Self-published by Kenneth Cassels 1997
New Softcover
The Scottish Deerhound has never lacked good breeders, with Sir John McNeill, Lord Edward Bentinck, Cameron of Lochiel, GW Hickman and Harry Rawson leading. It is likely that the Deerhound has retained its essential type because it seems to attract distinguished owners and breeders. It has also attracted a remarkable number of lady-breeders: Miss Branfoot, Mrs Armstrong, Miss Richmond, Miss Reoch (Bridge Sollers), Miss Doxford of the Ruritania kennel, the Misses Loughrey of the Ross kennel, Miss Bell of the Enterkine kennels, Miss Linton (Geltsdale), Miss Hartley (Rotherwood) and Miss Noble (Ardkinglas) would grace any breed club register. Some of these have written ably on the breed, but this book of Kenneth Cassels, who did so much to promote the sporting use of this breed from the 1950s onwards, is rather special and his words must be used to continue to 'fashion the breed' especially as its numbers slump - only 209 being registered in 2016.
Early on in his book, Cassels quotes from a talk he once gave to a Deerhound Club Seminar where he had stated that 'for a working Deerhound there are three essentials: 1. Courage and keenness. 2. Speed and agility. 3. Size and strength.' But he stressed that 'Neither the second nor the third of these must be over stressed. Above a certain size hounds become too heavy and clumsy for their work...' Regrettably, the KC Breed Standard gives a minimum height limit but not a maximum one for this breed. I see giant Deerhounds in the show ring that simply could not perform in the field. Cassels went on to say that 'We do not want little running dogs but equally we do not want great clumsy brutes'. But he appreciated handsome hounds, describing Champion Aurora of Ardkinglas, winner of both the working title or Quaich and Best-in-Show at a Championship Show, an unusual achievement for a Deerhound, as 'a most beautiful hound.' His own hound Gillaval Grad of Sorisdale won the Dava Quaich in both 1990 and again in 1991, some feat.