Scottish Deerhound Breed Magazine - Showsight

Scottish Deerhound Breed Magazine features information, expert articles, and stunning photos from AKC judges, breeders, and owners.

DEERHOUND SCOTTISH

Let’s Talk Breed Education!

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Official Standard of the Scottish Deerhound Head : Should be broadest at the ears, narrowing slightly to the eyes, with the muzzle tapering more decidedly to the nose. The muzzle should be pointed, but the teeth and lips level. The head should be long, the skull flat rather than round with a very slight rise over the eyes but nothing approaching a stop. The hair on the skull should be moderately long and softer than the rest of the coat. The nose should be black (in some blue fawns-blue) and slightly aquiline. In lighter colored dogs the black muzzle is preferable. There should be a good mustache of rather silky hair and a fair beard. Ears: Should be set on high; in repose, folded back like a Greyhound's, though raised above the head in excitement without losing the fold, and even in some cases semi-erect. A prick ear is bad. Big thick ears hanging flat to the head or heavily coated with long hair are bad faults. The ears should be soft, glossy, like a mouse's coat to the touch and the smaller the better. There should be no long coat or long fringe, but there is sometimes a silky, silvery coat on the body of the ear and the tip. On all Deerhounds, irrespective of color of coat, the ears should be black or dark colored. Neck and Shoulders: The neck should be long-of a length befitting the Greyhound character of the dog. Extreme length is neither necessary nor desirable. Deerhounds do not stoop to their work like the Greyhounds. The mane, which every good specimen should have, sometimes detracts from the apparent length of the neck. The neck, however, must be strong as is necessary to hold a stag. The nape of the neck should be very prominent where the head is set on, and the throat clean cut at the angle and prominent. Shoulders should be well sloped; blades well back and not too much width between them. Loaded and straight shoulders are very bad faults. Tail : Should be tolerably long, tapering and reaching to within 1½ inches of the ground and about 1½ inches below the hocks. Dropped perfectly down or curved when the Deerhound is still, when in motion or excited, curved, but in no instance lifted out of line of the back. It should be well covered with hair, on the inside, thick and wiry, underside longer and towards the end a slight fringe is not objectionable. A curl or ring tail is undesirable. Eyes: Should be dark-generally dark brown, brown or hazel. A very light eye is not liked. The eye should be moderately full, with a soft look in repose, but a keen, far away look when the Deerhound is roused. Rims of eyelids should be black. Body : General formation is that of a Greyhound of larger size and bone. Chest deep rather than broad but not too narrow or slab-sided. Good girth of chest is indicative of great lung power. The loin well arched and drooping to the tail. A straight back is not desirable, this formation being unsuited for uphill work, and very unsightly. Legs and Feet: Legs should be broad and flat, and good broad forearms and elbows are desirable. Forelegs must, of course, be as straight as possible. Feet close and compact, with well- arranged toes. The hindquarters drooping, and as broad and powerful as possible, the hips being set wide apart. A narrow rear denotes lack of power. The stifles should be well bent, with great length from hip to hock, which should be broad and flat. Cowhocks, weak pasterns, straight stifles and splay feet are very bad faults. Coat : The hair on the body, neck and quarters should be harsh and wiry about 3 or 4 inches long; that on the head, breast and belly much softer. There should be a slight fringe on the inside of the forelegs and hind legs but nothing approaching the "feather" of a Collie. A woolly coat is bad. Some good strains have a mixture of silky coat with the hard which is preferable to a woolly

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coat. The climate of the United States tends to produce the mixed coat. The ideal coat is a thick, close-lying ragged coat, harsh or crisp to the touch. Color: Is a matter of fancy, but the dark blue-gray is most preferred. Next come the darker and lighter grays or brindles, the darkest being generally preferred. Yellow and sandy red or red fawn, especially with black ears and muzzles, are equally high in estimation. This was the color of the oldest known strains-the McNeil and Chesthill Menzies. White is condemned by all authorities, but a white chest and white toes, occurring as they do in many of the darkest-colored dogs, are not objected to, although the less the better, for the Deerhound is a self-colored dog. A white blaze on the head, or a white collar, should entirely disqualify. The less white the better but a slight white tip to the stern occurs in some of the best strains. Height: Height of Dogs - From 30 to 32 inches, or even more if there be symmetry without coarseness, which is rare. Height of Bitches - From 28 inches upwards. There is no objection to a bitch being large, unless too coarse, as even at her greatest height she does not approach that of the dog, and therefore could not be too big for work as overbig dogs are. Weight : From 85 to 110 pounds in dogs, and from 75 to 95 pounds in bitches. Points of the Deerhound, Arranged in Order of Importance 1. Typical-A Deerhound should resemble a rough-coated Greyhound of larger size and bone. 2. Movements-Easy, active and true. 3. As tall as possible consistent with quality. 4. Head-Long, level, well balanced, carried high. 5. Body-Long, very deep in brisket, well-sprung ribs and great breadth across hips. 6. Forelegs-Strong and quite straight, with elbows neither in nor out. 7. Thighs-Long and muscular, second thighs well muscled, stifles well bent. 8. Loins-Well arched, and belly well drawn up.

9. Coat-Rough and hard, with softer beard and brows. 10. Feet-Close, compact, with well-knuckled toes. 11. Ears-Small (dark) with Greyhound-like carriage. 12. Eyes-Dark, moderately full. 13. Neck-Long, well arched, very strong with prominent nape. 14. Shoulders-Clean, set sloping. 15. Chest-Very deep but not too narrow. 16. Tail-Long and curved slightly, carried low. 17. Teeth-Strong and level. 18. Nails-Strong and curved. Disqualification: White blaze on the head, or a white collar.

Approved March, 1935

Understanding the Scottish Deerhound Standard

Courtesy of Sighthound Review Vol. 3 Issue 1, Spring 2012 pp. 140-143 www.sighthoundreview.com and Sight and Scent October 2013 pp. 126, 129-132. www.sightandscentmagazine.com

TheTitan • Peogh & Glen. Crealock 1873

Preface

he preface to the Scottish Deerhound Club of America breed standard and the Australian National Kennel Coun- cil breed standard reminds the fancy (if you look hard) of the historic function of the Deerhound. Brief mention is made of “coping with large Scottish deer (often weighing 250 pounds)” and much is made of the mythology of the “Royal dogs” owned by earls and noble lords*. More on function would have been helpful in interpreting the Standard, in particular helping to grade the severity of “faults”, “undesirables” and other deviations noted in the standard by assisting the reader in understanding to what extent the deviation affects the original purpose of the breed. Two key elements are instrumental in understanding Deerhound conformation: (a) its quarry, the Red deer (Cervus elaphus (scoticus)) and (b) the terrain over which this breed coursed. Red deer are smaller than an elk, but larger than a white-tailed deer. The Scottish Red deer, smaller than the Western European Red deer thanks to the inhospitable windswept hills of its habitat, weighed 225 to 300 pounds with a shoulder height of about 40 to 47 inches. The terrain is extraordinarily rough: peat bogs, stony hills covered with coarse heather, rocky crags and rushing burns. Watching Deerhounds work in their home terrain illuminates how this breed needs to be constructed and the Standard is the breed experts’ attempt to describe this.

* Fortunately the revised AKC The Complete Dog Book has a new introduction to the standard correcting this historically inaccurate romanticism encouraged by that great Deerhound fancier Sir Walter Scott. tish Deerhound have an interesting and rather chequered history. Early in the 1800s Archibald MacNeill of Colon- say revived the sport of coursing Red deer with the “High- land deer-hound” or “rough Scotch greyhound” on the islands of Colonsay and Jura. He describes a day of deer coursing (August 11, 1835) on the Island of Jura that saw six T hose few paragraphs adopted as the Scottish Deerhound breed Standard in 1935 by the AKC and subsequently immortalised by the show fancy as the “ideal” Scot-

sportsmen, a piper and a deer-stalker watch two deerhounds, Buskar and Bran take down a 308 pound stag that was 3 ft 11 ¼ inches at the shoulder. Buskar, his “best in field” dog, was painted by Sir Edwin Landseer, carefully measured and an ac- count of this event was published in William Scrope’s TheArt of Deerstalking (1838). There was no Sight and Scent Hound Magazine or Sighthound Review in those days! This descrip- tion became an important benchmark in understanding the working Deerhound.

Photo courtesy of Linda Lindt

at a meeting of the UK Deerhound Club, November 26th, 1892, and again endorsed in 1901. It was recognized by that time that the breed had, in effect, been saved from extinction by this new sport of dog showing in England. Specimens that were “over-big” for deerstalking, had regularly been sent south to compete in the show ring which they did with dis- tinction and the breed became very popular. That reality and pressure from Graham and Hood-Wright who were great ad- vocates of size (and then both went on to develop the Irish Wolfhound), ensured that the newly adopted 1892/1901 Stan- dard provided for a size greater than 30 inches …. “if there be symmetry without coarseness, which is rare”. Then in 1914, a major change took place to the Standard with the addition of “Points of a Deerhound arranged in Order of Importance” . Type was placed where it belongs … first in order of importance. The absence of a description of move- ment in the original Standard of 1892 was addressed. Also slipped into the Standard was the phrase “as tall as possi- ble consistent with quality” and the height limits were changed. Club minutes that might have explained this change have been lost, but most likely it reflects the continuing concern expressed by some of the Deerhound fancy (letters and discussion in The Stock-Keeper ) that the breed will lose popularity to its much larger competitor, the Irish Wolfhound. This, of course, is exactly what happened. Regardless, with this change the Deerhound officially became a show dog. The breed Standard adopted by the AKC in 1935, included these changes while also increasing the breed height by two inches “from 30 to 32” for males and for bitches “from 28 inches upwards” . Weights were correspondingly increased in the AKC version and the somewhat spurious claim that the cli- mate of the USA might produce a mixed silky and hard coat was added.

By the mid 1800s J.H. Walsh (“Stonehenge”) began press- ing for the development of breed standards as the sport of showing dogs increased in popularity. So began the very pub- lic debate about how a Deerhound should look. Weston Bell started the task in 1892 with his seminal book The Scottish Deerhound with Notes on its Origin and Characteristics . This provided a first prototype breed standard developed with the assistance of the Duchess of Wellington, the Mar- quis of Breadalbane, Captain Graham, G.W. Hickman and Robert Hood-Wright. Hickman summed up their conclu- sions: “Between the large greyhound and a small deerhound there was no difference in outward characteristics…the deerhound is simply a rough greyhound raised to a larger size by selec- tions, common to the whole of Scotland…the Highlands of Scotland, being the only place where the stag has remained in a wild state in any numbers…” Bell makes a clear distinction that while his description is of the “modern Deerhound” with measurements of speci- mens currently appearing in the show ring, the working Deerhound forms the basis of his written “ideal”. So, in def- erence to the working Deerhound he capped size at “29 to30 inches, but not over 30 inches” for males and “26 to 27” inches for bitches. “To run into and hold a full grown stag, a large and strong animal, is certainly required and it was found that a dog av- eraging 29 to 30 inches was the correct animal”. Hickman and Hood-Wright then went on to reformat this de- scription by Bell (with one crucial difference) into a Deer- hound Standard which was formally amended and approved

This is very important history for those judges that see the Standard as a tool for evaluating breed specimens on the basis of form following function. The Deerhound Standard already describes a modern show Deerhound so any exaggeration of the breed characteristics described in the Standard will move the Deerhound even farther from its working roots. TYPE (Point #1) is the sum of those qualities which are dis- tinctive to the breed which make the animal not a dog, but a Deerhound. Most breed standards start with General Ap- pearance but the Scottish Deerhound Club of America Deer- hound Standard follows the format of the original Hickman and Hood-Wright Deerhound Standard approved by the Deerhound Club (UK) in 1892. Head is mentioned first, but foremost in Points Arranged in Order of Importance is Type. Point # 1. A Deerhound should resemble a rough-coated Greyhound of larger size and bone. This is the General Ap- pearance missing at the beginning of this Standard. The overall first impression of a Deerhound should be that of a large Greyhound…not a giant Greyhound and not a small Irish Wolfhound. To quote G.A. Graham (Vero Shaw, 1881 p. 229) “The general appearance should be striking, elegant and aristocratic to a marked extent and nobility of carriage is a very strong feature of the breed”.

Bran (“the famous” pictured above in 1842 by Thomas Duncan) Height at shoulder: 29 inches Girth: 31 ½ inches “killed his first stag at 9 months and his last at 9 years”. Source: Vero Shaw (1879-91) The Illustrated Book of the Dog . Chapter XXXI.The Deerhound by G.A.Graham

MOVEMENT (Point #2): Almost as an afterthought, easy, active and true was added in the Points in 1914 to describe this breed’s movement. Perhaps the lapse was in recognition that the Deerhound is above all a galloping hound and trot- ting about the ring simply shows off a dog’s structure which only hints at how it may perform in the field. Deerhounds should be light on their feet, with a seemingly effortless abil- ity to bound over rough terrain.

Buskar (pictured below 1836 by Sir Edwin Landseer): Height at shoulder: 28 inches Girth at chest 32 inches Weight in running condition…85 pounds “The deer he killed that day in total weighed 308 pounds” Source: Scrope (1839) The Art of Deerstalking p.347

“easy” and “active”, Ch. Thistleglen Margot • Photo by Halvorson

Propulsion in the field comes from the rear assembly and drive from the rear, with no hint of closeness or cow hocks, is extremely important. Deerhounds, unlike Greyhounds, gallop with their head up when after deer and spring (or bound) over the terrain keeping the quarry sighted in the long thicket-like heather. Written reports from the 1800s

HEAD (Point #4): Long, level, well balanced, carried high . The head should look like that of a large, strong jawed Grey- hound. The length of the muzzle should appear and be, longer than the length of the skull as the jaws need length and strength to seize and hold the quarry. BODY (Point #5): Long, very deep in brisket, well-sprung ribs and great breadth across hips. A Deerhound is a “long- dog” in hunting nomenclature ... a dog that is slightly longer than tall. The croup should not be too steep nor too level: too steep a croup places the hindquarters too far under the galloping hound so all the power from the rear is lost; too level a croup forces the dog to work too hard to get suffi- cient leverage for a power take-off from the rear. The hips are the driving force of the Deerhound, so the rear must be broad at the pelvis with wide parallel hocks. This is the num- ber one fundamental requirement for a functional Deerhound due to its breed specific galloping style. To see the Deer- hound constantly leaping in the air to remain sighted as it bounds through heather or tall grass is to understand why the Standard says the rear must be “...as broad and power- ful as possible, the hips being set wide apart...”. FORELEGS & THIGHS (Point #6, #7): Legs should be well muscled with a well defined and muscled first and sec- ond thigh. Bend of stifle should be moderate, neither too straight nor sickle-hocked as the former does not provide sufficient leverage for springing through heather and uphill work and the latter is too weak and inefficient, breaking down with hard use. THELOIN (Point #8) which is the area between the end of the ribs and the pelvis, should be well arched , and belly well drawn up with the topline maintained while moving. The loin should be muscular (not fat), showing strength and flexibility as it provides propulsion in uphill work. COAT (Point #9): There are striking differences in Deer- hound coats today although the Standard specifies “harsh and wiry about 3 to 4 inches long” . This is the mature coat of a 4 to 5 year old. A puppy exhibiting this length of coat will generally be over coated as an adult and need strip- ping. The Deerhound is a natural breed that should be shown tidied up, but without stripping or sculpting the coat. A Deerhound should grow a correct coat by inheri- tance and have the correct body shape without needing it stripped, scissored, “Furminated” or plucked to meet the Standard. Coats are a result of genes, not climate. As de- scribed by Captain Graham in 1881, “The coat should be coarse and hard … a well covered head gives much “char- acter” … Some breeders hold that no Deerhound is wor- thy of notice unless he has a good rough head, with plenty of beard and coat generally … Here, however they are at fault as several of the best known dogs have nearly smooth heads.” (in Vero Shaw, 1881 p. 229-230)

Photo courtesy of Dan Gauss

(Stonehenge, British Rural Sports , 1875) note this head - neck carriage and describe it as a feature that distinguishes the rough Scotch greyhound from other regional greyhound types... “...the deerhound gallops with his head in the air, and his body raised off the ground, ready for a spring at the throat or ear...while the greyhound, with his head close to the ground, lies down ventre à terre; and he is also prepared to pick up his game, not pull it down” . That characteristic is captured in easy and active . SIZE (Point #3) has been an ongoing debate for the past two hundred years and continues to this day. While the Standard reads as tall as possible consistent with quality Deerhounds greater than 30 inches at the shoulder are generally not func- tional on deer…that was a known fact. We know the measure- ments of two of the best working Deerhounds…Buskar and Bran (previous page). The Standard recognizes the “modern Deerhound” size and the show world’s expectation that “big- ger is better”, but this needs to be balanced by the knowledge that those famous for their functionality were not more than 30 inches. The battle over size will continue but moderation appears to be the most reasonable approach if type and breed health is to be maintained in the long term.

Photo courtesy of Annemiek Hawkins

FEET (Point #10): The Standard does not specify “cat” or “hare” feet, it says “feet close and compact” . The two mid- dle toes in a Deerhound foot are always slightly longer than the side toes, but should be so strong and well knuckled that the overall appearance of the foot is small and tight in rela- tion to the size of the dog. Long weak toes are a serious fault and functionally useless. As Miss A.N. Hartley describes in her book The Deerhound (1972), “Feet are most important, the pads should be large and thick making the feet look al- most as though they had little rubber balls under them”.

Champion Ayrshire • Painted by Arthur Wardle, c. 1908

he Standard describes a mature Deerhound. A Deerhound generally isn’t fully mature until it reaches 4 to 5 years. Most Deerhounds are shown between the ages of one and four years. This makes judging this breed very difficult and expe- rience invaluable and appreciated. The Standard also describes breed features which are both aesthetic and functional.

Life Stages in a Bitch

Day old

18weeks

4 years (Am. Can. Champion)

7½ years (Best Vet. in Specialty)

A JUDGE SHOULD ALWAYS: Judge the dog, not the handler nor the “package”; Attend as many Deerhound Specialties/Breed Shows as pos- sible and always watch breed lure coursing events; Understand that the Standard describes functional points and those that are aesthetic / cosmetic, and be able to differ- entiate between them; Reward dogs by placing a priority on functionality as this breed is, above all, a galloping hound developed for a specific prey and terrain;

Avoid extremes in all points: extreme size, extreme bend of stifle, extreme roach over the loin, extreme depth of brisket, extreme coat… reward moderation as the best option for the long term health and conformation of the breed; And always remember that the Scottish Deerhound is not a giant Greyhound nor a small Irish Wolfhound… the Deerhound is a rough-coated Greyhound of larger size and bone.

THE AUTHOR: Barb Heidenreich (Fernhill) has been enslaved by Deerhounds and the Deerhound temperament for more than forty years. This passion has involved her attending thirty- nine (39) SDCA National Specialties, eight Deerhound Club (UK) Breed Shows, three Dava Quaich Coursing Meets and countless (ASFA, NOFCA and OLCA) coursing events. Under the Fernhill prefix she has been breeding, coursing and showing with the key goal of maintaining a functional hound that can excel in both the ring and field. The most glorious activity in the world she considers to be watching her own Deerhounds in full flight on the fields at Fern Hill.

This is an abridged version of “Visualizing the Scottish Deerhound Standard” prepared in 2004, updated 2012 for the affiliated conformation study groups of the Canadian Dog Judges Association. A copy of the full “Visualizing the Scottish Deerhound Standard” is available as a PDF on request from bh@fernhill.com