Scottish Deerhound E-Book

Juliette Cunliffe

• Herausgeber: CompanionHouse Books
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Serie: Comprehensive Owner's Guide
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 246

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2012

Beschreibung

Author Juliette Cunliffe, sighthound enthusiast, judge and breeder, has provided an excellent introduction to the Scottish Deerhound with this Special Limited Edition. This comprehensive guide includes the history of the Deerhound in the UK and the US, a discussion of the breed's characteristics and standard, a chapter on puppy selection, care and rearing. From the day you bring your puppy into your home through your Deerhound's senior years, this book guides you every step of the way. The author discusses house-training and obedience training as well as preventing (and solving) behavior problems. General maintenance, including feeding the Deerhound throughout his life, grooming and exercise, is carefully considered, as is the safety and preventive healthcare of the breed. Dr. Lowell Ackerman, in a special guest chapter, discusses the vital health topics that concern owners, including the selection of a qualified veterinarian, parasite control, inoculations, infectious diseases and more. For every owner of the "rough-haired greyhound," this new volume promises to be an invaluable resource for years to come.

Leseprobe

Physical Characteristics of the Scottish Deerhound

(from the American Kennel Club breed standard)

Head: Long, the skull flat rather than round with a very slight rise over the eyes.

Ears: Set on high. The ears should be soft, glossy, like a mouse’s coat to the touch and the smaller the better.

Eyes: Dark—generally dark brown, brown or hazel.

Neck: Long—of a length befitting the Greyhound character of the dog.

Nose: Black (in some blue fawns—blue) and slightly aquiline.

Muzzle: Pointed, but the teeth and lips level.

Shoulders: Well sloped; blades well back and not too much width between them.

Chest: Deep rather than broad but not too narrow or slab-sided.

Legs: 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.

Body: General formation is that of a Greyhound of larger size and bone.

Loin: Well arched and drooping to the tail.

Tail: Tolerably long, tapering and reaching to within 1.5 inches of the ground and about 1.5 inches below the hocks.

Hindquarters: Drooping, and as broad and powerful as possible, the hips being set wide apart. The stifles should be well bent with great length from hip to hock, which should be broad and flat.

Color: 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.

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.

Height:Dogs—From 30 to 32 inches. Bitches—From 28 inches upwards.

Weight: From 85 to 110 pounds in dogs, and from 75 to 95 pounds in bitches.

Contents

History of the Scottish Deerhound

Travel through antiquity to discover the true origins of this age-old sighthound from Scotland. From early written references to historical accounts by early promoters of this breed, trace the rise of this fashionable rough-haired hound at the side of Queen Victoria, its presence at the shows in England, the struggles of early breeders and the breed’s exportation to American shores.

Characteristics of the Scottish Deerhound

Discover whether the Scottish Deerhound is the right dog for you. Learn about the breed’s personality, its sizable requirements, amicability with other pets and children and much more. The potential owner is also made aware of the various hereditary problems known in the breed that concern breeders and owners today.

Breed Standard for the Scottish Deerhound

Learn the requirements of a well-bred Scottish Deerhound by studying the description of the breed set forth in the American Kennel Club standard. Both show dogs and pets must possess key characteristics as outlined in the breed standard.

Your Puppy Scottish Deerhound

Find out about how to locate a well-bred Scottish Deerhound puppy. Discover which questions to ask the breeder and what to expect when visiting the litter. Prepare for your puppy-accessory shopping spree. Also discussed are home safety, the first trip to the vet, socialization and solving basic puppy problems.

Proper Care of Your Scottish Deerhound

Cover the specifics of taking care of your Scottish Deerhound every day: feeding for the puppy, adult and senior dog; grooming, including coat care, ears, eyes, nails and bathing; and exercise needs for your dog. Also discussed are the essentials of dog identification.

Training Your Scottish Deerhound

Begin with the basics of training the puppy and adult dog. Learn the principles of house-training the Scottish Deerhound, including the use of crates and basic scent instincts. Get started by introducing the pup to his collar and leash and progress to the basic commands. Find out about obedience classes and other activities.

Healthcare of Your Scottish Deerhound

By Lowell Ackerman DVM, DACVD

Become your dog’s healthcare advocate and a well-educated canine keeper. Select a skilled and able veterinarian. Discuss pet insurance, vaccinations and infectious diseases, the neuter/spay decision and a sensible, effective plan for parasite control, including fleas, ticks and worms.

Your Senior Scottish Deerhound

Know when to consider your Scottish Deerhound a senior and what special needs he will have. Learn to recognize the signs of aging in terms of physical and behavioral traits and what your vet can do to optimize your dog’s golden years. Consider some advice about saying goodbye to your beloved pet.

Showing Your Scottish Deerhound

Step into the center ring and find out about the world of showing pure-bred dogs. Here are the basics of AKC conformation showing, including how shows are organized and what’s required for your dog to become a champion. Take a leap into the realms of obedience trials, agility, tracking, lure coursing and racing for sighthounds.

Behavior of Your Scottish Deerhound

Analyze the canine mind to understand what makes your Scottish Deerhound tick. Learn how to recognize and deal with common behaviorial issues including separation anxiety, different types of aggression, chewing, jumping up, barking and more.

KENNEL CLUB BOOKS®SCOTTISH DEERHOUND

ISBN 13: 978-1-59378-293-1

eISBN 13: 978-1-62187-038-8

Copyright © 2005 • Kennel Club Books® A Division of BowTie, Inc.40 Broad Street, Freehold, NJ 07728 USACover Design Patented: US 6,435,559 B2 • Printed in South Korea

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, by photostat, scanner, microfilm, xerography or any other means, or incorporated into any information retrieval system, electronic or mechanical, without the written permission of the copyright owner.

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Photography by Carol Ann Johnson with additional photographs by:

Dave and John Ashbey, Paulette Braun, T.J. Calhoun, Alan and Sandy Carey, Juliette Cunliffe, Isabelle Français, Bill Jonas, Kent Standerford, Steve Surfman and Alice van Kempen.

Illustrations by Patricia Peters.

The publisher wishes to thank all of the owners whose dogs are illustrated in this book, including Jennifer Cooper, Juliette Cunliffe, Carol Ann Johnson and Glenis & Mick Peach.

The Deer Stalkers by Landseer, engraved by Finden, shows deer hunters with their Scottish Deerhounds in Scotland during the 1800s.

The Deerhound of Scotland hunts primarily by sight and owes its origin to the Greyhound of England. Through the centuries there have been various rough-coated Greyhounds, and the Scottish Deerhound has sometimes been confused with the Irish Wolfhound. However, there is a substantial difference between these two breeds, with the Wolfhound possessing a much heavier frame and the Scottish Deerhound carrying a head that is closer to that of the Greyhound.

The Scottish Deerhound is a breed of great antiquity. It is likely that the breed was kept in Scotland in the middle of the 16th century, and there are references to dogs of Scottish Deerhound type in subsequent centuries. In 1637 Aldrovandus showed a dog clearly resembling the breed, but he called it a “White Hairy Greyhound.” He did not mention that the dog was from Scotland, even though he had referred to other dogs from that area. However, a drawing by Abraham Hondius, dated 1682, very clearly depicts a Scottish Deerhound.

The Scottish Deerhound is a very old breed, with evidence of Scottish Deerhound-type dogs dating back to the 16th century.

Written evidence of the breed first appeared in 1769 when Thomas Pennant visited Gordon Castle. He describes a large dog, covered with long hair and used by the Scottish chiefs in stag chases. This he called “the true Highland Greyhound” and commented that the breed had by then become very scarce.

We learn from Ralph Beilby’s A General History of Quadrupeds (1790) that what he called the “Scottish Highland Greyhound or Wolfdog” had at one time been used by Scottish chieftains in their grand hunting parties. We can see that this splendid breed, “its eyes half hid in hair,” was certainly on the decline, for Beilby mentioned one that had been seen some years previously. Its body was strong, muscular and covered with harsh wiry reddish hair, mixed with white. According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, only a year later the “Highland Gre-hound” had become very scarce, but mention is made of this breed’s being as fierce as the Bloodhound and with as “sagacious nostrils.”

A BREED OF MANY NAMES

The Scottish Deerhound has acquired many names through its history. In the UK, it is called simply Deerhound. Other names that are no longer used include the Scotch Greyhound, Rough Greyhound, Irish Wolf Dog and Highland Deerhound.

SIR WALTER SCOTT’S MAIDA

For many people, the first Scottish Deerhound that springs immediately to mind is Sir Walter Scott’s Maida. In fact, Maida had a Scottish Deerhound dam and a Pyrenean sire, the latter giving some white to Maida’s coat, but in most respects he looked like a Scottish Deerhound. Although Maida looked much like his dam, his sire gave him strength and power. We can learn a great deal about Maida from Washington Irving, who described this magnificent dog as “a giant in iron gray.”

Maida had a grave demeanor, and most of the time acted with decorum and dignity. When the younger dogs leapt on his neck and worried his ears, he would sometimes rebuke them, but when alone with the dogs he would play the boy as much as any of them. However, Irving felt Maida was ashamed to do so when in company and commented that he seemed to say, “Ha! Done with your nonsense, youngsters. What will the laird and that other gentleman think of me if I give way to such foolery?”

Miss Norah Hartley of the Rotherwood Scottish Deerhounds not only kept accurate records of her own dogs but also housed a veritable wealth of information about the breed in her magnificent home.

CANIS LUPUS

“Grandma, what big teeth you have!” The gray wolf, a familiar figure in fairy tales and legends, has had its reputation tarnished and its population pummeled over the centuries. Yet it is the descendants of this much-feared creature to which we open our homes and hearts. Our beloved dog, Canis domesticus, derives directly from the gray wolf, a highly social canine that lives in elaborately structured packs. In the wild, the gray wolf can range from 60 to 175 pounds, standing between 25 and 40 inches in height.

How fortunate we are today that a member of this magnificent breed was owned by a great poet like Sir Walter Scott, who used his considerable talents to render the Scottish Deerhound so memo-rably: “The most perfect creature of Heaven.” Scott likened Maida’s bark to the great guns of Constantinople: “…it takes so long to get it ready, that the smaller guns can fire off a dozen times first; but when it goes off, it plays the very devil.”

This statue of Sir Walter Scott’s Scottish Deerhound Maida was given to the great-, great-, greatgranddaughters of Sir William Scott, Dame Jean and Patricia Maxwell-Scott.

Two Scottish Deerhounds flank the statue of Maida, under which lie his remains. Maida still guards the door of Abbotsford, where Sir Walter lived.

A scene at Abbotsford, showing Sir Walter Scott’s dogs, Maida and Torrum. From a painting by Sir Edwin Landseer.

Scottish Deerhound lovers and their dogs, visiting the home of Sir Walter Scott.

In the dining room, the room in which Sir Walter Scott died overlooking his beloved River Tweed, is this small replica of Edinburgh’s monument to Sir Walter, with Maida at his feet.

Maida died peacefully in 1822, and by early in the 20th century it was believed that many of the best Scottish Deerhounds of their day were descended from him. However, when Maida died, there was something of a rumpus, for the inscription on his epitaph carried an error in Latin. This was copied in the press and vexed Scott, a man to whom the written word was so sacred. Maida was buried at the door of Abbotsford, where his remains still lie and the inscription, translated, reads:

Beneath the sculptured form which late you wore, Sleep soundly, Maida, at your master’s door.

Yet Maida lives on in many ways, for there is no doubt that in Scott’s Woodstock Bevis was actually the author’s favorite hound, Maida.

ACCORDING TO SCROPE

The Art of Deerstalking, written by William Scrope and published in 1838, confirms how numerically weak the breed was as that time. Scrope claimed to have a perfect knowledge of every specimen of the breed in Scotland, which he thought numbered only a dozen pure Scottish Deerhounds. He was at pains to point out the differences between the Irish Wolfhound and the Scottish Deerhound, but thought that some degeneracy had taken place. This was due in part to the reduced number, but also because of neglect in crossing, selection and feeding. He believed that in earlier days Scottish Deerhounds had measured some 30 inches in height and 34 inches in girth, and weighed around 103 pounds.

The late Patricia Maxwell-Scott (left) greets Scottish Deerhounds and their owners at the entrance gate to Abbotsford.

Despite his belief that the breed had degenerated, Scrope still believed that no other member of the canine race had such a combination of qualities: speed, strength, size, endurance, courage, perseverance, sagacity, docility, elegance and dignity. What more can one say about the breed? Scrope has said it all!

Various attempts were made to improve the Scottish Deerhound by crossing it with other breeds but, in Scrope’s opinion, all had utterly failed. Crossing with the Bulldog had added courage but had resulted in loss of speed, strength and weight. Crossing with the Bloodhound increased the power of smell, but speed and size were diminished. When the Pyrenean Wolfdog was used for the purpose of crossing, some increase in weight was produced, but both speed and courage were lost.

KANGAROO DOGS

In Australia, Scottish Deerhound blood has been infused with that of the Greyhound to create Kangaroo Dogs, also sometimes known as Staghounds. Kangaroo Dogs have for decades been fast enough to catch game for their owners, and have also been strong enough to kill dingoes that have attacked the flocks. Kangaroo Dogs have been exhibited at Australia’s Royal Agricultural Shows.

SOME OF THE EARLY DOGS

Breed enthusiasts today are fortunate indeed that through the centuries Scottish Deerhound lovers have kept accurate records of their hounds. Scrope considered that four of the finest specimens of the breed in his time belonged to Captain McNeill of Colonsay. These were the now infamous males, Buskar and Bran, and two bitches, Runa and Cavak. Two were pale yellow in color, the others a sandy red. Although quality and length of their hair varied, all had black tips to their ears, and their eyes and muzzles were black. Important too was that each of them was a uniform color, something Scrope considered an indication of purity.

The Royal Art Collection features the Landseer painting entitled The Deer Drive. In this section of the painting, note the hunters holding their Scottish Deerhounds.

Buskar was measured and weighed in 1836, his height recorded as 71 cm (28 inches) and his weight in running condition as 38.5 kg (85 lb). Scrope noted a remarkable difference in size between dogs and bitches, a difference he thought more remarkable than in any other species of canine.

Another valuable comparison made by Scrope was the difference in measurements between a Scottish Deerhound and a fully-grown stag. No wonder, he said, that few dogs, if any, were capable of bringing down a stag single-handedly. A stag’s height at the shoulder was almost 48 inches, and the extreme height from the top of the antlers to the ground was 7 feet 10 inches. As he fell, this particular stag weighed 310 pounds.

In the Highlands of Scotland, dark-gray-colored coats had been more prevalent than the yellowish or reddish colors, but gray coats were generally softer and more woolly than the latter.

FROM HUNTER TO PET

Despite there having been 60 deer forests in Britain, shortly before World War I only 6 remained in which Scottish Deerhounds were kept for sporting purposes. In the words of Robert Leighton, “…the inventions of the modern gunsmith have robbed one of the grandest of hunting dogs of his glory, relegating him to the life of a pedestrian pet…”

THE SCOTTISH GREYHOUND

Like Scrope, John Meyrick was a 19th-century author from whom we learn much about the Scottish Deerhound. In 1861 he wrote about Queen Victoria’s Scottish Deerhound, commenting that he knew of no other pure-bred Scottish Deerhound in the country. In his opinion, some were called Scottish Deerhounds but they were in fact Scottish Greyhounds, although some undoubtedly had some true Scottish Deerhound blood. Others were crossed with the Bloodhound or some other breed.

The head of a Scottish Deerhound, sketched in the early 1800s.

There continue to be differences of opinion as to whether the Scottish Greyhound and the Scottish Deerhound were, in fact, one and the same, but Meyrick informed his readers that although the former resembled the Scottish Deerhound in both color and shape, it was considerably smaller. Most Scottish Greyhounds were below 26 inches in height.

A FASHIONABLE HOUND

Queen Victoria was a great lady whose opinions influenced the entire world, including the world of pure-bred dogs. Several breeds owe something of their revival to the fact that Her Majesty owned the breed, thereby bringing it to public attention.

PURE-BRED PURPOSE

Given the vast range of the world’s 400 or so pure breeds of dog, it’s fair to say that domestic dogs are the most versatile animal in the kingdom. From the tiny 1-pound lap dog to the 200-pound guard dog, dogs have adapted to every need and whim of their human masters. Humans have selectively bred dogs to alter physical attributes like size, color, leg length, mass and skull diameter in order to suit our own needs and fancies. Dogs serve humans not only as companions and guardians but also as hunters, exterminators, shepherds, rescuers, messengers, warriors, babysitters and more!

This well-known head portrait was popular with Scottish Deerhound lovers in the 1920s.

Scottish Deerhounds were kept in Queen Victoria’s kennels at both Windsor and Sandringham, where they were cared for by Mr. Cole. Indeed, this gentleman became so connected with Her Majesty’s hounds that some dogs became known as the “Mr. Cole breed.” When the Queen and Prince Albert were in residence at Balmoral, they had with them Solomon, Hector and Bran. Bran became wonderfully famous, for he was depicted in Landseer’s painting High Life. He was reputed to be an exceptionally fine dog, standing over 30 inches at the shoulder. Another particularly famous Scottish Deerhound belonging to the Queen was Keildar, who was used for hunting deer in Windsor Park.

THE 19TH CENTURY DRAWS TO ITS CLOSE

By the end of the 19th century, the Scottish Deerhound was somewhat smaller in size, with only a few larger dogs to be found. One of these was Lord Bredalbane’s King of the Forest, who stood 33 inches tall.

The champion of champions in her time, St. Ronan’s Rhyme, born February 23, 1903. It was written that she was “probably the most perfect dog of any breed at present living.”

Upon his return from India, Captain George Augustus Graham had set up his own kennel of Scottish Deerhounds, where he intended, as he put it, to “rebuild” the Irish Wolfhound. In February 1870 he purchased from Mr. Cole’s widow the Scottish Deerhound Keildar, who had been renowned for hunting deer at Windsor and was described as one of the most elegant and aristocratic-looking Scottish Deerhounds ever seen. This was an interesting introduction to his kennel, for this dog had as a grandsire a black Russian Wolfhound. Also in the pedigree was Tank, a dog bought by Mr. Cole from Tankerville Castle in 1858.

Misses Loughrey’s Idric of Ross (left) and Eng. Ch. Phorp of the Foothills at England’s prestigious Crufts show in 1934. “Phorp” won first prize and was awarded Best Scottish Deerhound in the show.

SCOTTISH DEERHOUNDS AT EARLY ENGLISH SHOWS

At the first Manchester Dog Show, held at Bellvue Zoological Gardens in 1861, the Scottish Deerhound was one of only a few breeds that were separately classified, albeit with only one class. By 1863, Scottish Deerhounds had mustered up a “fair entry” and that same year at the Birmingham Show, the Duke of Beaufort took along some Scottish Deerhounds, among other breeds, and came away with several prizes.

In 1869 Queen Victoria exhibited four of her Scottish Deerhounds at Islington in London, and indeed the breed continued to be scheduled with some consistency throughout the next decade.

Size was a constant topic of conversation, and in 1872 an informative list of heights was published. Most of the males measured 28 inches, the smallest just half an inch less and the largest 30.5 inches. The tallest of the bitches measured 26 inches; none was smaller, but one was 29 inches.

Undoubtedly, in the mid-19th century Scottish Deerhounds were varied indeed. Some had good hard coats, others had woolly ones, almost resembling the coat of a sheep. Indeed, even today, faulty coat textures come through from time to time, the worst of them known as “woollies.” There were certainly some dogs that were full of quality, but others were very coarse, and some poor specimens of the breed gained their championship titles, a happening that rarely occurs in Britain today.

Revis of Rotherwood was a fine example of Miss Norah Hartley’s quality Scottish Deerhound breeding.

Ernest G. Chapman drew this head study to show prominent features of the Scottish Deerhound: harsh strong coat, gentleness of eye, small ear and fine long lines of the muzzle.

By the 1880s Captain Graham had drawn up a list of the most notable Scottish Deerhounds of the previous hundred years. Of these, Torrum seems to have been the most notable stud dog, described as a “grand specimen of his race, strong framed, with plenty of hair of a blue brindle color.”

E. Watson Bell’s book, published in 1892, expressed the author’s opinion that the judges of his day had “fads.” Bell made some interesting comments about the eye of the Scottish Deerhound, which, he said, should resemble the “eye of the terrier as nearly as possible.” He had been given this description of the eye by an experienced old breeder, but such an eye had almost been lost due to the crosses made with the Bulldog and Bloodhound. The small eye, he considered, was of great use to the breed, for it enabled the dog to see a greater distance than did a round one.

By then the breed was laboring under a mixture of strains; breeders were so confused that they were producing many different kinds of Scottish Deerhounds. Although the black smooth-eared dog had a most striking appearance, this somewhat detracted from the shaggy, rough, Highland tyke-like look that was characteristic of the breed.

SCOTTISH DEERHOUND COLOR

As the dog world moved into the 20th century, the color favored by breeders for Scottish Deerhounds on the show bench was dark blue or gray brindle, though in earlier years the light fawn color had been more desirable. The reason that the lighter Scottish Deerhounds had been preferred was said to have been because they could more easily be seen on the hillside.

Some of Miss Hartley’s Scottish Deerhounds. Like all breeds in the Greyhound family, Scottish Deerhounds carry their tails in the characteristic manner.

It was written that “there is no more docile breed than the Scottish Deerhound,” as shown by this young Deerhound and his young mistress.

Many colors were bred just before the century turned, including blue brindle, fawn brindle, red brindle, red, fawn, sandy and “almost black and white.” White, though, was not considered an acceptable color within the breed, for it denoted crossbreeding. White markings were considered a sign of impure blood, although a little white on toes and chest was “passable.”

CLUB TO THE RESCUE!

The Deerhound Club has always helped its members through difficult times. During World War II, several Scottish Deerhounds were “evacuated” to breed enthusiasts living in less dangerous rural areas. About 16 breeders managed to keep stock through the war years, and by the end of 1944 there was still an enthusiastic band ready to carry on.

THE DEERHOUND CLUB

In 1892 the Deerhound Club was formed in Britain (the breed’s name in Britain is simply Deerhound). Even today, this is the only club for this breed recognized by England’s Kennel Club. Thanks to the Deerhound Club, the crosses came to a halt, and a standard of breed points was drawn up, which was endorsed at a meeting held in Shrewsbury in June 1901. Whether or not it was right to have curtailed crosses was a matter for debate, for the breed by then had not yet fully recovered. However, the breed just about managed to hold its own in the years that followed.

Since then, the Scottish Deerhound has remained in the hands of some highly dedicated breeders, and some notable dogs have achieved very high honors in the show ring. The breed is still not particularly numerically strong, but the Scottish Deerhound is a very special breed and genuine enthusiasts are happy to keep it that way.

SCOTTISH DEERHOUNDS IN THE UNITED STATES

Bonnie Robin was the first Scottish Deerhound registered with the AKC in 1886. The breed standard was based on the English standard, with a few minor variations. A white blaze on the forehead and a white collar are reasons for disqualification in the US, whereas in Britain they are only considered “unacceptable.”

Scottish Deerhounds are not used on antlered game in the US, since it is illegal to hunt deer or other antlered game with dogs. However, the breed has been effective on other game, such as coyotes, wolves and rabbits.

The national parent club is the Scottish Deerhound Club of America, whose purpose is to safeguard the breed and its best interests in the US. It publishes its official newsletter, The Claymore, six times per year. It contains information about the breed in the US as well as Canada, Europe and beyond, as well as helpful information about health and husbandry, litter announcements and future events, such as national and regional specialties, breed seminars and lure coursing.

Ch. Timber of Gayleward, owned and bred by Gayle Bontecou.

In 1994 the AKC held its inaugural National Lure Coursing Championship in Mt. Holly, New Jersey. This was won by a 14-month-old Scottish Deerhound.

The Deerhound has a loyal following in the US, and although entries at all-breed shows are not usually high, enthusiasts and their hounds come out in force at specialty shows.

The US and Canada are large countries and have many dedicated followers of this wonderful breed. Kate Lyons of the Lyonhil kennel in Ohio is the US’s longest continuous breeder of Deerhounds, acquiring her first hound, Ch. Jeffcairn Dylna, known fondly as “Dilly,” in 1958. Lyons has been breeding successfully for more than 40 years, and it was Dilly who produced her first litter of Deerhound puppies on January 7, 1963. (This was not just any litter either—there were 15 puppies!) Lyons has been showing Deerhounds for around 30 years, although she took a 10-year break to show her Morgan horses.

It is Lyons’s feeling that the most important wins occur when a Deerhound competes against his own breed for Best of Breed, so her hounds do not always compete in the Group ring. Even so, the first ever American-bred Scottish Deerhound to win a Best in Show award was Ch. Lyonhil Highland Fling, home-bred and owner-handled by Lyons. Because of the breed’s quiet, gentle temperament, Lyons feels that the Scottish Deerhound makes an ideal pet, but is unsuited for kennel life.

Ch. Gayleward’s Timber II, owned and bred by Gayle Bontecou.

Gayle Bontecou is well known for her Gayleward Deerhounds and is undoubtedly one of the most prominent breeders in the US. Paula Pascoe and Grant Winchell are known for their successful Lehigh kennel and used one of Bontecou’s young dogs, Ch. Gayleward’s Tiger, to produce a litter out of their own Ch. Lehigh Yanna. Scottish Deerhounds from this kennel are actively campaigned and have won a whole string of victories. Janet Porter of the d’Lux kennel in Virginia has also had considerable success with her Deerhounds and is a board member of the Scottish Deerhound Club of America (SDCA).

There are several other American Scottish Deerhound kennels worthy of note. Ray and Jana Brinlee’s Jaraluv hounds have indeed made their mark, and the late Karen Colisimo’s Ayr kennel was influential for some time. Jeanne Frye of Ohio has had her Thistleglen Deerhounds for a long while, and Sally Poole’s Windshift Deerhounds cannot go without mention. The list of US Scottish Deerhound enthusiasts goes on, with the following all worthy of mention: Norma and the late Robert Sellers (Vale Vue), Joan Shagan (Jubalhil), Frances Smith and Wendy Fast (Dhu Mor) Shay Rhinlander (Pibroch), the late Maurie Lewis (Highstone), the late Frieda and Paul Pilat (Shanid) and Ceil and Scott Dove (Foxcliffe).

Ch. Gayleward’s Mini Ha Ha, owned and bred by Gayle Bontecou.

Scottish Deerhounds have also been bred in Canada with considerable success. Barbara Heidenreich has lived with Deerhounds for 35 years, during which time she has enjoyed many