a straight line, but turns and dodges repeatedly, can often escape the Bull greyhound, who is too heavily boned to be able to make quick, tight turns.
On the negative side, the dog needs to be kept on a leash if a smaller domestic pet is in the area, a cat in particular. This dog will chase and make short work of a cat without hesitation, most probably because a cat will have a tendency to run, and few if any cats can go far at greyhound speed.
Strength And Speed, Quite A Combination – The breed combines the strength of the Staffordshire Bull terrier with the speed of the greyhound. It also generally has the temperament of the Greyhound, which is one of the most gentle of the dog breeds, well behaved, and easy to handle.
The same can be said with almost any cross-breed having a greyhound as one of its parents. The gene or genes responsible for gentle disposition of the greyhound seems to dominate.
Finding A Breeder – Finding a good Bull greyhound breeder can be difficult, as there are not too many, but it is not impossible. While this mixed breed makes a good pet and companion, most people who purchase one do so having either hunting or pest control in mind.
A good source for more information on the mix, or help in locating a breeder, would be the American Canine Hybrid Club (ACHC). You really need to talk to a breeder to determine the finer points of the Bull greyhound as far as temperament, conformation, health issues and the like are concerned.
Check Out The Family Tree – As is the case with any true hybrid dog, the parents must both be purebred when we are talking about a first-generation puppy, or the family tree needs to be documented in the case of 2nd generation puppies on down. Both the Staffordshire Bull terrier and the greyhound are wonderful breeds, and a 50-50 mix of the two would seem to be ideal.
If in breeding, the 50-50 ratio is not maintained (for instance if a puppy has a Staffordshire Bull terrier as one parent and a Bull greyhound as the other), the characteristics of the puppies in a litter may be more difficult to predict or control.
For that reason, you really want to talk with an experienced breeder who has bred several generations of puppies. Above all, avoid purchasing your mixed breed through a puppy mill. There’s a high risk that what you end up with will be quite different than what you were looking for.
While it might be easier to purchase a beagle, coon hound, or retriever as a hunting or pest control companion, life can be a little more interesting if you take the time to search for a lesser known breed or mix, such as the Bull greyhound.
Unless the demand is very low, the price is apt to be high. Still there is something about these two breeds, particularly the greyhound, which seem to say “buy me”. It could be that with this particular mix, you’re having your cake and eating it too.
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