Scottish Deerhound

The Oeerhound is a creature of grace and beauty, mentioned frequently in the novels of Sir Walter Scott. It is strong and healthy, anxious to please and asks no more than to be its owner's devoted companion.

Origin and history

The Oeerhound was purpose-bred to hunt with its master by day and to grace his sumptuous dining hall at night. With the advent of breechloading rifles, the need for the hunting Deerhound ceased, as did its popularity. In the United Kingdom it is now kept only by devotees of the breed. It is said that once you have owned a Oeerhound, never again do you wish to own another breed. It is truly a gentle giant.

The breed has much of the Greyhound in its make-up, and it seems that until the nineteenth century the Irish Wolfhound and the Oeerhound were of a similar type. Today it is easy to distinguish between the two, the Oeerhound being a sleeker, lighter dog.

Scottish Deerhound Puppies

The graceful Oeerhound makes a devoted companion. Its agility and beauty are matched by its willingness to please.

Good points

Graceful and beautiful
Happy to be with humans and to please
Loving
Sound temperament

Take heed

No drawbacks known, if you have sufficient space

Size

Weight: dog 85-1051b (38.5-47.6kg); bitch 65-801b (29.5-36.3kg). Height at shoulder: dog not less than 30in (76cm); bitch 28in (71cm).

Exercise

Needs a great deal of exercise.

Scottish Deerhound Information

Colour

Much a matter of fancy. But there is no doubt that the dark blue-grey is the most preferred, because quality tends to follow this colour. Next come the darker and lighter greys or brindles, the darkest being generally preferred. Yellow and sandy red or red-fawn, especially with black points, i.e. ears and muzzle, are also in equal _stimation, this being the colour of the oldest-known strains, the McNeil and Cheethill Menzies.

White is condemned by all the old authorities; a white chest and white toes, which occur in a great many of the darkest dogs, are not so greatly objected to, but the less the better, as the Oeerhound is a selfcoloured dog. A white blaze on the head or a white collar should be heavily penalized.

In other cases, an attempt should be made to get rid of white markings. The less white the better, but a slight white tip to the stern occurs in the best strains.

Head and skull

The head should be broadest at the ears, tapering slightly to the eyes, with the muzzle tapering more decidedly to the nose. The muzzle should be pointed but the lips level. The head should be long, the skull rather flat than round with a very slight rise over the eyes but with nothing approaching a stop. The skull should be coated with moderately long hair, which is softer than the rest of the coat.

The nose should be black (though in some blue-fawns the colour is blue) and slightly aquiline. In the lighter coloured dogs, a black muzzle is preferred. There should be a good moustache of rather silky hair, and a fair beard.

Tail

Should be long, thick at the root, tapering and reaching to within about 1112in (4cm) of the ground. When the dog is still, the tail is dropped perfectly straight down or curved. When in motion, it should be curved; when excited, in no case to be lifted out of the line of the back. It should be well covered with hair on the inside, thick and wiry; on the underside, longer; and towards the end, a slight fringe is not objectionable. A curl or ring tail is very undesirable.

Feet

Moderately large and round, turning neither inward nor outward. Should be close and compact with well-arranged toes. Nails strong.

Scottish Deerhound Feeding & Grooming

Grooming

Requires very little trimming, just removal of extra shaggy hairs for show, and regular brushing. Its coat is weather-resistant, and this breed rarely feels the cold - in fact, it seems to prefer it.

Feeding

Recommended would be 20-330z (587-936g) of a branded, meaty product with biscuit added, or 3-5 cupfuls of a dry food, complete diet, mixed in the proportion of 1 cup of feed to V2 cup of hot or cold water. Will need extra feed if used for coursing.