Scottish Deerhound

This large breed of the Sighthound, the Scottish Deerhound, was bred to hunt red deer. If you are looking to keep one as a pet, here is all that you need to know.

Scottish Deerhound Appearance

Table of Contents

This breed is tall with a shaggy coat, promiscuous mane, mustache, and beard. It has a long and graceful neck. The head of the Scottish Deerhound is broad between the ears with narrow eyes and muzzle tapers toward the nose.

Mostly, this breed has a black nose, but you can also see a blue nose in some dogs. This breed with a lighter coat may have a dark muzzle. The narrow eyes are hazel or chestnut in color. The ears are folded back but set up high at the head. The coat ranges in various shades of blue gray, fawn, brindle, and gray. It has a long tail that may be slightly curved or straight.

The male Scottish Deerhound stands 30 to 32 inches tall and weighs 85 to 110 pounds. The female is smaller and measures 28 inches in height and 75 to 90 pounds in weight. The coat is harsh and wiry that protects the dog against harsh weather conditions.

Scottish Deerhound Grooming

This breed sheds throughout the year. Therefore, it is recommended to brush the dog twice or thrice a week. Regular brushing will get rid of all dead and loose hair. This will also lead to less hair lying around the house, meaning less mess for you to clean up.

Since this breed has quite a lot of hair on the face, it is also recommended to brush the facial hair on regular basis. If regular brushing is insured, you may not need to bathe the dog on an everyday basis. It is only required a few times in an entire year.

Using a vet-approved shampoo for the dog will avoid it from stripping natural oil off the skin that could lead to dryness. Make sure to check the dog’s ears for infections and wax build-up. Gently cleanse the dog’s ear using a cotton ball and a vet-approved cleanser. Never insert a cotton swab in the ear canal as it may cause severe damage.

Regular teeth brushing is also important for oral hygiene. It will prevent tartar and plaque build-up and also keep bad breath away. Trim the dog’s nails if they do not wear down on their own.

Scottish Deerhound Temperament

This breed is well behaved and obedient. In fact, it is almost a perfect pet. However, being quiet in nature, this breed does not really make good watchdogs. They hardly bark and even in case of an intruder, expect the dog to politely wag their tail at them.

They love exercise and long walks around the block but almost instantly curl up on the couch once back home. They do not have a problem socializing with other dogs. In fact, they enjoy the company of other pets. This means you do not need to worry about the other pets in the house. However, these dogs have an urge to chase small pets or the feline. This may require you to be slightly watchful of them.

If you enjoy an active lifestyle, this dog could be perfect for you. The Scottish Deerhound enjoys open spaces where it can play around and run. That is why apartment life may not be suitable for this breed. Lack of adequate exercise may trigger aggressive behavior. Therefore, make it a point to take your dog for a walk almost every day.

Scottish Deerhound Training

Since this is an athletic breed, daily exercise is recommended. They were bred to hunt down deer and thus have a high level of stamina and endurance. It is important that you train the dog from an early age in order to inculcate positive habits and get rid of the negative traits.

Their high energy level demands several walks throughout the day. Always use positive reinforcement when training the dog and once you are done with the basic training, you can move on to advanced and more challenging tasks that your dog will enjoy.

Do not use negative reinforcement such as shouting or harsh words to train the dog. It will make the dog fear you or may trigger aggressive behavior.

Scottish Deerhound History

The Scottish Deerhound resembles the Greyhound in a number of ways. They were bred with the purpose to create a breed that has high endurance and stamina to hunt down red deer. Later on, they were also used sporting animals. In Australia, they were used to hunt deer and kangaroos.