Scottish Deerhound vs Golden Doodle - Breed Comparison

The Scottish Deerhound is considered the Royal Dog of Scotland. It is a sighthound that is large and bred to hunt large Red Deer. They are similar in appearance to the Greyhound, but they are bigger and heavier. Closely related to the Irish Wolfhound, they were used in creating it. The Scottish Deerhound is an ancient breed that is now very rare. It can trace its lineage to the 16th and 17th centuries.

The Deerhound was a favorite of hunting nobility and could not be kept by any person or household that did not have at least the rank of earl. Despite this history the Scottish Deerhound was not considered separate from the Highland Greyhound and other staghounds until the 19th century. They were bred to stalk or “course” the red deer and were used extensively for this purpose until the beginning of the 20th century. At that time there was a need for smaller, slower deer tracking dogs.

At the start of the 20th century, the land for deer hunting had grown smaller and so had the deer. Also, the invention of the rifle made the fast Deerhounds who could cover large tracks of ground in minutes, no longer a necessity for successful hunting. As the clan systems fell and the nobility rose, the Deerhounds became the dog for nobility and landowners. There were a few non-nobilities who also kept them and hunted with them. As they were less needed for hunting a few households kept them as show dogs.

In the United States and Canada, both the Scottish Deerhound and the Greyhound were used for hunting wolves and deer. In Australia, the Kangaroo Dog – a deerhound crossbreed, and Deerhounds were used to hunt wild boar, emu and kangaroos. The Deerhound is one of the oldest of the breeds that are Greyhound-like. The Deerhound is not as fast as the Greyhound if they are running on a smooth surface. Get them on a rough surface and the will out that Greyhound. They appear to be larger and rougher than they really are. This gives them an advantage over the lighter, smaller Greyhound.

The Deerhound was a contributor to development of the Irish Wolfhound toward the end of the 19th century.

The Goldendoodle, known fondly as the Golden Poo, originates from the USA and was first bred in the 1990’s, coming about because of two popular dog breeds being mated together – the Golden Labrador and the Poodle.

He isn’t recognized as a standardized breed by any of the major kennel clubs. The beautiful dog was first bred in 1969 by Monica Dickens, and of course when everybody saw the little golden ball of sheer delight, everybody wanted one and the dog’s popularity soared.

The original purpose of the cross-breed was to develop guide dogs which would go down well with people with allergies. Today, not all Goldendoodles are hypoallergenic, but they’re also popular because they have a low shedding coat.

The Scottish Deerhound looks a lot like the Greyhound, except it is heavily boned and larger in size. The Deerhound is also different in several other ways. Instead of the Greyhound, the Scottish Deerhound is more closely related to the Irish Wolfhound than the Deerhound. The Deerhound is a large, rough coated breed. It is a very tall breed; in fact, it is the tallest of all sighthounds.

The Deerhound has a long head with a flat skull and a muzzle that tapers at the end. They have dark eyes and a scissor bite with a tail that can be either curved or straight. The hair on their tails almost touches the ground. The rest of its coat is wiry and harsh with a beard, mustache and mane. The ears are soft and can be either held semi erect or folded against their head. Their coat is gray or grey-blue today but in the past, it might have been brindle, red fawn or yellow.

The Goldendoodle is a medium sized dog, standing between 61 -66 cm in height and weighing between 14 – 20kg. Nothing is set in stone with regards to his size as the Poodle can be Toy, Miniature and Standard, meaning the Goldendoodle can be a smallish dog or he can be a large dog.

His coat is usually golden, cream, yellow, red and even leaning towards brown or black. It is mostly medium length and wavy or even curly. Many Goldendoodle owners send their pets in to have their coats professionally shorn.

He has medium length, floppy ears and the tail is long.

Temperament:

Making the most wonderful family pet and companion, Goldendoodles have just the right temperament for them to be used as therapy- or rescue dogs. They’re bright, outgoing alert, social, gentle, loving, patient with children, adults and pets and friendly and amicable as well.

They’ve inherited wonderful characteristics from both the poodle and the Golden Labrador. He is an energetic dog so even though he adapts well to city life or country life, he will need to have exercise as in walks and ball games.

1.Children friendliness – yes but watch out for little ones.

2.Special talents - speed and distance.

3.Adaptability - some but needs space to run.

4.Learning ability – intelligent but hunting and running instincts overcome all else.

Your Goldendoodle is sure to be a real joy in your home. He is a lively, healthy dog breed and when you treat him like a family member, a real deep bond can be developed.

He loves to be included in everything going on in the household and doesn't like being left alone for a long time. He has wonderful characteristics from the Golden Retriever and the Poodle as both these dog breeds are known for their friendly, patient, kind, amicable and intelligent personalities.

Easy to train, your Goldendoodle is obedient and wants to please, and is just waiting to become a loyal, loving friend in your family.

The Scottish Deerhound does face some serious challenges on the health front. These include:

• Cardiomyopathy – heart disease.
• Osteosarcoma – Bone cancer.

• Cystinuria – recessive disorder that causes an inability for cystine to be filtered from the urine.

• Gastric Dilatation Volvulus – otherwise known as bloat and it can be life threatening if not treated quickly.

• Hypothyroidism – easily treated with medication.
• Neck pain – if no serious condition – medication can be taken.
• Factor VII deficiency.
• Stress is not handled well in this breed.

The Goldendoodle is a healthy dog, but each breed involved with bringing about the Goldendoodle - Poodles and Golden Retrievers – can be prone to hip dysplasia. Both dog breeds are also susceptible to inheritable eye disorders.

There are some common dog ailments worth knowing about. The idea is to get your pet to the vet as soon as possible when you detect that he isn’t his usual self.

Atopic Dermatitis:

Allergic skin disease is common in other dog breeds as well, and once the allergen is inhaled or absorbed, your pet can battle terribly with itchy, red skin. This inflammatory, chronic skin disease can drive your pet mad and you’ll see him scratching and licking continually. Get him to the vet as soon as possible because it may just be a case of changing his diet.

Hip Dysplasia:

This is something that can even be seen in young dogs when the hip joints don’t develop normally. It can cause arthritis, terrible pain and lameness with your pet.

Progressive Retinal Atrophy:

You’ll notice that your pet battles to see- and get around at night. Signs of night blindness can lead to loss of vision, particularly with your middle-aged Goldendoodle.

1.Feeding the puppy – Feed a high quality large or x large puppy dogfood at least 3-4 times a day. Do not overfeed.

2.Feeding the adult – Feed a high-quality adult large or x large dog food once or twice a day. Do not overfeed.

3.Points for Good Health - Stamina and speed.

4. Games and Exercises – The Deerhound needs plenty of exercise in a safe place where they have plenty of room to run. A small yard or life on a leash are not enough for this energetic breed. Play fetch, course running, Like the Greyhound they will be couch potatoes if you let them but that will hurt their health. Lure Coursing or hare coursing are good. Coyote hunting. Find space where they can run for the joy of running. Never force them to run – like along a bicycle

Quality Time:

Taking care of a Goldendoodle isn't only about feeding him and seeing he has a fresh bowl of water available. It’s about making him part of the family and giving him love and attention just like with any family member. He needs -

Good nutritious food to keep him healthy.

A warm dry place to sleep at night.

A place during the day that offers shade from the sun and shelter from the rain.

He needs to be brushed to remove loose hairs, have his nails trimmed, his ears checked for infection and his teeth brushed 2 or 3 times a week.

He needs to be exercised – walks, ball and rope games, swimming and joining you in your activities.

He needs to be taken to the vet when he is showing signs of illness.

He needs love, care and attention just like any other family member.