From remote days the Scottish nobles cherished their strains of Deerhound, seeking wonderful sport during the Highland forests. The red deer belonged by inexorable law to the kings of Scotland, and nice drives, that mostly lasted for many 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 throughout the Stuart troubles, plus was left during the hands of retainers, who therefore replenished their chief's larder.
The head must be broadest at the ears, tapering slightly to the eyes, with the muzzle tapering extra decidedly to the nose. The muzzle must be pointed, but the teeth and lips level. The top must be long, the skull flat instead of round, along with a very slight rise over the eyes, but with nothing approaching a stop. The skull must be coated with moderately long hair that is softer than the rest of the coat. The nose ought to be black (though in a few blue-fawns the colour is blue) and slightly aquiline. During the lighter-coloured dogs a black muzzle is preferred. There ought to be a smart moustache of rather silky hair, and a fair beard.
The ears ought to be set on high, plus, in repose, folded keep favor the Greyhound's, though raised on top of the top in excitement while not losing the fold, plus even, in some cases, semi-erect.The ear must be soft, shiny, and favor a mouse's coat to the touch, and the smaller it is the better. It must don't have any long coat or long fringe, but there is usually a silky, silvery coat on the body of the ear and the overall tip. No matter the final colour, the ears should be black or dark-coloured.
The neck should be long that could be, of the length that befits the Greyhound character of the dog. The nape of the neck ought to be awfully prominent where the top is about on, and the throat must be clean-cut at the angle plus prominent. The shoulders should be well sloped, the blades well back, with not too far width between them.
Stern must be tolerably long, tapering, plus reaching to inside one-1/2 inches of the bottom, and regarding one-half of inches below the hocks. When the dog remains, dropped perfectly straight down, or curved. When in motion it ought to be curved when excited, in no case to be lifted of the line of the back. It must be well coated with hair, on the inside thick and wiry, underside longer.
The eyes should be dark: generally they are dark brown or hazel. The attention is moderately full with a soft appear in repose, but a keen, far-away gaze when the dog is roused. The rims of the eyelids ought to be black.
Body: The body and general formation is that of a Greyhound of larger size plus bone. Chest deep instead of broad, but not too narrow plus flat-sided. The loin well arched plus drooping to the tail.
The legs should be broad and flat, a good broad forearm and elbow being desirable. Fore-legs, of course, as straight as possible. Feet shut and compact, with well-arched toes. The hind-quarters drooping, plus as broad plus powerful as potential, 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 must be broad plus flat.
The hair on the body, neck, plus quarters must be harsh and wiry, plus about 3 inches or 4 inches long; which on the apex, breast, and belly is far softer. There ought to be a small hairy fringe on the interior of the fore plus hind-legs, but nothing approaching to the feathering of a Collie. The Deerhound ought to be a shaggy dog, but not over coated.
Color is far a matter of fancy. But there's no manner of doubt that the dark blue-gray is the legal the majority of preferred. Next come the darker plus lighter greys or brindles, the darkest being typically preferred. Yellow and sandy-red or red-fawn, particularly with black points i.e., ears plus muzzle are also in equal estimation.
From twenty-eight inches to thirty inches, or even more if there be symmetry without coarseness, whichbut ,, is rare. Height of bitches: From twenty-six inches upwards. There can be no objection to a bitch being big, unless she is just too coarse, as even at her greatest height she will not approach that of the dog, plus, therefore, can not well be too big for work, as over-big dogs are.
