What size is normal for a deerhound bitch?

When Layla came she mesured in at 29", now a few months down the line
shes mesuring in at 31 and a half, shes now 13 months old.

I would say that 31 and half inches is a good size for a Deerhound bitch. As Layla is 13 mon ths I doubt she will grow very much more, maybe quarter to half an inch.

Pam

Thank you pam, was getting a little worried as everything ive read
says 28" is standered, so was thinking she had grown over normal hight
and was worrid incase it could cause joint problems lol,
think i worry to much with her, was never like this with the other dogs.

My DownJess is 28 and a half at the shoulder - within the breed standard - but she's considered too small. For showing, she'll never do much, but she'll do me as she is.

The good size is when the feet touch the ground....

I like the size of Downjess, but I can see how she would look small a ring of biggies.

I would think that 31" is a pretty average size for a bitch. I have one at 29" and one at 31.5"

Mine range from close to 28 " to just about 32" - currently only one being on the smaller side ( my first was , too ) and the other 3 all over 30" . I personally much prefer the smaller ones I have to say so ,as long as they have strong bones and are nice and sturdy . My biggest girl is very slender/narrow and her bones are ridicolously thin - luckily she doesn't really want to hunt anything but the plastic bunny - I would not consider her apt to the job and really worry about injuries . Not that I love or admire any less , I just think , that the seemingly general trend to breed large breeds " extra large " does them any good .

So often has size been discussed. We all should be grateful that we have only a minimum and not also a maximum in the breed standard. We, personally, have never bred for size. Our bitches are all between 29 and 31 ins. Having said this, do all the “small” examples in the breed have the substance the standard is asking for? 28ins/80lbs ??

I agree verenav, people are either breeding dogs way to small,
so they will fit in to a tea cup - or just way to big,
like with labs and springers, the working lines is totaly different to the show lines,
Im not bothered what size Layla gets - shes still loved all the same,
but i know the bigger the dog gets the more affect it can have on the joints.

My 4 year old bitch (Elfin) is only just over 28", but she is my best conformed dog. She weighs about 71lbs, and would look ridiculous at 80lbs. She is not of large bone, but is certainly not a fragile slip of a thing

I had a person that has been involved in Deerhounds for longer than I have been alive, say to me recently that it was a shame my bitch was "severely undersize, because she is so lovely in every other way". She is NOT undersize by the ANKC breed standard, she is just a lot smaller than some of the giant bitches around, but she would still get laughed out of the show ring.

Comparing the different Breed Standards is interesting:

American Kennel Club
Height of Dogs--From 30 to 32 inches, or even more if there be symmetry without coarseness, which is rare.
Height of Bitches--From 28 inches upwards. There is no objection to a bitch being large, unless too coarse, as even at her greatest height she does not approach that of the dog, and therefore could not be too big for work as overbig dogs are.

Australian National Kennel Club
Sizes: Minimum desirable height: Dogs 76 cms (30 ins) at withers
Bitches 71 cms (28 ins) at withers
Weight: Dogs about 45.5 kgs (100 lbs)
Bitches about 36.5 kgs (80 lbs)

The Kennel Club (UK)
Size
Height: dogs: minimum desirable height at withers 76 cms (30 ins); bitches: 71 cms (28 ins). Weight: dogs: about 45.5 kg (100 lbs); bitches: about 36.5 kgs (80 lbs).

Hi Nat,
you have seen our Brae ( AKA Worm ), she is JUST over 28 inches. We have just counted her points, She is now Champion Worm..... err, I mean Ch. Jacobite Braehmor.

Dave

And Ch. Jacobite Worm (..er, I mean Braehmor) is a lovely feminine bitch!

Jacobite wrote:


Congratulations on Brae's title. Bree has only 71 to go for the big one and counting...

so realy at the end of the day, especaly in the show ring
size shouldnt matter, solong as confermation (sp) is right
and there able to do the job they intended to do.

chook wrote:


Ah well, there's the rub. My DownJess is beautifully put together for an old bat and she's a brilliant hunter and certainly has all the mental attributes to take red deer as well as the necessary speed and stamina. However, I don't think she quite has enough substance to give her the ideal power to weight ratio. She's not one to keep much weight on.

For me substance is determined rather by the strength of bones , muscles and width and depth rather than how much flesh they have on - I guess my 28" girl will come close to 80 lbs once fully matured ( she is only 16mths now and around 76lbs , being in fine form ) , but my almost 32" female only has 85lbs , is not skinny , but very fine boned , narrow and just doesn't have the musculature she should have - her cousin is very similar , a bit more bone a tad tinier , also not enough musculature , esepcially back musculature - my other 3 have/had beautiful muscles - all have/had the same exercise . So , this must be " in the genes " too. My youngest once fell flat on her back ( from considerable height ), she was jumping for something and jumped " against " the leash - everyone heard the loud thud it gave and was worried , nothing happened , she shook it off . If this had happened to either of my less muscled hounds , both would have sustained serious back injuries , I am sure . Both of those also have , what is considered by many , a beautiful topline ; for me , I find , the elasticity of their backs is not there , the spine very " exposed" in the arch and this makes them very vulnerable . These seem to be some of the differences between breeding for show or for functionality - I personally find sound , functional , fit hounds the most beautiful...
Anoter thought , seemingly deerhounds were much , much smaller when still hunting in the highlands , but had about the same average weights as todays hounds have.....

I see deerhounds like rugby players, the differences give the force in a team, nevertheless the very big and the very small hounds must to be full of qualities, more, they need to be really exceptional, to keep power and speed.
Also, people who run and do bicycle will easily understand that, too much weight is a burden, especially in hill and mountain. But heavy hounds can be useful for breeding. Weight, speed and endurance are enemies. So the big hounds must to be strong to be balanced, and light to be competitive...this is not easy !
Over 80cm a deerhound dog should be over 50kg to be balance, but over 45kg speed and endurance disappear quickly.
However, weedy or puny players are nothing to give in action.

I think the most important part is the soundness , the harmony - I have seen several deerhounds hunt in steep , difficult terrain , smaller ones and big ones if everything is in place a large , dog with good weight ( muscles and bones !!! ) will be just fine .I am thinking in particular of a really big dh girl I know , roughly 32" and weighing in currently at 107lbs , will gain a few more while fully maturing ( she is 3 now) - she can run and run and run and hunt and hunt and hunt , for hours and seemingly without exhaustig herself - she also is the most flexible deerhound I have seen so far and just incredible to watch . Also excells at lurecoursing ,winning every meet she attends . Mind you , I find her too tall and heavy per se ( even a boy of this seize would be pushing it for my taste ) , but this one is awe inspiring - stemming to 3/4 from working lines . Makes me rethink at times my preference for the smaller ones ...-for sure seize is not the most important thing.
Though I think , it is harder to find a sound extra tall hound than a smaller one .

My 4 year old Bernard (who has also just recently got his title and is now Ch. Bhealaich Excalibur ) is probably the smallest adult male in the showring here, at 32" and 45kg (99lb). He excells at lure racing, but he cannot twist and turn as fast as my little 28" bitch.