Scottish Deerhounds: Scottish Deerhounds are tall and slim appearing to be rough-coated Greyhounds, but larger and bigger boned. Their heads are flat and broad between the ears, with muzzles that taper to a point at their noses. Their noses are black and sometimes blue on blue-fawn dogs. Their teeth meet in a level bite. Their eyes are dark, either brown, or hazel with black eye rims. Their ears are high set, folded back like greyhounds. When Scottish Deerhounds get excited their ears are half-perked. Their chests are deep, not broad, but not too narrow. Their front legs are straight. Their tails are long, carried low, almost touching the ground. Their wiry coats are 3-4 inch longer and harsher on their bodies, necsk, beards, mustaches and manes, and are shorter and softer on their heads, chests and bellies. Coat colors include shades of blue gray, gray, brindle and black, yellow and sandy red or red fawn, sometimes with black ears and muzzles. There is sometimes a little white on their chests, feet and tails.

Scottish Deerhounds are gentle, well-mannered dogs. They are polite and affectionate. Loving, friendly and excellent with children, Scottish Deerhounds are very courageous and dignified, devoted and loyal, but they are not watch or guard dogs, for they just love everyone. They need a firm, consistent, confident owner who knows how to display calm, gentle, but firm authority over the dog or they will be willful at times and slow to obey commands. Although friendly with other dogs, they should be properly introduced to non-canine pets. Scottish Deerhounds are quiet and rarely ever bark.

Closely related to Greyhounds, Scottish Deerhounds were once known as Scotch Greyhounds, Rough Greyhounds and Highland Deerhounds. In Scotland, it became a distinct breed in the 16th and 17th centuries and were given the name Scottish Deerhounds, and their rough coats were bred in to adapt them to the rough climate. They were used as deer hunting dogs for Scottish tribes in the Middle Ages. They became known as the royal dogs of Scotland and no one ranking below Earl was permitted to own one. Queen Victoria and Sir Walter Scott owned Scottish Deerhounds. With their strict ownership rules, Scottish Deerhounds were not very populated in number and took an even harder hit almost to extinction when man invented the gun and the dogs were no longer needed to bring down deer. Two brothers by the name of Archibald and Duncan McNeill saved the breed in the 1800s when they started a breeding program. Once again in Britain during World War II, like many breeds, Scottish Deerhounds fell very low in numbers. It was very difficult to feed the large dogs, and many people destroyed them for food. Along with their great sight, Scottish Deerhounds also have very fine senses of smell. Some of the Deerhounds talents include: hunting, sighting, tracking, racing, agility and lure coursing.

The Scottish Deerhound Size:
Height: 28-32 inches
Weight: 75-110 lbs