Your guide to finding and caring for a Scottish Deerhound in Joshua
Meet a Scottish Deerhound who needs you
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Picture a Greyhound scaled up and given a rough, weatherproof coat, and you have the Scottish Deerhound. Highland chiefs kept these sighthounds for coursing red deer across open hills, and when that kind of hunting faded in the nineteenth century the breed survived through a small circle of devoted enthusiasts. Today it is a rare, giant dog, often 28 to 32 inches tall, usually in shades of blue-gray, gray, brindle or fawn.
Indoors, many Deerhounds are quiet, gentle and surprisingly content to sprawl on a sofa for much of the day. Outdoors they can turn into blazing sprinters with a strong instinct to chase anything that runs. They tend to suit adopters with room for a giant, safely fenced space for running, and readiness for a shorter lifespan and serious heart and cancer risks.
Having a Scottish Deerhound in Joshua
Living with a Scottish Deerhound means balancing a soft, low-key house companion with a powerful sprinter that chases on instinct. Its size, need for safe running room, easy coat and significant breed health risks all deserve careful thought before adopting.
Many Deerhounds are gentle, sensitive and affectionate, bonding closely with their people while remaining polite and friendly with visitors. They are rarely guard dogs, and most are quiet. Their prey drive can be intense around cats or small animals outdoors. Harsh handling tends to upset them, so calm, reward-based training and early socialization work best.
Adult Deerhounds usually need a daily walk plus regular chances to gallop in a large, securely fenced area. Lure coursing suits them well. They often alternate bursts of speed with long naps. Puppies and adolescents should avoid heavy forced exercise while growing, and recall is unreliable once a Deerhound spots something to chase.
The breed has a higher-than-average risk of dilated cardiomyopathy, osteosarcoma and bloat, and cystinuria and a clotting factor deficiency are also documented. Lifespans are shorter than in smaller dogs. Learn bloat warning signs, have a veterinarian check the heart and schedule regular veterinary checkups, including heart evaluations as the dog ages.
A Scottish Deerhound needs room for a long body to stretch out, a soft bed and a vehicle big enough for a giant dog. Many are calm enough indoors for a larger apartment, but daily access to a safe, fenced running area is important. Countertops are at nose height, and many cannot be trusted off leash near roads.
| Expense | Typical cost | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| Adoption fee | $140, one time | $140 in year one |
| Food | $80 to $160 per month | $960 to $1,920 |
| Pet insurance | $85 to $170 per month | $1,020 to $2,040 |
| Routine vet care | $250 to $500 per year | $250 to $500 |
| Other* | $540 to $1,390 per year | $540 to $1,390 |
| Estimated yearly total (after year one) | $2,770 to $5,850 | |
| First-year total (with adoption fee) | $2,910 to $5,990 | |
Adoption fee is the fee on Scottish Deerhound listings in Joshua on GetBuddy today. Other costs are national averages for Scottish Deerhounds; we don't have costs specific to Joshua yet.
* Flea, tick and heartworm prevention at giant-dog doses, a dental cleaning allowance, a dog license, large beds and supplies, and occasional brushing of the harsh coat; license fees vary by city.
Now that you know more, let’s find you a new best friend. These rescues and shelters below currently have Scottish Deerhounds available.
Here are the rescues & shelters in the Joshua area where you can find Scottish Deerhounds and other dogs available for adoption.
Scottish Deerhounds can be good family dogs for households that can accommodate a giant, sensitive sighthound. Many are gentle and patient with respectful children, and they bond closely with their families. Their size can knock over toddlers by accident, and their chase instinct makes cats and small pets a risk. Calm homes with safe running space suit them best.
Yes, Scottish Deerhounds are often lovely pets for the right home. Many are quiet, affectionate and easygoing indoors, with modest grooming needs. The challenges are their giant size, need for regular running in a secure area, strong prey drive and a shorter lifespan with serious heart and cancer risks. Adopters should budget for giant-dog food and veterinary bills.
No, Scottish Deerhounds are not hypoallergenic. No dog breed is truly free of allergens, which come from dander, saliva and urine as well as hair. Their harsh coat sheds relatively little compared with many breeds, which may help some people with mild allergies, but anyone with allergies should spend time with a specific Deerhound before adopting.
No, Scottish Deerhounds are generally not protective dogs. Most are friendly or politely aloof with strangers, and many do not even bark when visitors arrive. Their imposing size may discourage intruders, but they were bred to hunt, not guard. Anyone looking for a watchdog or protection dog would likely be better served by a different breed.
Scottish Deerhounds can swim, but many are not natural or enthusiastic swimmers. Like other lean, deep-chested sighthounds, they carry little body fat, which makes floating harder and cold water chilling. Some Deerhounds enjoy wading or paddling. Introduce water gradually, supervise closely, and consider a canine life jacket for deeper water or boating.
Yes, Scottish Deerhounds shed, but usually only lightly to moderately. Their harsh, wiry coat releases less hair than many double-coated breeds, though some loose hair is normal year-round. Weekly brushing and combing remove dead hair and keep the beard and furnishings tidy. Occasional hand-plucking of long, untidy hair helps maintain the rough, natural look.
Scottish Deerhounds are giant dogs. Males usually stand 30 to 32 inches or more at the shoulder and weigh about 85 to 110 pounds, while females stand from about 28 inches and weigh roughly 75 to 95 pounds. Their lean, rangy build means they often look taller and lighter than heavier giant breeds of similar height.
A Scottish Deerhound can sprint at roughly 35 miles per hour, a figure commonly cited for large coursing sighthounds, though precise timed data for the breed is limited. They were bred to chase red deer over rough hills, so they combine speed with stamina. Even a calm house dog can accelerate faster than expected after something that runs.
Scottish Deerhounds typically live about 8 to 11 years, and a large UK study put the average around 10.5 years. Heart disease and cancer, especially dilated cardiomyopathy and bone cancer, account for many deaths. Keeping a Deerhound lean, screening for heart disease as it ages and knowing the warning signs of bloat can help protect its health.
We have 1 rescue with Scottish Deerhounds available: Joshua Animal Shelter. You can see every rescue with Scottish Deerhounds available in the list above these questions.
Looking for a different breed? Browse other dogs available for adoption in Joshua.
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Mixed Breed5 available
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Basenji2 available
Black Labrador Retriever2 available
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Husky2 available
American Staffordshire Terrier1 available
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Black Mouth Cur1 available
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