Scottish Deerhound

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Breed Details

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Breed Rating

Breed Details

General

The Scottish Deerhound originated in Scotland and was bred to hunt deer, just as its name suggests. This breed is in close blood relation to the Irish Wolfhound and the Highland Greyhound. These dogs would be brought on hunting trips and would be commanded to 'stalk' a deer and literally run it down. This was usually done with at least 2 Scottish Deerhounds, 1 to distract and the other to make the move. Today this dog is most common in Luring competitions as they have speed and a hounds determination for its prey.

The Scottish Deerhound is a tall shaggy dog with a body similar to that of a Greyhounds. They are slender with long muscular legs and a straight tail. They have a large head with small floppy ears and a long muzzle. The body of the Deerhound is muscular which will aid in their speed during a hunt. Their coat is a harder, wiry texture which is needed for the colder temperatures they work in.

This is one of the rare breeds of dogs that came very close to extinction, but were revived in the early 1800's. As a sighthound does, this breed hunts with his eyes more so then anything else. They make great companions as much as working dogs, but today they are more valued as pets.

Color

This breeds most common colour is gray but they can come in a blue/gray, brindle or a fawn. Their ears and muzzle are usually a darker version of what colour their body is.

Coat

The Scottish Deerhound has a rough, wiry textured coat that is between short and medium. The fur on the ears and underbelly is softer but this type of coat is perfect for cold temperatures. They have extra hair on their face which resembles a beard and mustache! The Deerhound will need regular grooming as their coat will need to be removed of its dead fur on a regular basis.

Personality

The Scottish Deerhound is a polite and well behaved companion! They are sweet, affectionate and enjoy being part of the family pack. These dogs will get along great with children and other dogs but should be monitored around smaller pets such as cats, mice, and guinea pigs, etc. They have a mind that is constantly focused on hunting so the Deerhound should not have any access to these pets. This breed is notorious for loving everyone they meet, making them terrible guard dogs even though they have an intimidating size. This dog is quite intelligent, but may take more time than the average dog to grasp certain training concepts. It is suggested when walking this breed to always keep them on leash as they have been known to run after small animals at a moments notice. When the Deerhound is on the hunt, nothing can interrupt them because they will be far to focused to even hear anything going on around them.

Care

The Scottish Deerhound will need to be brushed about once or twice per week. Their coat is a short to medium length but is very rough and wiry making it much easier to tangle. Bathing should be done when the owner finds this necessary. These dogs are prone to osteosarcoma, bloat, and cardiomyopathy. They are generally very healthy dogs but because they are an extra large breed their life span is still much shorter then the average sized dog.

Training

The Deerhound will need an owner who has above anything, patience. They are a very intelligent breed but just need gentle methods and repetition to grasp the concepts. Consistency will be needed and avoidance of any negative training methods will be best because this dog is sensitive and really does want to please their owners. Stubbornness is not an uncommon trait among Scottish Deerhounds because as hounds they have a free spirited mind.

Activity

The Scottish Deerhound will need at least one hour per day of exercise. Long walks or trips to the off-leash dog park to socialize will be perfect. A leash will always be needed just in case they decide to run after an interesting smell or creature. This breed will do best in a household environment because they are such big dogs that need all the space they can get. A backyard or extra land would be preferable so they can run around in an outside environment.