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SCOTTISH DEERHOUND |
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Exactly when
the first sighthounds came to the British Islands is lost in the mists
of the moors. The Phoenicians sailed as far as Britain ten centuries before
Christ and could have brought their famous trade goods. Celts conquered
areas of the Middle East and probably acquired dogs of this sort before
migrating to the British Isles. Whatever their original source, great
running hounds were well known there by the time of the Roman invasions.
In the harsh
environment of the Scottish Highlands, the early silken-skinned African
Greyhounds (forerunner of the Deerhound) were at a great disadvantage.
They were probably crossed with shaggy native breeds to acquire weather
protection. Beneath that wiry coat remains an almost classic Greyhound
outline. A historical monument, the Hilton of Cadboll stone, eighth century
AD, shows two hounds attacking a deer, and early English literature tells
of "highland Greyhounds" with long, rough hair.
Under the feudal
system of the Middle Ages, the great lords of Scotland had the time and
wherewithal to pursue the sport of "deer driving," using packs
of these fleet hounds to run down the quarry. The dogs' use and ownership
by the highland clan chieftains became so exclusive that, at one time,
laws were passed preventing anyone below the rank of earl from owning
a Deerhound. This may have been a ploy to insure that there were adequate
deer for the noble-bred Scots to hunt! At any rate, it also insured
that there
were very few of these stately dogs. "A leash of Deerhounds was
held the fine whereby a noble lord condemned to death might purchase
his reprieve."
By the 18th
century, three factors combined to nearly spell the end of this great
breed. The invention of firearms made hunting with large packs of running
hounds unnecessary, as well as drastically reducing the numbers of the
large Scottish stag. The increased use of land for agriculture deprived
hunters of the vast unfenced spaces necessary for running down a stag
with hounds. Those huge hunts became but a memory. And after 1745, when
the Scots lost the Battle of Culloden to the British, the clan system
collapsed and disappeared. Thus the dogs lost their purpose as well
as their sponsors, and their days in the highlands seemed numbered.
It wasn't
until the early 1800s that two brothers, Archibald and Duncan (Lord
Colonsay) McNeill, undertook the task of the revival of this great Scottish
hound. These gentlemen began a search for good specimens, followed by
careful breeding for the lost ideal. Their success is demonstrated by
this period being called the "Colonsay revival." As the numbers
slowly increased, several prestigious English persons took up the banner
of the Deerhound. Queen Victoria, who could—and did—gainsay the popularity
of a breed by her interest alone, became a patron. The Deerhound was
often painted by the famous dog artist, Landseer, who was so expert
at "capturing all the essentials of the breed: gentleness, strength,
dignity and courage."
Sir Walter
Scott called his Deerhound, "Maida," "the most perfect
creature of heaven." After the great hound's death, Scott buried
his dog with a monument bearing this inscription:
Beneath the
sculptured form
which late
you wore,
Sleep soundly, Maida, at your Master's door.
The breed was brought to North
America during this Victorian resurrection of the late 1800s. Canada
had a total of seven Deerhounds registered during 1888-89. There were
nine entered in the first Westminster Kennel Club show of 1877, two
of which had been bred by Queen Victoria and were offered for sale,
carrying the royal price tag of 10,000 pounds sterling each! Typical of
dedicated dog lovers, during the difficult years of the Second World
War, Norah Hartley of Peterborough, England, struggled to keep her Deerhounds
going. She carefully put aside some food and bred an occasional litter.
She told an inspector, "A lot of people are having their dogs destroyed,
but I'm not going to have mine destroyed until I must. Put one box of
cartridges on the top shelf, and that will be one for each of the Rotherwoods
[her kennel name] that remain if the occasion becomes necessary to use
them. If I can't feed them, they'll be shot. If I can feed them, then
I shall keep them." The box of cartridges remained on the top shelf.
Dedicated
promoters of the Deerhound still reside on both sides of the Atlantic,
and the breed is in no danger of extinction. Due to the dogs' size,
however, the cost of feeding and pro-viding
the necessary space will always keep the breed limited, and they remain
near the bottom of AKC registrations—which satisfies their fans just
fine. The Deerhound has the gentle, quiet nature of most sighthounds,
silently curling up or tiptoeing around the house. Once outside, the
urge to run can carry them great distances in a short span of time.
Grooming is at a minimum; all that is required is an occasional brushing
to remove dead hair. Some modern owners compete in the lure-coursing
events to test their hounds' instincts and to give the great beasts
a chance to do what their inner natures tell them to do—run full out
after an object. At least an hour daily of trotting, alternated with
galloping, is necessary to keep the breed in good physical and mental
conditioning.
The Deerhound
adores his family in a quiet, dignified manner. He is a good pet for
those who are willing to fulfill his needs. The breed found fame in
the film Out of Africa as one of Baroness Karen Blixen's Deerhounds.
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