The Scottish Deerhound is known as the "Royal Dog of Scotland." The breed was so highly prized during the Middle Ages that only noblemen were allowed to own them.
The ancestor to the breed is believed to have been introduced to Britain by Roman troops and was bred with local long-coated dogs to create the breed that is known today. They are closely related to the Irish Wolfhound and were developed as deer hunters. The breed hunts by "coursing" or "stalking." In coursing, a dog is let loose as near as possible to a deer and simply chases it until the deer falls. This normally would occur within a few minutes.
In deer-stalking, the Deerhound would be let loose after a deer was shot, but had not gone down. The stalking dog would then pull down the wounded deer. During the 1700's, the breed's numbers diminished drastically, though there was a revival in its popularity in the 1830's when Queen Victoria became interested in them. The breed was introduced to the United States about that same time and American Kennel Club recognition took place in 1886.
