Scottish Deerhound

A tall, majestic beast with a tapered head and long neck, this breed has a wiry coat in several colors.

The Scottish Deerhound comes in many colors, with competitive breeders preferring the dark blue-grey. Other colors can include various shades of dark grey, grey, yellow, sandy red, or red fawn.

One of the tallest dog breeds, this is a strong, fast, and agile sighthound. The Scottish Deerhound looks like a large Greyhound, which is a close relative. They both have a lithe, athletic build that gives off a powerful and very regal appearance.

These large dogs were identified as Deerhounds as early as the 16th century. As the name states, they excel at deer hunting, either coursing (chasing until their prey drops from exhaustion) or stalking (going after the deer once it has been wounded).

Scottish Deerhounds have always been associated with aristocracy, to the point where, in the Age of Chivalry, only Earls and above could own a Deerhound. This exclusivity actually hurt the breed, as it meant its breeding was closely restricted.

As the red deer began to disappear from England and Southern Scotland in the 18th century, the Deerhound was replaced with its smaller relative, the Greyhound. Luckily, there was still an active wild deer population in the Northern Highlands of Scotland, which became the last stronghold for the Scottish Deerhound. When the Highland chieftains claimed ownership of the breed, however, they applied the same exclusive restrictions on ownership. This resulted in the Deerhound again declining significantly until about 1825.

At that point the lineage was saved by breeders Archibald and Duncan McNeill, who were able to restore the Deerhound back to its former state. To this day it is still a rare and highly sought-after breed, known for its sense of smell, speed, and stamina. Hundreds of years of protecting and hunting for its masters has given the Scottish Deerhound a powerful desire for human companionship, and makes for an extremely loyal dog.