Deerhound

Adult Deerhounds are calm, gentle dogs. They’re also loyal and affectionate, and love companionship! Whilst not overly playful, they do enjoy their exercise.  

If you’re considering getting a Deerhound puppy and you have children, they’ll need to be able to cope with a huge bouncy puppy. Be prepared for the possibility of them bringing your child down to the ground with their playful exuberance! 

Deerhounds are affectionate, but not needy. Whilst they’re happy to spend time with people and other dogs, they’re just as content with doing their own thing (usually snoozing!). These dogs will show they’re enjoying your company by leaning on you or nudging for a stroke or snuggle. A space for them on your sofa is a must, or better still – a sofa of their own! 

As much as they love being by your side, they also need their own space if things become loud.  

Deerhounds are very playful as youngsters. They like to chase toys, but don’t necessarily bring them back to you. Unfortunately, their idea of play includes ripping apart soft toys, so be prepared for the mess. There are positives, though – it’s better than them destroying your furniture!

Once these dogs reach maturity (around 18 months of age), they’re less bothered about playing – unless it’s with another dog. 

With this in mind, if you’re looking for a dog to entertain your children, we think a Deerhound probably isn’t the right breed for you.  

Deerhounds are gentle giants who aren’t known for being loud, or using their voices at all for that matter! Their size might intimate some people, but that’s as far as it goes. So, if you’re in need of a guard dog, we’d suggest considering another breed. 

As a tall breed, Deerhounds are partial to stealing stuff from kitchen counters – and not just food. This can be dangerous if they grab something that could harm them.  

Despite their size, Deerhounds tend to be picky eaters. 

Like most Sighthounds, this breed loves to chase small animals. They also have selective hearing when it comes to being called! To avoid your Deerhound running off and chasing wildlife, it’s best to give them off-lead exercise in an enclosed field.  

A Deerhound’s size is reflected in their strength, so loose lead training is essential. Wearing a head collar would also be useful during walks. This is something you'll need to teach your dog to wear over a period of time. It’s worth putting in the effort to help them enjoy wearing it, especially if it makes walks easier! 

Deerhounds are big dogs, so a moderate to large-sized house is essential. Whilst a huge garden isn’t vital, they’ll need access to a large enclosed green space to run freely when they reach maturity. 

This breed isn’t a fan of stairs. They don’t tend to cope well with them, so living in a flat, even a large one, isn’t ideal – unless it’s on a ground floor. 

Although they’re tolerant of children, Deerhounds are sensitive souls. They’ll need a quiet area where they can retreat if things get noisy or excitable. 

Whilst Deerhounds are generally good with other dogs, some can find their size intimidating. As youngsters, they’re very physical during play and could accidentally injure smaller or more fragile breeds.  

As long as their needs are met, these gentle giants will sleep a lot. They love nothing more than being stretched out on the sofa (or your bed if given half a chance). This classy breed is too dignified to sleep on the floor! 

This depends on their age. A puppy Deerhound’s exercise needs to be tightly controlled until they reach maturity. As youngsters, their bones are soft, so zooming around off-lead before the age of 18 months (approximately) should be avoided, as permanent damage could be caused to their bones and joints. Frequent on-lead walks between 20 and 30 minutes every day is a must. This can be time-consuming, but so worth the effort!

After hitting maturity, Deerhounds will need a walk of 45 to 90 minutes, including an off-lead run. But remember: they can be unreliable off-lead, so access to an enclosed field is necessary. This comes at a cost, which must be taken into consideration. 

Deerhounds can be picky eaters and they’re not really into playing with toys (unless it involves ripping them apart!). So they can be more challenging to motivate when it comes to training.  

At a young age, they’re keen to engage and please their owners. So, make the most of this stage and concentrate on socialisation and habituation, along with loose lead walking and recall training. Socialisation is teaching a puppy to interact in an appropriate way with people and other dogs. Habituation is teaching a puppy to ignore some people, other dogs, traffic, noises, livestock, etc. 

Adolescence can be challenging for all breeds, but large dogs like Deerhounds can be more of a struggle than others. The good news? Put in the hard work early on and you’ll be rewarded with a wonderful companion!  

Deerhounds are not heavy shedders, but their wiry, sometimes soft coats, do need weekly attention to prevent knots or matts. Grooming sessions also give their human the chance to check for any lumps, cuts, scratches, ear infections or external parasites. 

If walked on soft ground, you may need to cut your Deerhound’s nails. Top tip: when you first get started, it's best to do little and often and use lots of treats. This will help your dog learn to enjoy nail trims and not be worried by them. 

When it comes to buying a Deerhound, it’s important that you find a reputable breeder who completes relevant health checks on the dogs they breed, as well as the puppies they produce. Deerhounds should be tested for dilated cardiomyopathy (heart condition), osteosarcoma (bone cancer), factor VII (blood clotting disorder) and liver shunt (where blood bypasses the liver). 

Deerhounds are also prone to a potentially life-threatening condition called bloat. This is where their stomach fills up with air after eating and can twist within the abdomen. They should be kept calm for an hour before and after eating to reduce the risk of this condition developing.  

Young Deerhounds must be exercised carefully to make sure that their bones and joints develop properly. 

All large/giant breeds need special diets because of how quickly they grow.