Scottish Deerhound

 i noticed the scarcity as well. i've always liked them AND the Irish Wolfhound but have been turned off by the health problems.

but i dont think the SDH has the same amount of problems as the IWH. i could be wrong though. i know the Deerhound is very popular as a mix for people who use them to hunt rabbits in the UK and coyotes in the midwest.

i want to have one of my own some day as well but doubt it will happen unless i inherit a butt load of fenced in pasture. i cant see keeping  a dog like that cooped up on three wooded acres. half the reason why i'm attracted to them is the joy i get in watching them run

 They are very beautiful creatures. From what I understand they have fewer health problems than the IW, but I could be wrong.

 "Fewer" is a relative term.

I knew a lady who was a fancier and she said every one of her dogs died before they were eight. I just can't imagine that. I met one of her dogs, only five years old and apparently in glowing health. The next year she mentioned that her dog had died that year of cancer.

She adopted a BC from me that was about 18 mos old. It's been eight years and he's still performing at a high level in agility. She's delighted. It's hard to imagine, coming from long lived breeds (including a mastiff/giant breed with an average life span into the teens), to accept the idea that I'd only have maybe six to eight years with my pup.