The Deerhound is one of the most decorative of dogs, impressively stately and picturesque wherever he is seen, whether it be amid the surroundings of the baronial hall, reclining at luxurious length before the open hearth in the fitful light of the log fire that flickers on polished armour and tarnished tapestry; out in the open, straining at the leash as he scents the dewy air, or gracefully bounding over the purple of his native hills. Grace and majesty are in his every movement and attitude, and even to the most prosaic mind there is about him the inseparable glamour of feudal romance and poetry.
From remote days the Scottish nobles cherished their strains of Deerhound, seeking glorious sport in the Highland forests. The red deer belonged by inexorable law to the kings of Scotland, and great drives, which often lasted for several days, were made to round up the herds into given neighbourhoods for the pleasure of the court, as in the reign of Queen Mary. But the organised coursing of deer by courtiers ceased during the Stuart troubles, and was left in the hands of retainers, who thus replenished their chief’s larder.
Head:-
The head should be broadest at the ears, tapering slightly to the eyes, with the muzzle tapering more decidedly to the nose. The muzzle should be pointed, but the teeth and lips level. The head should be long, the skull flat rather than round, with a very slight rise over the eyes, but with nothing approaching a stop. The skull should be coated with moderately long hair which is softer than the rest of the coat. The nose should be black (though in some blue-fawns the colour is blue) and slightly aquiline. In the lighter-coloured dogs a black muzzle is preferred. There should be a good moustache of rather silky hair, and a fair beard.
Ears:-
The ears should be set on high, and, in repose, folded back like the Greyhound’s, though raised above the head in excitement without losing the fold, and even, in some cases, semi-erect.The ear should be soft, glossy, and like a mouse’s coat to the touch, and the smaller it is the better. It should have no long coat or long fringe, but there is often a silky, silvery coat on the body of the ear and the tip. Whatever the general colour, the ears should be black or dark-coloured.
Neck and shoulders:-
The neck should be long that is, of the length that befits the Greyhound character of the dog. The nape of the neck should be very prominent where the head is set on, and the throat should be clean-cut at the angle and prominent. The shoulders should be well sloped, the blades well back, with not too much width between them.
Stern:-
Stern should be tolerably long, tapering, and reaching to within 1-1/2 inches of the ground, and about 1-1/2 inches below the hocks. When the dog is still, dropped perfectly straight down, or curved. When in motion it should be curved when excited, in no case to be lifted out of the line of the back. It should be well covered with hair, on the inside thick and wiry, underside longer.
Eyes:-
The eyes should be dark: generally they are dark brown or hazel. The eye is moderately full with a soft look in repose, but a keen, far-away gaze when the dog is roused. The rims of the eyelids should be black.
Body: The body and general formation is that of a Greyhound of larger size and bone. Chest deep rather than broad, but not too narrow and flat-sided. The loin well arched and drooping to the tail.
Legs and feet:-
The legs should be broad and flat, a good broad forearm and elbow being desirable. Fore-legs, of course, as straight as possible. Feet close and compact, with well-arched toes. The hind-quarters drooping, and as broad and powerful as possible, the hips being set wide apart. The hind-legs should be well bent at the stifle, with great length from the hip to the hock, which should be broad and flat.
Coat:-
The hair on the body, neck, and quarters should be harsh and wiry, and about 3 inches or 4 inches long; that on the head, breast, and belly is much softer. There should be a slight hairy fringe on the inside of the fore and hind-legs, but nothing approaching to the feathering of a Collie. The Deerhound should be a shaggy dog, but not over coated.
Colour:-
Colour is much a matter of fancy. But there is no manner of doubt that the dark blue-grey is the most preferred. Next come the darker and lighter greys or brindles, the darkest being generally preferred. Yellow and sandy-red or red-fawn, especially with black points i.e., ears and muzzle are also in equal estimation.
Height:-
From 28 inches to 30 inches, or even more if there be symmetry without coarseness, which, however, is rare. Height of bitches: From 26 inches upwards. There can be no objection to a bitch being large, unless she is too coarse, as even at her greatest height she does not approach that of the dog, and, therefore, could not well be too big for work, as over-big dogs are.
Showing posts with label long. Show all posts
Showing posts with label long. Show all posts
The Most Intelligent Poodle
The Poodle is commonly acknowledged to be the most wisely intelligent of all members of the canine race. There is a general belief that he is a fop, whose time is largely occupied in personal embellishment, and that he requires a great deal of individual attention in the matter of his toilet. It may be true that to keep him in exhibition order and perfect cleanliness his owner has need to devote more consideration to him than is necessary in the case of many breeds; but in other respects he gives very little trouble, and all who are attached to him are consistent in their opinion that there is no dog so intensely interesting and responsive as a companion. His qualities of mind and his acute powers of reasoning are indeed so great that there is something almost human in his attractiveness and his devotion. His aptitude in learning is never denied, and many are the stories told of his marvellous talent and versatility.
Not merely as a showman’s dog has he distinguished himself. He is something more than a mountebank of the booths, trained to walk the tight rope and stand on his head. He is an adept at performing tricks, but it is his alertness of brain that places him apart from other animals.
The profuse and long coat of this dog has the peculiarity that if not kept constantly brushed out it twists up into little cords which increase in length as the new hair grows and clings about it. The unshed old hair and the new growth entwined together thus become distinct rope-like cords. Eventually, if these cords are not cut short, or accidentally torn off, they drag along the ground, and so prevent the poor animal from moving with any degree of comfort or freedom.
Corded Poodles are very showy, and from the remarkable appearance of the coat, attract a great deal of public attention when exhibited at shows; but they have lost popularity among most fanciers, and have become few in number owing to the obvious fact that it is impossible to make pets of them or keep them in the house. The reason of this is that the coat must, from time to time, be oiled in order to keep the cords supple and prevent them from snapping, and, of course, as their coats cannot be brushed, the only way of keeping the dog clean is to wash him, which with a corded Poodle is a lengthy and laborious process. Further, the coat takes hours to dry, and unless the newly washed dog be kept in a warm room he is very liable to catch cold. The result is, that the coats of corded Poodles are almost invariably dirty, and somewhat smelly.
Poodle’s General appearance
Head: Long, straight, and fine, the skull not broad, with a slight peak at the back.
Muzzle: Long (but not snipy) and strong not full in cheek; teeth white, strong, and level; gums black, lips black and not showing lippiness.
Eyes: Almond shaped, very dark, full of fire and intelligence.
Nose: Black and sharp.
Ears: The leather long and wide, low set on, hanging close to the face.
Neck: Well proportioned and strong, to admit of the head being carried high and with dignity.
Feet: Rather small, and of good shape, the toes well arched, pads thick and hard.
Legs: Fore-legs set straight from shoulder, with plenty of bone and muscle.
Hind-legs: Very muscular and well bent, with the hocks well let down.
Tail: Set on rather high, well carried, never curled or carried over back.
Coat: Very profuse, and of good hard texture; if corded, hanging in tight, even cords; if non-corded, very thick and strong, of even length, the curls close and thick, without knots or cords.
Not merely as a showman’s dog has he distinguished himself. He is something more than a mountebank of the booths, trained to walk the tight rope and stand on his head. He is an adept at performing tricks, but it is his alertness of brain that places him apart from other animals.
The profuse and long coat of this dog has the peculiarity that if not kept constantly brushed out it twists up into little cords which increase in length as the new hair grows and clings about it. The unshed old hair and the new growth entwined together thus become distinct rope-like cords. Eventually, if these cords are not cut short, or accidentally torn off, they drag along the ground, and so prevent the poor animal from moving with any degree of comfort or freedom.
Corded Poodles are very showy, and from the remarkable appearance of the coat, attract a great deal of public attention when exhibited at shows; but they have lost popularity among most fanciers, and have become few in number owing to the obvious fact that it is impossible to make pets of them or keep them in the house. The reason of this is that the coat must, from time to time, be oiled in order to keep the cords supple and prevent them from snapping, and, of course, as their coats cannot be brushed, the only way of keeping the dog clean is to wash him, which with a corded Poodle is a lengthy and laborious process. Further, the coat takes hours to dry, and unless the newly washed dog be kept in a warm room he is very liable to catch cold. The result is, that the coats of corded Poodles are almost invariably dirty, and somewhat smelly.
Poodle’s General appearance
Head: Long, straight, and fine, the skull not broad, with a slight peak at the back.
Muzzle: Long (but not snipy) and strong not full in cheek; teeth white, strong, and level; gums black, lips black and not showing lippiness.
Eyes: Almond shaped, very dark, full of fire and intelligence.
Nose: Black and sharp.
Ears: The leather long and wide, low set on, hanging close to the face.
Neck: Well proportioned and strong, to admit of the head being carried high and with dignity.
Feet: Rather small, and of good shape, the toes well arched, pads thick and hard.
Legs: Fore-legs set straight from shoulder, with plenty of bone and muscle.
Hind-legs: Very muscular and well bent, with the hocks well let down.
Tail: Set on rather high, well carried, never curled or carried over back.
Coat: Very profuse, and of good hard texture; if corded, hanging in tight, even cords; if non-corded, very thick and strong, of even length, the curls close and thick, without knots or cords.
Grooming Tips For Dogs
Bathing a puppy can be a real challenge, especially when your pup uses every resource to thwart your attempts to get them clean. Who wants to sit, all wet, in a slippery bathtub when there are lizards to chase, and trash men to harass? But don’t give up on this important bath ritual.
The way you bathe your puppy matters because you are teaching them, here and now, exactly what bath time will be like for the rest of his days. If you want a well-behaved adult dog that actually enjoys his bath, follow these steps. First thing; before you even run the bathwater, is to collect all the supplies you will need.
You’ll need a lot of these the first few times. Nylon collar and leash Coat-conditioning spray (for long-haired dogs) Natural-bristle brush Slicker brush during times of heavy shedding. Large towel for your dog. Now that your supplies are in order, put them all within reach of the tub where you will bathe your puppy.
The bathtub works fine for some people, but small dogs fit perfectly in the kitchen sink, and this can be easier on your back if you’re no longer a spring chicken. You may prefer to bathe really big using the garden hose on the porch or driveway. Next, put on clothes you don’t care about getting soaked. Get a few of those treats ready, along with the nylon collar and leash. The entire affair will work better if your puppy is hungry, so do not feed him 6 hours before the bath.
Call your puppy to you and offer a treat, remove his regular collar, put on the nylon collar and leash, a give him a few more treats. Say to him, “We’re going to have a bath! Won’t this be fun?” Take your puppy into the bathroom and show him a favorite toy, and play in the bathroom a bit. Remember, you want this to be fun. Now it’s time for a thorough brush-and-comb. Any knots or tangles in your puppy’s coat will tighten and become worse when wet, so you want to comb out all tangles before turning on the faucet. Spray long coats with conditioner and brush thoroughly, then comb through, making sure you get all the way down to the skin.
Pay attention to the areas behind your dog’s ears, where legs meet body, and under the tail, where mats tend to form in long coats. Remember to praise throughout this process and stay happy, keep the treats flowing. When your dog’s coat is completely free of tangles and dead hair, put the nonskid mat on the bottom of the tub, sink, or pool, and loop the nylon leash around some thing sturdy like the faucet or, if you are outside, a fence, deck post, or heavy piece of lawn furniture. Now your puppy can’t escape and you still have both hands free. Show him his toy and let him play with it a little in the tub before you turn on the water.
Remember to do this with each new step, so your puppy gets rewarded instead of being afraid of the bath. If your puppy has sensitive eyes, use a baby shampoo on his head area. Don’t let the water touch the dog until you are sure it is the right temperature. If using the garden hose, make sure any hot water sitting in the hose has run all the way out. Now, thoroughly soak the coat with water. Avoid the eyes and ears, and keep praising. Now, put some shampoo in your palms and rub them together, or apply some to the middle of your dog’s back. Apply the shampoo to your dog’s coat by massaging in circles for short coats, or massaging in long strokes with the growth of hair in long coats, to prevent tangling. Using the scrub brush, work the shampoo in, again using a circular motion on short coats and long brushstrokes on long coats.
As you scrub and soap your puppy, he will probably shake his coat and soak you. This is a natural reaction in dogs when they get wet. If he does this, do not scold him! Next, it’s time to rinse. If you leave shampoo in the coat, it can attract dirt and cause tangles, making your dog look worse than before you washed him. Using the sprayer attachment or a pitcher, rinse out all the soap from along the back, under the belly, between paw pads, ect. When you are sure you’ve rinsed out all the soap, do it again. There’s always more soap that needs to be removed. Finish with a conditioner for dogs.
When the bath is over, wrap your puppy in a big, soft towel and blot the water from his coat. Don’t rub the coat as wet hair tangles easily. After you dry your puppy, he will shake again, just to dry himself a little more. Go with it, and stay happy. If you want your dog to air dry a wire crate works best.
The way you bathe your puppy matters because you are teaching them, here and now, exactly what bath time will be like for the rest of his days. If you want a well-behaved adult dog that actually enjoys his bath, follow these steps. First thing; before you even run the bathwater, is to collect all the supplies you will need.
You’ll need a lot of these the first few times. Nylon collar and leash Coat-conditioning spray (for long-haired dogs) Natural-bristle brush Slicker brush during times of heavy shedding. Large towel for your dog. Now that your supplies are in order, put them all within reach of the tub where you will bathe your puppy.
The bathtub works fine for some people, but small dogs fit perfectly in the kitchen sink, and this can be easier on your back if you’re no longer a spring chicken. You may prefer to bathe really big using the garden hose on the porch or driveway. Next, put on clothes you don’t care about getting soaked. Get a few of those treats ready, along with the nylon collar and leash. The entire affair will work better if your puppy is hungry, so do not feed him 6 hours before the bath.
Call your puppy to you and offer a treat, remove his regular collar, put on the nylon collar and leash, a give him a few more treats. Say to him, “We’re going to have a bath! Won’t this be fun?” Take your puppy into the bathroom and show him a favorite toy, and play in the bathroom a bit. Remember, you want this to be fun. Now it’s time for a thorough brush-and-comb. Any knots or tangles in your puppy’s coat will tighten and become worse when wet, so you want to comb out all tangles before turning on the faucet. Spray long coats with conditioner and brush thoroughly, then comb through, making sure you get all the way down to the skin.
Pay attention to the areas behind your dog’s ears, where legs meet body, and under the tail, where mats tend to form in long coats. Remember to praise throughout this process and stay happy, keep the treats flowing. When your dog’s coat is completely free of tangles and dead hair, put the nonskid mat on the bottom of the tub, sink, or pool, and loop the nylon leash around some thing sturdy like the faucet or, if you are outside, a fence, deck post, or heavy piece of lawn furniture. Now your puppy can’t escape and you still have both hands free. Show him his toy and let him play with it a little in the tub before you turn on the water.
Remember to do this with each new step, so your puppy gets rewarded instead of being afraid of the bath. If your puppy has sensitive eyes, use a baby shampoo on his head area. Don’t let the water touch the dog until you are sure it is the right temperature. If using the garden hose, make sure any hot water sitting in the hose has run all the way out. Now, thoroughly soak the coat with water. Avoid the eyes and ears, and keep praising. Now, put some shampoo in your palms and rub them together, or apply some to the middle of your dog’s back. Apply the shampoo to your dog’s coat by massaging in circles for short coats, or massaging in long strokes with the growth of hair in long coats, to prevent tangling. Using the scrub brush, work the shampoo in, again using a circular motion on short coats and long brushstrokes on long coats.
As you scrub and soap your puppy, he will probably shake his coat and soak you. This is a natural reaction in dogs when they get wet. If he does this, do not scold him! Next, it’s time to rinse. If you leave shampoo in the coat, it can attract dirt and cause tangles, making your dog look worse than before you washed him. Using the sprayer attachment or a pitcher, rinse out all the soap from along the back, under the belly, between paw pads, ect. When you are sure you’ve rinsed out all the soap, do it again. There’s always more soap that needs to be removed. Finish with a conditioner for dogs.
When the bath is over, wrap your puppy in a big, soft towel and blot the water from his coat. Don’t rub the coat as wet hair tangles easily. After you dry your puppy, he will shake again, just to dry himself a little more. Go with it, and stay happy. If you want your dog to air dry a wire crate works best.
Prairie Dog Hunting Tips To Help You Succeed On Your Next Trip
Prairie dog hunting is becoming very hot in places such as the Midwest, where prairie dogs are very abundant today. Very simply, while this form of hunting will certainly never be at the top of most hunters list, it still is a great way to stay sharp with your hunting skills during the off-season.
As with is about any other kind of hunting today, the key to success with prairie dogs is all about finding the best places to go hunting. This will make or break your hunting success; no matter how great a hunter you might be, or how accurate you shoot, if you can’t find prairie dogs to shoot you will never catch anything.
Also, owning the best hunting gun and equipment is also very important as well. Again, no matter how good you might be, without the best equipment and accurate gun you will never achieve as much access as you otherwise might.
By far the most important factor in this sport, besides your location, is what type of gun you will be using. Of course, many hunters are still using the older model guns, but more and more, people are turning to the newer styles because they help them achieve greater levels of success in accuracy.
With these newer guns, they offer much more accurate shooting and can also be fired at a much faster rate, which is great for shooting prairie dogs, because they will usually go down into their holes after a few shots. Today, many hunters and outgoing with the AR 15 to achieve the maximum level of balance and also accuracy, particularly from long distance.
When you do this form of hunting, you oftentimes have to hunt from long range, because oftentimes the terrain will be very open. The prairie dogs will oftentimes not let you get very close, so you’ll oftentimes find yourself running from three to 400 yards are even more.
Keep in mind, this sport is generally done from about 200 to 500 yards, so you certainly need to be good long distance shooter for this sport. This is a great way to practice for larger game, particularly deer or even grizzly bear.
Prairie dogs, while again probably not the most popular kind of money nowadays, is certainly a good target practice in the deer hunting off season. This might be the most challenging form of long range hunting you can do, so it certainly is worthwhile if you want to sharpen your skills.
The best thing about these animals that they are small targets, and will generally be pretty still, but usually give you a just a few chances to catch them. Therefore, they are great for both beginning and more advanced hunters, because they can help you to sharpen up on your accuracy skills.
Also you should certainly check the weather before go going hunting. When bad weather is coming, prairie dogs will usually stay in their holes for the whole day. Therefore, you will most likely find it futile to go hunting during a stormy day.
Finally, the best places to go would be Kansas Prairie Dog Hunting or Nebraska Prairie Dog Hunting, because these states are very popular for this sport. Hopefully these prairie dog hunting tips will help you to be effective on your next hunting trip.
As with is about any other kind of hunting today, the key to success with prairie dogs is all about finding the best places to go hunting. This will make or break your hunting success; no matter how great a hunter you might be, or how accurate you shoot, if you can’t find prairie dogs to shoot you will never catch anything.
Also, owning the best hunting gun and equipment is also very important as well. Again, no matter how good you might be, without the best equipment and accurate gun you will never achieve as much access as you otherwise might.
By far the most important factor in this sport, besides your location, is what type of gun you will be using. Of course, many hunters are still using the older model guns, but more and more, people are turning to the newer styles because they help them achieve greater levels of success in accuracy.
With these newer guns, they offer much more accurate shooting and can also be fired at a much faster rate, which is great for shooting prairie dogs, because they will usually go down into their holes after a few shots. Today, many hunters and outgoing with the AR 15 to achieve the maximum level of balance and also accuracy, particularly from long distance.
When you do this form of hunting, you oftentimes have to hunt from long range, because oftentimes the terrain will be very open. The prairie dogs will oftentimes not let you get very close, so you’ll oftentimes find yourself running from three to 400 yards are even more.
Keep in mind, this sport is generally done from about 200 to 500 yards, so you certainly need to be good long distance shooter for this sport. This is a great way to practice for larger game, particularly deer or even grizzly bear.
Prairie dogs, while again probably not the most popular kind of money nowadays, is certainly a good target practice in the deer hunting off season. This might be the most challenging form of long range hunting you can do, so it certainly is worthwhile if you want to sharpen your skills.
The best thing about these animals that they are small targets, and will generally be pretty still, but usually give you a just a few chances to catch them. Therefore, they are great for both beginning and more advanced hunters, because they can help you to sharpen up on your accuracy skills.
Also you should certainly check the weather before go going hunting. When bad weather is coming, prairie dogs will usually stay in their holes for the whole day. Therefore, you will most likely find it futile to go hunting during a stormy day.
Finally, the best places to go would be Kansas Prairie Dog Hunting or Nebraska Prairie Dog Hunting, because these states are very popular for this sport. Hopefully these prairie dog hunting tips will help you to be effective on your next hunting trip.
The Most Intelligent Poodle
The Poodle is commonly acknowledged to be the most wisely intelligent of all members of the canine race. There is a general belief that he is a fop, whose time is largely occupied in personal embellishment, and that he requires a great deal of individual attention in the matter of his toilet. It may be true that to keep him in exhibition order and perfect cleanliness his owner has need to devote more consideration to him than is necessary in the case of many breeds; but in other respects he gives very little trouble, and all who are attached to him are consistent in their opinion that there is no dog so intensely interesting and responsive as a companion. His qualities of mind and his acute powers of reasoning are indeed so great that there is something almost human in his attractiveness and his devotion. His aptitude in learning is never denied, and many are the stories told of his marvellous talent and versatility.
Not merely as a showman’s dog has he distinguished himself. He is something more than a mountebank of the booths, trained to walk the tight rope and stand on his head. He is an adept at performing tricks, but it is his alertness of brain that places him apart from other animals.
The profuse and long coat of this dog has the peculiarity that if not kept constantly brushed out it twists up into little cords which increase in length as the new hair grows and clings about it. The unshed old hair and the new growth entwined together thus become distinct rope-like cords. Eventually, if these cords are not cut short, or accidentally torn off, they drag along the ground, and so prevent the poor animal from moving with any degree of comfort or freedom.
Corded Poodles are very showy, and from the remarkable appearance of the coat, attract a great deal of public attention when exhibited at shows; but they have lost popularity among most fanciers, and have become few in number owing to the obvious fact that it is impossible to make pets of them or keep them in the house. The reason of this is that the coat must, from time to time, be oiled in order to keep the cords supple and prevent them from snapping, and, of course, as their coats cannot be brushed, the only way of keeping the dog clean is to wash him, which with a corded Poodle is a lengthy and laborious process. Further, the coat takes hours to dry, and unless the newly washed dog be kept in a warm room he is very liable to catch cold. The result is, that the coats of corded Poodles are almost invariably dirty, and somewhat smelly.
Poodle’s General appearance
Head: Long, straight, and fine, the skull not broad, with a slight peak at the back.
Muzzle: Long (but not snipy) and strong not full in cheek; teeth white, strong, and level; gums black, lips black and not showing lippiness.
Eyes: Almond shaped, very dark, full of fire and intelligence.
Nose: Black and sharp.
Ears: The leather long and wide, low set on, hanging close to the face.
Neck: Well proportioned and strong, to admit of the head being carried high and with dignity.
Feet: Rather small, and of good shape, the toes well arched, pads thick and hard.
Legs: Fore-legs set straight from shoulder, with plenty of bone and muscle.
Hind-legs: Very muscular and well bent, with the hocks well let down.
Tail: Set on rather high, well carried, never curled or carried over back.
Coat: Very profuse, and of good hard texture; if corded, hanging in tight, even cords; if non-corded, very thick and strong, of even length, the curls close and thick, without knots or cords
Not merely as a showman’s dog has he distinguished himself. He is something more than a mountebank of the booths, trained to walk the tight rope and stand on his head. He is an adept at performing tricks, but it is his alertness of brain that places him apart from other animals.
The profuse and long coat of this dog has the peculiarity that if not kept constantly brushed out it twists up into little cords which increase in length as the new hair grows and clings about it. The unshed old hair and the new growth entwined together thus become distinct rope-like cords. Eventually, if these cords are not cut short, or accidentally torn off, they drag along the ground, and so prevent the poor animal from moving with any degree of comfort or freedom.
Corded Poodles are very showy, and from the remarkable appearance of the coat, attract a great deal of public attention when exhibited at shows; but they have lost popularity among most fanciers, and have become few in number owing to the obvious fact that it is impossible to make pets of them or keep them in the house. The reason of this is that the coat must, from time to time, be oiled in order to keep the cords supple and prevent them from snapping, and, of course, as their coats cannot be brushed, the only way of keeping the dog clean is to wash him, which with a corded Poodle is a lengthy and laborious process. Further, the coat takes hours to dry, and unless the newly washed dog be kept in a warm room he is very liable to catch cold. The result is, that the coats of corded Poodles are almost invariably dirty, and somewhat smelly.
Poodle’s General appearance
Head: Long, straight, and fine, the skull not broad, with a slight peak at the back.
Muzzle: Long (but not snipy) and strong not full in cheek; teeth white, strong, and level; gums black, lips black and not showing lippiness.
Eyes: Almond shaped, very dark, full of fire and intelligence.
Nose: Black and sharp.
Ears: The leather long and wide, low set on, hanging close to the face.
Neck: Well proportioned and strong, to admit of the head being carried high and with dignity.
Feet: Rather small, and of good shape, the toes well arched, pads thick and hard.
Legs: Fore-legs set straight from shoulder, with plenty of bone and muscle.
Hind-legs: Very muscular and well bent, with the hocks well let down.
Tail: Set on rather high, well carried, never curled or carried over back.
Coat: Very profuse, and of good hard texture; if corded, hanging in tight, even cords; if non-corded, very thick and strong, of even length, the curls close and thick, without knots or cords
The Decorative Deerhound
The Deerhound is one of the most decorative of dogs, impressively stately and picturesque wherever he is seen, whether it be amid the surroundings of the baronial hall, reclining at luxurious length before the open hearth in the fitful light of the log fire that flickers on polished armour and tarnished tapestry; out in the open, straining at the leash as he scents the dewy air, or gracefully bounding over the purple of his native hills. Grace and majesty are in his every movement and attitude, and even to the most prosaic mind there is about him the inseparable glamour of feudal romance and poetry.
From remote days the Scottish nobles cherished their strains of Deerhound, seeking glorious sport in the Highland forests. The red deer belonged by inexorable law to the kings of Scotland, and great drives, which often lasted for several days, were made to round up the herds into given neighbourhoods for the pleasure of the court, as in the reign of Queen Mary. But the organised coursing of deer by courtiers ceased during the Stuart troubles, and was left in the hands of retainers, who thus replenished their chief’s larder.
Head:-
The head should be broadest at the ears, tapering slightly to the eyes, with the muzzle tapering more decidedly to the nose. The muzzle should be pointed, but the teeth and lips level. The head should be long, the skull flat rather than round, with a very slight rise over the eyes, but with nothing approaching a stop. The skull should be coated with moderately long hair which is softer than the rest of the coat. The nose should be black (though in some blue-fawns the colour is blue) and slightly aquiline. In the lighter-coloured dogs a black muzzle is preferred. There should be a good moustache of rather silky hair, and a fair beard.
Ears:-
The ears should be set on high, and, in repose, folded back like the Greyhound’s, though raised above the head in excitement without losing the fold, and even, in some cases, semi-erect.The ear should be soft, glossy, and like a mouse’s coat to the touch, and the smaller it is the better. It should have no long coat or long fringe, but there is often a silky, silvery coat on the body of the ear and the tip. Whatever the general colour, the ears should be black or dark-coloured.
Neck and shoulders:-
The neck should be long that is, of the length that befits the Greyhound character of the dog. The nape of the neck should be very prominent where the head is set on, and the throat should be clean-cut at the angle and prominent. The shoulders should be well sloped, the blades well back, with not too much width between them.
Stern:-
Stern should be tolerably long, tapering, and reaching to within 1-1/2 inches of the ground, and about 1-1/2 inches below the hocks. When the dog is still, dropped perfectly straight down, or curved. When in motion it should be curved when excited, in no case to be lifted out of the line of the back. It should be well covered with hair, on the inside thick and wiry, underside longer.
Eyes:-
The eyes should be dark: generally they are dark brown or hazel. The eye is moderately full with a soft look in repose, but a keen, far-away gaze when the dog is roused. The rims of the eyelids should be black.
Body: The body and general formation is that of a Greyhound of larger size and bone. Chest deep rather than broad, but not too narrow and flat-sided. The loin well arched and drooping to the tail.
Legs and feet:-
The legs should be broad and flat, a good broad forearm and elbow being desirable. Fore-legs, of course, as straight as possible. Feet close and compact, with well-arched toes. The hind-quarters drooping, and as broad and powerful as possible, the hips being set wide apart. The hind-legs should be well bent at the stifle, with great length from the hip to the hock, which should be broad and flat.
Coat:-
The hair on the body, neck, and quarters should be harsh and wiry, and about 3 inches or 4 inches long; that on the head, breast, and belly is much softer. There should be a slight hairy fringe on the inside of the fore and hind-legs, but nothing approaching to the feathering of a Collie. The Deerhound should be a shaggy dog, but not over coated.
Colour:-
Colour is much a matter of fancy. But there is no manner of doubt that the dark blue-grey is the most preferred. Next come the darker and lighter greys or brindles, the darkest being generally preferred. Yellow and sandy-red or red-fawn, especially with black points i.e., ears and muzzle are also in equal estimation.
Height:-
From 28 inches to 30 inches, or even more if there be symmetry without coarseness, which, however, is rare. Height of bitches: From 26 inches upwards. There can be no objection to a bitch being large, unless she is too coarse, as even at her greatest height she does not approach that of the dog, and, therefore, could not well be too big for work, as over-big dogs are.
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