Scottish Deerhound

Resembling a rough-coated greyhound, the Scottish Deerhound is a natural athlete with a long, lithe build and endurance and stamina for days. While they have been used to hunt deer in the Highlands of Scotland since the 16th century, there are paintings and other documents that indicate the breed has been around for much longer than that but were known by other names including the Highland deerhound, Irish wolfdog, and Scotch greyhound. A favourite among Scottish nobility, they are known as the Royal Dog of Scotland and were so highly revered as a breed that they were once described as being "the most perfect creature of heaven" by Scottish author Sir Walter Scott.