606 The Dog Book 



a little more quality, was much better in ears and was every bit as large as 

 one wants in a deerhound bitch. We do not remember whether we ever 

 had them in opposition in the ring, but if we did then Wanda must have 

 won, or condition beat her. We consider 30 inches as much as a deer- 

 hound should measure to be of use. It is a breed which should be judged 

 on the lines of a greyhound, symmetry and speed formation being placed 

 over size. 



Reference was made to cross-breeding by Glengarry, but his was an 

 exception to the general usage of deerhound breeders in Scotland, at the 

 time these dogs were used exclusively in deer stalking. There were many 

 other kennels where the utmost care was taken to keep the breed pure, and if 

 any cross became necessary it was obtained from other kennels and not by 

 such radical departures as Glengarry resorted to. There were in his days 

 plenty of rough Scottish greyhounds of stout breeding, even if no deerhounds 

 were obtainable. 



Several works have treated at length upon the deerhound, the first of 

 which is Scrope's "Deerstalking/* and he commended the cross of the fox- 

 hound. Colonsay also wrote on the breed, and St. John, in "Highland 

 Sports," gives many interesting anecdotes and sketches in which deerhounds 

 figure. The most pretentious work is Weston Bell's monograph, published 

 in 1892, from which we learn that the breed is no longer in request in deer- 

 stalking, his place even then having been usurped by the less demonstrative 

 collie, taught to track the wounded stag. 



The deerhound is a dog that really should be popular, but he is not, at 

 least he has always had a small following here. After Mr. Thayer gave up 

 exhibiting, the only person who took any interest in the breed was Mr. Page, 

 who had some hounds from the Duke of Sutherland's kennels, while of 

 late Mr. Spackman of Philadelphia has been about the only exhibitor, and 

 such was the paucity of competition and the ease with which he secured the 

 prefix of champion for his dogs that he became a strong advocate for in- 

 creased difficulty in securing that coveted title. Exhibitors who think cham- 

 pion titles won too easily should try collies, fox terriers, Irish terriers or some 

 breed like that and they would not complain of easy wins. 



The deerhound so closely approaches the greyhound in conformation 

 that the standard of that dog may be taken to apply for all points except the 

 larger size and greater bone of the deerhound, and his coat. The deerhound's 

 coat should be about 3 inches in length and as harsh as possible to the 



