Scottish Deerhound
Complete Breed Guide
"I’m sorry... Did you think you were in charge?"
Quick Facts About Scottish Deerhounds
Hound
75–110 lbs
28–32"
No
Overview
Scottish Deerhounds are giant dogs who like to live the large and in charge lifestyle. They love to chase and eat. They also love their owners but don’t worry so much about pleasing you, unless the both of you happen to want the same thing.
Scottish Deerhounds are true giants who run with grace and great speed. They’re favorite activities are chasing after other wild animals and eating anything that fits in their mouth. Scottish Deerhounds love their owners but tend to believe that they are in charge, which is usually true. Who’s really going to argue with a dog that’s almost six feet tall when standing on their hind legs? These large, energetic dogs are a challenge to own, but they will reward you with all of the laughter and love you can handle.
Temperament and Behavior
Scottish Deerhounds love people and crave human companionship, they just don’t like to follow instruction... at all. These dogs are headstrong and have their own agenda. They are generally friendly toward all people, but if you’re small and furry, or even big and furry, look out. Scottish Deerhounds love to chase anything and everything. These dogs also love to eat. Like, really, really love to eat. Anything you leave sitting around is fair game, including your phone and remote control. Dog-proofing your house is essential when living with a Scottish Deerhound.
Coat & Grooming
Scottish Deerhounds have a rough coat that should be brushed two or three times a week to remove any tangles or dead hair. Some have a longer coat than others that will require extra attention to be sure it doesn’t become tangled.
Lifestyle & Living Conditions
Scottish Deerhounds are energetic, especially when they are puppies. They can adapt to many different living situations, but they ideally live somewhere with a large, fenced-in backyard where they can play. Scottish Deerhounds can get along with older, more respectful children, but they are not the type of dog you buy to keep a child company. They’re too busy doing their own thing to worry about amusing a child! Scottish Deerhounds have such a high prey drive that they usually don’t get along too well with cats or smaller animals. If they are raised together, sometimes things work out, but supervised play is best.
Exercise & Activity
When your Scottish Deerhound is a puppy, they will seem like a child who has just eaten every candy bar in the chocolate factory. You’ll need to exercise them all of the time when they are younger, which means bringing them somewhere that they can run at full speed until their heart is content. Dog parks and safe wooded areas that you are familiar with make great places to let your Scottish Deerhound off-leash so they can use up their large energy supply. As they get older, they need less exercise, but don’t let them get lazy. Scottish Deerhounds are huge, so they need to stay in shape to support their large frames.
Characteristics at-a-glance
Ratings are on a scale of 1–10, based on breed standards and typical temperament.
Scottish Deerhound FAQs
Common questions about the Scottish Deerhound breed, answered by our editorial team.
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