Scottish Deerhound

Ownership of this graceful, wistful-looking hound was once restricted to Scottish clan chieftains; when the clan system collapsed in 1746, the breed went into decline. It was eventually revived by a Scottish breeder, Duncan McNeil, and is now, rather oddly, much more common in South Africa than in its native land. While the Deerhound has the musculature and speed of the Greyhound, it also has a rough, weatherresistant coat that is suitable for the damp Scottish Highlands. It is an unassuming and gentle breed, with the short life expectancy typical of a giant canine, about nine and a half years. As with all deep-chested breeds, there is an increased risk of lifethreatening rotation of the stomach.