Longdogs are a sighthound to sighthound crossbreed, as opposed to the sighthound to pastoral/terrier crossbreed that creates a lurcher. Longdogs are usually bred for competition rather than full time working,as although there are always exceptions, most longdogs do not have the obedience levels of the lurcher.
In days gone by, only royalty could own a sighthound (usually a greyhound), but sighthounds made excellent hunting dogs. Crossbreeds
of the recognised sighthounds, with the collie types of the time were bred as they looked far more like the working dogs owned by shepherds
than 'poachers' dogs. In this way farmhands, gypsies, poachers could all own a dog capable of catching them dinner, with little fear of
contravening a law.
Over the years, lurchers have gained a reputation for being owned by 'undesirables' but this is very rarely the case these days. Many lurchers
are still worked, legally where their owners have been given permission to take quarry. Lurchers are increasingly commonly seen as pet dogs,
some rescued, some bought specifically as pets.
So, why are sighthounds not used today? Well, in general, sighthounds are either 'show bred' ie too far from their original working lines to
be of any use as workers, not hardy enough, or simply, not bright enough. A lurcher is an intelligent dog, a thinking dog. Depending on the
breeding, of course! Lurchers also have to be trained to very high levels of obedience, hence the use of the Border and Bearded Collies in their
make up. A typical working lurcher is expected to walk to heel off lead (because a running dog must not wear a collar for safety reasons),
to be silent in the dark, no matter how many interesting noises there are, ignore all interesting smells around, and only take the quarry that is
indicated to him by his handler. Then he has to retrieve it live to hand, possibly having to jump obstacles on his return.
These skills I believe go over and above the obedience tests performed in the showring, and combine elements of working trials as well.