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Scottish Deerhounds
The Scottish deerhound is often referred to as simply the deerhound. It is a breed of dog that is bred to hunt. He much resembles a rough-coated greyhound but it is larger in size. The Scottish deerhound is one of the tallest sight hounds and it has a harsh coat, beard and mustache, and a mane. Scottish deerhounds have small ears that are soft and lay back against the head unless the dog is excited. The preferred color for the coat is blue grey. Often they will have a slight white tip on the tail, and the chest and toes may also be white. The tail should be long and straight and well covered with hair. When the tail is held straight it should come close to touching the ground.
Scottish deerhound puppies will be born with a short coat that will reach its full length with maturity. Puppies will also lack the mustache and beard that is noted on the mature dogs. The Scottish deerhound puppies will not have the wiry coat which is associated with the adult. The young deerhounds may be quite destructive and rowdy. This is especially true if they do not get enough exercise. They are gentle and loving around children but because they grow to be so large, supervision is advised.
The Scottish deerhound's head should be the broadest at the ears and the muzzle should gently taper to the nose. The ears should set high and fold back when the dog is in repose. Ears should always be black regardless of what color the dog is. In many ways Scottish deerhounds resemble the greyhounds in body stature and shape. Their legs are long and slim leading up to a slim body. They should have dark eyes with black rims and the eyes should look soft but keen.
The coat should be harsh and wiry and should measure 3 to 4 inches long. Hair on the head and belly should be softer than the hair on the body. The legs should contain "fringe" that resembles that of a collie. The average weight for a mature dog is between 85 and 110 pounds.
If you are planning to buy a Scottish deerhound for sale or Scottish deerhound puppies for sale, generally they will be gentle and very friendly. They are considered to be very docile and are always eager to please their master. They always carry themselves with gentle dignity and they are always eager to give chase. When young they need a lot of exercise but when mature they are quite content spending their time indoors lying around. Even when mature it is best that they get the proper amount of exercise because inactivity will often lead to dog health problems.
Generally the Scottish deerhound is healthy and has a life span of 9 to 11 years. Occasionally they will be prone to cardiomyopathy, bone cancer, and bloat. Regular health check-ups should help keep on top of any type of illness the dog is likely to have.
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