Irish Wolfhound vs Scottish Deerhound

An Irish Wolfhound
Photo: Camillo 60
A Scottish Deerhound
Photo: Svenska Mässan from Sweden

Side by side

Irish Wolfhound
Scottish Deerhound
Adult weight
Males 55–82 kg (120–180 lb); females 48–64 kg (105–140 lb) (breed club figure)1
Males 39–50 kg (85–110 lb); females 34–43 kg (75–95 lb) (breed club figure)2
Height
Males 81–86 cm; females 81–86 cm3
No sourced figure
Lifespan
Median 9.9 years4
Median 10.5 years4
Fully grown
12 months, both sexes5
13 months, both sexes5
Group
Sighthounds3
Sighthounds6
Coat
Wire or harsh coat3
Wire or harsh coat6
Shedding
Holds loose hair until it is brushed or clipped out
Grooming
A brush once a week
Exercise
A moderate amount
Health
Lymph node cancer (more likely)7
Bone cancer (far more likely)8
Class
Companion
Companion

Which suits you

Size
The Irish Wolfhound is larger on average: about 62 kg (136 lb) as an adult, against 41 kg (91 lb) for the Scottish Deerhound.
Temperament
They differ most on loyalty (Irish Wolfhound: bonded to its family; Scottish Deerhound: friendly with everyone) and on handler demand (Irish Wolfhound: needs steady training; Scottish Deerhound: suits a first-time owner).
Alike
Both are rated the same on affection: a lap or leaning dog.
Neither is the better dog in general. Which suits you depends on your home, your days and the care you can give.
Take the breed matcher

What they're like

Irish Wolfhound
Sighthounds · Giant

In temperament the wolfhound is calm, quiet and dignified, friendly towards people and patient with them.

Scottish Deerhound
Sighthounds · Large

In character the deerhound is gentle, dignified and polite. It is quiet and unhurried indoors and friendly towards strangers, which makes it a poor guard dog.

The Irish Wolfhound page →The Scottish Deerhound page →

Breed traits

Day to day
Irish Wolfhound
Scottish Deerhound
Activity
Happy with modest walks
Happy with modest walks
Intelligence
Easy-going, simple routines
Easy-going, simple routines
Handler demand
Differs
Needs steady training
Suits a first-time owner
With people
Irish Wolfhound
Scottish Deerhound
Affection
A lap or leaning dog
A lap or leaning dog
Loyalty
Differs
Bonded to its family
Friendly with everyone
Independence
Cooperative, with its own ideas
Cooperative, with its own ideas
Around the home
Irish Wolfhound
Scottish Deerhound
Sensitivity
Average
Average
Voice
Quiet
Quiet
Prey drive
Likely to chase small pets
Likely to chase small pets
Breed explains only about 9% of how individual dogs differ in behaviour9. Meet the dog. A good breeder breeds for temperament as well as health, and matches each puppy's personality to the right home10,11.

Puppy growth

Reference curves · both sexes
The Irish Wolfhound grows to the heavier adult, about 65 kg against the Scottish Deerhound's 42 kg.
Irish Wolfhound
Scottish Deerhound
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More comparisons

Compare the Irish Wolfhound with
Great Dane vs Irish WolfhoundAll breed comparisons →

Sources

Parts of this page were written by AI ·