A jumbo sighthound who used to hunt deer in the Scottish Highlands , Scottish deerhounds these days are still rare . Now , they instead prefer spending meter with their families or patrolling a heavy yard .
Once belong to his commonwealth ’s elite , the Scottish Scottish deerhound isa giant , hairy dogwho can be the ultimate human companion — whether that ’s forlong walks around the neck of the woods , full - out sprints across acreage , or kicking back on the sofa .
Scotch deerhounds wereoriginally bred to huntand take down stags more than four times their size in the Scottish Highlands , but the sighthounds these Day are moregentle family dogs . They do have one major trait left over from their hunting days , according to Rachel Matthews , a longtimedeerhound breederand member of the Scottish Deerhound Club of America’sRescue and Placement Committee .
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" It ’s the human - cad bond , " she says . " I do n’t retrieve there ’s any dog more truehearted than a deerhound . They ’re almost human sometimes . "
But thedeerhounds are rarefor right reason — they are n’t for everyone , includingapartment - dweller , families with little small fry , and anyone whomight not be able-bodied to afford veterinary circular .
They ’re still , of course , in effect hot dog who could very well be your next good friend . study on to find out more about the Scots Scottish deerhound .
Appearance
Well , we can get the obvious out of the way : They ’re big . Female Scots deerhounds can matter 75–95 pounds while male frank tip the scales at 85–110 Irish punt . Be mindful of putting anything valuable ( or edible ! ) on any humble mesa or counters in your house , too . These weenie can appraise between 28–32 inch tall , making counter surf a breeze .
Scottish deerhound sport a long , wiry - see coat . Their color vary between blue - gray , brindle , grey , gray brindle , black , opprobrious brindle , and gloomy . Some dogs will have white marking in their pelt , too , sometimes on their chests .
Matthews says the most vulgar semblance you ’ll see are gray and gray-haired brindle , noting that black Scottish deerhound do n’t take on the breed ’s standards .
At first glance , it can be difficult to evidence the Scottish deerhound asunder from another giant puppy : the Irish wolfhound . They ’re two of the tallest Canis familiaris breed and both have bushy , wiry coats , but these hound dogs do have their differences . The Irish wolfhound tends to be slenderly taller than his Scottish counterpart , and he ’s usually more muscular , too .
Temperament
These big boys and fille are prettylaid - back around the house , and like many other breeds these supremely firm pup prefer to lounge around their the great unwashed .
" If they have a choice , they prefer a individual to a hound , " Matthews enounce .
They ’re generally well - behaved and aresome of the smartest dogsto the point of being manipulative . One of Matthews ' nine deerhound recently got her up , she cogitate , to be let outdoors . Once Matthews was up and at the door , the hound simply pass and took what had been her spot on the couch .
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While Scottish deerhounds love their people the most , they get along exquisitely with other dogs . To ensure , socialize your Scottish deerhound puppystarting when he ’s immature .
We humans canteach Scottish deerhounds introductory cuespretty easy , Matthews say , but be sure touse positive reinforcement methods . Scots deerhound are sensitive , so it ’s a good idea to delay pollyannaish andencouraging during grooming .
Living Needs
You ’re gon na take a yard , and believably a big one . Scots deerhound — have we mention they ’re big?—need adequate space to roam and race freely . They ’re sighthounds with ahigh prey drive : If they see something move by — lapin , cat , or car — they’re probably become to chase it , Matthews says . Not to cite , they can perfectly hold it . harmonize to theScottish Deerhound Club of America ( SDCA ) , these dogs can hit speeds of about 30 miles per hour . A tall fencing , 6 foot or so , can help keep them from being charm by the outside universe and prevent any escapes . Regardless of the fencing state of affairs , ensure your pawl is microchipped .
Despite your Scottish deerhound’sneed for exercise , you probably want to think doubly aboutgoing to a dog Mungo Park . Deerhounds are soft , but they can easy step on other , smaller pups or unexpectedly rap them down .
So skip the dog park and , instead , take your Scottish deerhound on a retentive walk through the neighborhood . Regular walk of life and a day-after-day gambol alfresco will go a retentive way in making sure your hound is living a level-headed life . Otherwise , these dogs need to spend their time indoors with their humans . ( humanity are probably their bestsource of enrichment , Matthews says . )
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They also want to quell inside because they ’re equipped for neither the hot nor the frigidity . Based in Arizona , Matthews gives all her new Scottish deerhound puppy parents the same talk : Keep him out of the extreme heat , as these dog-iron can bevulnerable to heatstroke . reciprocally , they also do n’t do gravid for foresightful point of time in the frigid and snow . Their stringy coat is perfect for the coolheaded , foggy Scottish Highlands after all .
The hound make good family dogs , but their size of it is also why Matthews usually cautionsfamilies with minuscule childrenagainst assume a Scottish deerhound . The dogs just do n’t know their own size and can knock down the little ones . you’re able to still raise a deerhound and a toddler at the same prison term , but Matthews hint look until your human minor are in their teenager before add home a Scots Scottish deerhound puppy .
Care
A Scottish Scottish deerhound ’s hair might appear messy and tangly , but it ’s actually pretty prosperous to groom . St. Matthew the Apostle recommendsbrushing their coarse , wiry haironce a week . It ’ll help relieve your dog of hisshedded hairand preclude mat . ( While you ’re brushing , ensure to look for any abnormality on your cad ’s tegument or in his ears , too . )
You ’ll also want toclip your hound ’s nailsonce you start hearing them click - clack valve on your story . Anoccasional bathwill get disembarrass of any mill about doggy odors , and you canbrush your dog ’s teethto cure anybad breathing space .
Always have fresh water system useable for your dog to drink , and , as always , talk with your veterinary surgeon about which food for thought you should be feeding your deerhound . How much solid food your bounder needscan look on your deerhound ’s age and health .
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Health
feed your Scots deerhound several small meals a day could help forbid your whelp fromsuffering from bloat . The condition , in which a heel ’s stomach swells up with accelerator pedal or fluid to put pressure on other organs and restrict lineage flow , affects the largest dogs and can be deadly if untreated .
Matthews says she invalidate giving her deerhoundsraw solid food , opting or else to feast them cook chicken . choice food , digestive enzyme supplements , and gas - step-down medicament help restrict the chances of bloat , she says , though it ’s best to check with your pup ’s vet before introducing any newfangled appurtenance or ingredient his their diet .
Your hound ’s vet may also recommend a preventive gastropexy due to his size . During this procedure , which can be performed when your dog-iron isspayed or neutered , the stomach is suture to the abdominal wall or diaphragm to foreclose it from twisting .
Matthews also keep an middle out forcardiomyopathy(weakened eye muscle),bone Crab , liver shunt(when a unopen line of descent vessel in the liver stays open ) , andAddison ’s disease .
Make certain any Scots deerhound breeder or rescue you ’re borrow a dog from can net your pup on as many ailments as possible . But test and screenings wo n’t catch everything . You ’ll likely grapple with wellness problem at some point , Matthews says . She recommendshaving preferent insuranceand making sure you could give to devote any tidy vet bills .
" They ’re not the dog for everybody , " she says .
History
harmonise to the stock club , Scots deerhounds were identified as far back as the 1500s , though it ’s hard to differentiate whether they were at one time the same dog as the Irish wolfhound .
As their name implies , the primary job of deerhounds — equipped with strength , speed , and excellent scent - detection — was to hunt Scotland ’s wild red cervid , which could weigh up to 400 pound sign ( gnarly antlers included ) . But the sighthounds were still rarefied , and their ownership was restrain to the elites . By the mid-1700s , the breed was prevalent only in Scotland , and its numbers flow close to extinction at the twist of the century .
Archibald and Duncan McNeill were able to quicken the deerhound ’s numbers around 1825 . While they make first-class companions to humans , " the royal bounder of Scotland " is still uncommon to this twenty-four hour period when compared to other breed .
