St. Bernard vs Scottish Deerhound - Breed Comparison

St. Bernard vs Scottish Deerhound - Breed ComparisonScottish Deerhound is originated from United Kingdom but St. Bernard is originated from Switzerland. Scottish Deerhound may grow 10 cm / 4 inches higher than St. Bernard. Scottish Deerhound may weigh 40 kg / 88 pounds lesser than St. Bernard. Both Scottish Deerhound and St. Bernard has almost same life span. Scottish Deerhound may have more litter size than St. Bernard. Scottish Deerhound requires Low Maintenance. But St. Bernard requires High Maintenance

Basic Information

Group:
Hound dog
Working dog
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United Kingdom
Switzerland
Height Male:
76 - 81 cm
29 - 32 inches
63 - 71 cm
24 - 28 inches
Height Female:
71 - 76 cm
27 - 30 inches
60 - 69 cm
23 - 28 inches
Weight Male:
39 - 50 kg
85 - 111 pounds
54 - 90 kg
119 - 199 pounds
Weight Female:
34 - 43 kg
74 - 95 pounds
52 - 85 kg
114 - 188 pounds
Life Span:
8 - 9 Years
8 - 10 Years
Litter Size:
14 - 15
4 - 9
Size:
Giant
Giant
Other Names:
Deerhound
St. Bernhardshund Bernhardiner Alpine Mastiff (archaic)
Colors Available:
gray, brindle, red, Blue, fawn, yellow
redish- Brown and white with a black mask to blond and white with black mask
Coat:
wiry
rough or smooth
Shedding:
Moderate
Constant
Temperament:
Docile, Friendly, Gentle, Sweet
Affectionate, Friendly, Independent, Intelligent, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Protective, Social, Stubborn, Sweet
Grooming:
Low Maintenance
High Maintenance
Trainability:
Moderate
Moderate
Hypoallergenic:
No
No
Kids Friendly:
Yes
Yes
New Owners Friendly:
Yes
Yes

History

scottish deerhoundThe 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.

st bernardThe St Bernard breed was once called the Alpine Cattle Dogs or the Alpine Mountain Dogs. They have always been farm dogs and mountain dogs in the French and Swiss Alps. They come from the border land of Switzerland and France. They were herding dogs, hunting, search and rescue, watchdogs and draft dogs.

Their ancestors are considered to include the Sennenhunds and molosser breeds that came to the Alps with the ancient Romans. There are four Sennenhund breeds that are believed to have contributed to the original St. Bernard. These included the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog (Grosser Schweizer Sennenhund), the Appenzeller (Appenzeller Sennenhund), the Bernese Mountain Dog (Berner Sennenhund) and the Entlebucher Mountain Dog (Entlebucher Sennenhund) Today the St. Bernard is considered a Molossoid breed.

The first we know of the St. Bernard in any written records was in 1707 at the Great St. Bernard Pass and Great St. Bernard Hospice run by monks. There were found paintings of the dogs dating back into the late 1600’s. It is told that Barry saved upward of 100 people in the St. Bernard pass, and it is from these stories that the dogs gained their snow rescue reputation.

The St. Bernard of that time did not look like the St. Bernard does today as there was much crossbreeding. Many dogs dies during rescues in the avalanches of the mid 1800’s and so they Saint was crossed with the Newfoundland to preserve the breed. You can today see the resemblance in the build and looks of the two breeds. This cross brought about the long haired St. Bernard whose fur was too heavy for rescues.

The St. Bernards of mountain rescue fame were only about the size of a German Shepherd dog and were short haired. After crossing with the Newfoundland and moving into clubs and dogs shows, they have been bred to be much larger. Before the stud book was closed, it is thought that many larger breeds such as the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog, the English Mastiff, the Tibetan Mastiff, the Rottweiler, the Great Pyrenees, the English Bulldog, the Great Dane, the Bernese Mountain Dog, the Boxer and the Caucasian Oycharka all contributed to today’s St. Bernard.

In 1884 The Swiss St. Bernard Club was founded and the breed entered the Swiss Stud book as its first entry in 1884. It was 1888 when the standard was approved and the breed became the national dog of Switzerland. Before the name St. Bernard came to be common, these dogs might be called, Barry Dogs, Alepnmastiff, Noble Steeds or Saint Dogs.

The dogs came to England in the early 1800s and to the United States soon after. They were recognized by the European kennel clubs first and by the early 1900’s they were the most popular breed in the AKC.

Description

scottish deerhound puppy - descriptionThe 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.

st bernard puppy - descriptionToday’s St. Bernard is not a large dog, he is a giant dog. Weighing in at 140-200 pounds and standing 28 to 35 inches tall, he is a lot of dog. Bred with mastiffs and large mountain dogs, they have proportional and powerful build. They are strong, sturdy and well muscled. They have either a smooth or rough (short or long) coat. Their eyes are brown or occasionally blue. They have tight lids, and square heads and muzzles.

There are two coat types called smooth and rough, or short and long. The smooth shorter coat is tough, flat and close against the body and the long, rough coat is dense, wavy and heavy around the legs, neck and ruff. Both types have long tails that hang low and are heavy. Saints are known to slobber, drool and snore.

Characteristics

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

2.Special talents - speed and distance.

3.Adaptability - some but needs space to run.

scottish deerhound dog - characteristics4.Learning ability – intelligent but hunting and running instincts overcome all else.

1Children friendliness excellent

2.Special talents tracking

st bernard dog - characteristics3.Adaptability no - these are giant dogs that need a lot of room. A large fenced yard or farm is best. They won’t do well in an apartment. They need exercise every day and loping around a yard is very good for them. They love to play in the snow, carry a backpack or pull a cart. They love to have a “job”

4.Learning ability – They are smart and highly trainable if motivated. They may appear lazy but they are just laid back and need a motivation.

Health Problems

scottish deerhound puppies - health problemsThe 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.

st bernard puppies - health problemsThe first problem this breed faces is how fast they grow and gain weight. This can lead to serious health issues if not controlled. Their bones can be damaged by this excessively fast rate of growth. Other issues facing the breed include:

  • Hip and elbow dysplasia – can cause arthritis and lameness.
  • Bloat – can be fatal if not treated immediately.
  • Bone Cancer or Osteosarcoma – tends to be fatal.
  • Entropion and Ectropion – eyelids turn in or out and can be corrected.
  • Epilepsy – controlled by medication
  • Dilated Cardiomyopathy – can be fatal.
  • Eczema – skin disease can be treated.
  • Be careful of extreme heat.

Caring The Pet

scottish deerhound dogs - caring1.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

st bernard dogs - caring1.Feeding the puppy – You want to control their growth. Do not overfeed, and make sure they exercise but not too much. Feed a high quality large breed puppy food 3-4 X a day in small amounts.

2.Feeding the adult – The problem you face with he adult St. Bernard is the potential for Bloat. Don’t over feed. Don’t feed before or after strenuous exercise. Feed 2-3 X a day in smaller amounts to prevent Bloat. Feed a high quality breed specific food if possible or an extra large breed formula.

3.Points for Good Health stamina and strength in cooler weather.

4. Games and Exercises They need exercise but not as much as you might think. The St. Bernard is a laid back lumbering character so don’t over exercise her. They enjoy weight and cart pulling but they are not athletes who enjoy frisbee or agility. Search and rescue trials and tracking trials are perfect athletic endeavors for them.

Comparison with other breeds

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  35. Scottish Deerhound vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  36. Scottish Deerhound vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  37. Scottish Deerhound vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  38. Scottish Deerhound vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  39. Scottish Deerhound vs Doberman Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  40. Scottish Deerhound vs American Bully - Breed Comparison
  41. Scottish Deerhound vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  42. Scottish Deerhound vs Affenpinscher - Breed Comparison
  43. Scottish Deerhound vs Afghan Hound - Breed Comparison
  44. Scottish Deerhound vs Aidi - Breed Comparison
  45. Scottish Deerhound vs Airedale Terrier - Breed Comparison
  46. Scottish Deerhound vs Akbash Dog - Breed Comparison
  47. Scottish Deerhound vs Akita - Breed Comparison
  48. Scottish Deerhound vs Africanis - Breed Comparison
  49. Scottish Deerhound vs Askal - Breed Comparison
  50. Scottish Deerhound vs Atlas Terrier - Breed Comparison