The Hilton of Cadboll Stone dates from around 1200 years ago, and depicts at the bottom of the panel a deer being chased by two large dogs and two armed horsemen.

With modern rifles and smaller deer-forests, slower tracking dogs were preferred to fast and far-running Deerhounds.

As fast and silent hunters they made quick work of any game the size of a hare or larger and were highly regarded by nobility and poachers alike.

The new fashion was for stalking and shooting, which required only a tracking dog to follow the wounded animal, using a collie or similar breed.

[citation needed] Teddy Roosevelt wrote that some Canadian and American hunters used "the greyhound, whether the smooth-haired, or the rough-coated Scotch deer-hound" on the wolf[7] and deer[8] Dr. Q van Hummell also remarks on his Deerhound pack being used on timber wolves and coyotes.

The environment in which they worked, the cool, often wet, and hilly Scottish Highland glens, contributed to the larger, rough-coated appearance of the breed.

It has small, dark "rose" ears which are soft and folded back against the head unless held semi-erect in excitement.

[12] A 2024 UK study found a life expectancy of 10.5 years for the breed compared to an average of 12.7 for purebreeds and 12 for crossbreeds.

[15] Laboratory studies have established reference intervals for haematology and serum biochemical profiles in Deerhounds, some of which are shared by all sighthounds, and some of which may be unique to this breed.