The Scottish Deerhound is dignified, gentle, affectionate and loyal. Scottish Deerhounds adapt easily to different situations, as they seem to have a strong intuition as to what's right and wrong. They are kind towards children and most other dogs, but depending on their individual nature they may not be so friendly with fellow household pets, such as cats. Scottish Deerhounds rarely bark and respond quickly to gentle training, often a friendly request is all that is needed for them to respond appropriately.
The Scottish Deerhound's coat should be brushed often and the excess hair in the ear canal should be removed. Depending on the coat's condition, it may need to be stripped (the dead hairs plucked out) once or twice a year.
Scottish Deerhounds need plenty of exercise, such as playing with other dogs, running in the park or going for long walks. This breed can be rather hard on themselves physically.
It is presumed that the Scottish Deerhound evolved from crosses of the Greyhound and the rough coated local dogs of Scotland. For centuries this breed was highly valued by their Scottish masters for stalking, hunting and holding deer. The human contact with their masters has resulted in their close relationships to people, however the possessiveness of their Scottish owners almost made them extinct. In 1825, after the author Sir Walter Scott described Scottish Deerhounds as being "the most perfect creature in heaven", and when the artist Landseer depicted them in his paintings, the breed was re-established.
General Appearance: Tall, hardy and shaggy.
Color: Dark blue/grey, grey, brindle, red or fawn with black points. A white chest or toes are permitted.
Coat: Shaggy, thick, dense, and crisp to the touch. It is 8-10cm long on the body, neck and legs. The hair is much softer on the head, brisket and belly. There is a slight fringe on the inside of the legs (but is not long enough to resemble feathering).
Tail: Long, straight or curved and covered with thick, stiff hair.
Ears: As small as possible. Soft, colored black or dark, set high and folded towards the back in repose.
Body: Deep chest, hips set well apart and a well arched loin.
- Scottish Deerhounds are more suited to country life rather than the city and they don't like cramped spaces. They need a large area where they can reach full speed and length.