Deerhound
Dogs
Deerhound
Deerhound |
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Alternative names |
Scottish Deerhound |
Country of origin |
Scotland |
Common nicknames |
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Classification and breed standards |
FCI: |
Group 10 Section 2 #164 |
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AKC: |
Hound |
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ANKC: |
Group 4 (Hounds) |
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CKC: |
Group 2 - Hounds |
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KC (UK): |
Hound |
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NZKC: |
Hounds |
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UKC: |
Sighthounds and Pariah Dogs |
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Not recognized by any major kennel club |
This breed of dog is
extinct |
Notes |
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The Deerhound, also sometimes called a Scottish Deerhound, is a
breed
of dog, specifically
a member of the
sighthound
family.
Temperament
The Deerhound is a large dog that needs quite a bit of exercise to keep it
healthy. That does not mean it needs a large house to live in. Many live in
smaller houses and apartments quite happily. The average adult Deerhound (over,
say, two years old) spends much of the day stretched out on the floor or a
couch, sleeping. They are gentle and docile indoors and are good around company
and children.
Outdoors, with room to run, they are anything but docile. They have a long
floating gait and are amazingly fast over a piece of ground. Some care has to be
taken to give them freedom to run in places where they are not likely to be
tempted or able to give chase as they are tireless runners and fierce hunters.
History
Deerhounds were bred in parallel with the
English
Greyhound
for very similar purposes. They were developed to hunt deer by running them to
ground (exhaustion) in packs. As such, they are very closely related to the
Irish Wolfhound,
Russian Wolfhound, and the other large sighthounds. Generally, these big
hunting dogs were sporting animals for nobility but many very similar animals
were bred and hunted by common folk. These big, fast, almost silent hunters made
quick work of any game from a rabbit up and were very well regarded by noble
huntsmen and poachers alike.
Miscellaneous
Deerhounds compete in
conformation and
coursing.
Many are trained to succeed in
obedience
competition but few excel in it and fewer excel in
dog
agility or
flyball.
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