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
T
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
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