Hero, a Scottish deerhound in a landscape

Deerhounds are recorded in antiquity as 'War Dogs' employed in battle to drag men off their horses. The current breed dates from the 13th century, when they were bred in Scotland for stag-hunting, and were widely favoured by noblemen and chieftains. The deerhound belongs to a group of hounds called Sighthounds or Gazehounds which specialise in hunting their quarry by sight rather than scent. Typically they possess extremely good vision, a deep chest and long, powerful legs.