Thanks again all for the welcome, and I am sure I will glean much from those who know and live with deerhounds, on this site.

So here are my latest questions about deeries...

I read that you should never try to raise one on it’s own without another...or at least another dog around. Is this so? I think starting with one will have to be my plan, though ultimately I would love to that two. I have a Persian cat, but other than that not other animals at all at present.

What do you all do if you have to go away for a day or two, or a week or two? How do deerhounds manage in the care of others? I read boarding them or kenneling them is never a good idea. How do you manage when you need to travel?

Cheers!
Pet

[/img]A single Deerhound is just fine. Our Zippo is an only 'child', and he is thriving. I use to have 12 or 13 dogs at any given time, so this is a real treat, for both of us.
Here he is after a shopping spree...

Hi Cassandra

I have done it all which way and truely they are all fine with it. Singleton or pack they make their mark.

What I have found with all breeds of dog and boarding/kenneling is that often they are not prepared for it and then can take it badly.

Having had experience now I make a point of overnighting youngsters in a happy enviornment so they know it is ok. I think it is often done in a rush when something goes wrong or for the first time when the dog is older and hasn't had the experience before and some of them don't handle it that well. It is just part of something we have to teach them. Just a few hours with one of your friends now and then helps. I live in the city and I use some of the commercial pet minders when I have a youngster - not because I need them minded but as part of their learning and then the dog knows the experience of being left.

All of my deerhounds have been raised by cats!! Never a problem.

My second Deerhound was a singleton and she was fine. Very social and fun loving and she was devoted. I miss our Dana
As for boarding...Terry and I haven't had a holiday together for over 7 years One of us always stays home with the hounds. I do have a friend though who boards their Deerie regularly and he is fine with it.

We only had Murphy for first 18 months old, then got a Border Terrier, Murphy changed overnight, he suddenly grew up and stopped chewing and being really naughty, so maybe that is the key, wait a bit then get another dog.

They abolutely love the bones of each other. I have only had a short break last summer, we were going to take him with us t Ireland, but couldn't because of lack of car space and kid space!

I left him at home with my son and daughter who are 19 and 21. He survived to tell the tale. got my daughter insured on my car so she could do the golf course with the dog as it isn't that near. Left notes on how to feed them. Mind you, he weren't half pleased to see us when we got back!

My worry is leaving him alone during the day. I work early and get home at lunchtime, hubby goes at ten, so he isn't alone for long (I panic about bloat) but last year son was taken into hospital for appendicitis and he was left for 7 hours, he did his first pooh in the house that day, bless him, he took all the paint off the door frame trying to get out. But it was an emergency.

We don't have holidays now anyhow, son plays county level golf and we seem to be forever taking him somewhere or other, far away! I would have no one to ask to care for him anyhow

We usualy take our dogs with us on holiday as we go with the caravan so its no problem.We both work every weekday and the dogs just go in and out as they please as our back garden is secure

We got both our boys used to boarding kennels from when they were pups- just an overnight at first. We are lucky in that the kennels are fab. State of the art, newly built (although the previous wooden buildings were OK), all white and sparkly clean. Huge amount of space plus outside run...and best of all, a field (totally safely fenced, high fencing) for them to run. The owner has now learned to stand behind a tree when the boys do their thing! We take their own food to avoid 'problems'. It costs, but then, I believe you get what you pay for. Oh yes, for an extra fee they'll take dogs for long walks on the adjacent fells should one require. It is a superb kennels - we have the boys booked in for 3 weeks in Sept. and know they will be OK. We go folk singing a lot so they are regular visitors for one or two nights at a time.

I honestly feel that rather than 'put on' a friend, the kennels are the answer. Feel free to PM me if you want details - North Yorkshire.

PS.Ours are not the only deerhounds to use the kennels.

Hi Pet,
You're asking all the best (and right) questions! Haven't you got hubby talked round yet?

We got our Murphy with the intention of him being an 'only child'. He would 'mouth' us (especially the girls) quite a fair bit - especially when he was teething - which was actually quite sore!

As he grew up and wanted to play with other dogs, many owners would be alarmed at something his size doing the kangaroo thing and leaping on the backs of their dogs. After an unfortunate episode when he squashed a Yorkie, we tried to encourage him to play with dogs the size of a lab or bigger (although to be fair, a whippet was a good playmate too as he would just keep ahead of him in speed) as terriers were just too intimidated and would get narky. So we eventually decided that the thing to do was get him a pal.

He was only 6 months old when we got Mara and, to be honest, he regressed in behaviour to start off with. But Mara has really blossomed bullying her big brother. Murphy, for all his kangarooing, is actually very gentle with her. He puts her whole head in his mouth, but never bites down. Mara, on the other hand, has, by biting her big brother, learned to control her bite pressure on him rather than on us. None of us have had the experience of Mara chewing on us, and she's four months old now.

All things being equal, you should possibly wait until the older deery is around two and can be a good influence, rather than a hooligan, but, in all honesty, we found it nigh impossible just having one - they are (like tattoos) very addictive: you can't stop at just one, we've found.

Mara and Murphy are just like every brother and sister - the best of friends and the worst of enemies. They are devoted to each other and she hides under him if she feels anxious, and then bites him on the nose the next minute...

As far as kennels go, we had Murphy in kennels recently, just before we got Mara and we were quite stressed by the whole experience, to be honest. He was hoarse when we got him back, presumably through barking so much.

If you find a local(ish) breeder in Canada then perhaps you could ask them if they would mind boarding them for you if and when you are on holiday, if they were available? Any breeder (worth their salt) will only let you buy a pup if they like you and trust you.

I was won over as soon as I clapped eyes on Murphy: I had fallen head over heels for deerhounds at first sight. Let me know if you need me to send an e-mail to hubby to convince him...!

LOL...okay thank You ALL...but Murphy’s human...you are a riot and I will take you up on the offer to “sell” my husband if I need it.

Really I do poor “Bob” (hubby) a disservice. I know without a doubt if I tell him my mind is set on a deerhound he will be supportive (perhaps sceptical as well...but supportive none the less) I know he trusts my judgement on this as it is my dog. But part of good judgement is taking the whole family into consideration and making sure that my choice is the right choice for all. Once I buy a deerhound I plan on this dog being with me forever, so a want the whole family to be on board. Bob’s lack of dog/sighthound experience and total lack of deerhound understanding is not a fault, it is just the facts, and I am trying to find ways to expose him to the idea without completely scaring him off, based on sheer size and misperceptions. His experience thus far (childhood/friends/family) has been with only small dogs and being the logic man he is I can see him calculating pound for pound how much trouble will a deerie be, based on size!

I think the advice I have been given has been wonderful and exposing him to the breed, introducing him to local breeders will give him an understand and a comfort level long before we bring a puppy home. My questions about cars/ pack numbers/boarding etc, is in a effort to have the answers to the questions; questions and answers that I know will affect our lifestyle long before we make a deerhound part of the family.

Again, thank you all...I am learning so much!
Pet

Just a bit more...when my son had a Sheltie (not nearly the size of A Borzoi or Deerhound) the darn thing drove me crazy some days...they can be in your face, needy...not at all like hounds. I lived with 12 Big hounds...jusy lovely..one Sheltie could have sent me to drink.