Known in Britain as simply the Deerhound, the Scottish Deerhound resembles
a rough-coated Greyhound, though larger. Although his exact ancestry is
unknown, writings from the sixteenth century mention him. He was bred to
chase the wild deer of the Scottish Highlands. He combines a keen sense
of smell with the strength and speed necessary to do the job. He was also
a guard dog and companion for the Highland Chieftains. During the Middle
Ages, noone below the rank of Earl was allowed to own one. He is extremely
rugged in appearance but extremely graceful in motion. The breed was brought
to North America during the late 1800s and shown at Westminster Kennel Club
in 1877.
The Scottish Deerhound is gentle and fearless. He is pleasant to all humans,
even to the smallest child. He is very patient with other dogs also. Because
he is large and requires lots of exercise, he needs plenty of room.
The head of the Scottish Deerhound is long, level, well balanced and carried
high. The muzzle is pointed with a level bite. The ears are small, set high
and folded back Greyhound-like. They should be black or dark colored, no
matter what the coat color of the dog. The eyes are dark. The neck is long,
well arched and strong. The chest is deep but not narrow. The body is long
and deep in the brisket. The legs are strong and straight. The feet are
compact and close. The tail is long and tapered, reaching half way between
the top of the hocks and the ground. It is carried down and curved. The
weather resistant coat is rough and hard with a softer beard and brows.
It is between three and four inches long on the body. There is a slight
fringe on the legs and a mustache and beard on the muzzle. Coat color is
a matter of preference but includes fawn, red, red brindle, blue-grey, gray
and black brindle. White is not desired. Dark blue-gray is preferred. Average
height should be as tall as possible, consistent with quality, but generally
is between 28 and 32 inches. Average weight is between 75 and 110 pounds.