Scottish Deerhound

 

Summary

• Scottish Deerhound requires plenty of space inside and outside.
• The breed is human-loving and calm as an adult.
• Creative and active as a puppy, calm and quiet as an adult.
• Needs good runs, preferably loose.
• A friendly giant.

Breed description for Scottish Deerhound

Scottish Deerhound is an impressive breed that requires plenty of space and has a special attachment to people. As a friendly giant, it makes an excellent companion, and its calm nature makes it ideal as an adult dog. It has a fascinating history as a hunting dog and is known for its quiet and lazy demeanor.

Characteristics and Mentality

Scottish Deerhound is bred to be a companion and friend to humans. It is creative and active as a puppy, but becomes calm and quiet as an adult. It is homely, calm and loves to relax. The deerhound is not a guard dog, but can be impressive in size and should be kept under control when necessary. It rarely follows the urge to run away and prefers to stay close to its owner and family.

Size and Appearance

Scottish Deerhound resembles a larger, straight-haired greyhound with a stronger bone stock. It has a unique combination of speed, strength and endurance, which is necessary for hunting deer. In its essence, it radiates gentle dignity and represents a legacy from the spartan and ceremonial Scottish court life. The fur is thick, shaggy and lies close to the body.There are light fringes on the inside of the front and back legs. The breed has different color variants such as dark blue-grey, gray or brindle in various shades, yellow, sand-colored red or red fawn with black markings. A solid color dog with less white chest, white toes and less white on the tip of the tail is considered better. Shoulder height for male dogs is at least 76 cm, and for bitches at least 71 cm. Weight varies, but male dogs weigh about 45.5 kg and bitches about 36.5 kg.

Health

Scottish Deerhound is generally a healthy breed with no known hereditary defects or diseases. Nevertheless, individual dogs can have common health challenges such as heart disease and cancer, although it is not prevalent in the breed. Abdominal rotation may occur due to the deep rib cage, but this is rare. The breed may have a hereditary weakness with a lack of factor VII gene, but this does not affect the dog’s health to a significant extent.

Fur grooming

Scottish Deerhound requires a certain degree of grooming. The thick and shaggy fur needs to be cared for to keep it in good condition. Regular brushing and maintenance of the coat is recommended.Explore the fascinating Scottish Deerhound breed and good luck choosing your new companion!