50% off your first order. Redeem Now

Dog Food Chevron
Cat Food Chevron
More Chevron
See Plans & Pricing Account

FREEZE-DRIED RAW FEEDING GUIDE

How to feed a Scottish Deerhound

The Scottish Deerhound is a giant sighthound built for explosive sprints across the Highlands — a deep-chested, lean-muscled athlete that lives only seven to nine years and carries real risks to its heart, bones, and gut. That combination makes how you feed one genuinely consequential.

Here is exactly how to feed a Deerhound on freeze-dried raw: by weight and life stage, with the lean protein, joint and heart-supporting nutrition, and gut-smart feeding rhythm a tall, fast-growing giant needs.

  • Adult weight75–110 lb
  • SizeGiant
  • EnergyModerate (sprinter)
  • Lifespan7–9 years
  • CoatCoarse, wiry, weatherproof — blue-gray
Build my dog's plan → Shop recipes
A healthy Scottish Deerhound
iStock / Getty Images Plus via Getty Images

What a Scottish Deerhound's body needs

Every Scottish Deerhound trait comes back to one thing: how you feed them. Here's what matters most.

  • Lean sighthound build, low body fat

    Needs: Lean, highly digestible animal protein

    83% meat, organs and bone fuels lean muscle without padding on fat — feeding to a visible waist, not a number, keeps a Deerhound built the way the breed should be.

  • Fast-growing giant frame

    Needs: Controlled growth, balanced minerals

    Whole-food raw delivers naturally balanced calcium and phosphorus from ground bone, supporting steady skeletal growth instead of the fast spurts that stress giant-breed joints.

  • Deep chest, bloat risk

    Needs: Smaller, calmer, measured meals

    Calorie-dense freeze-dried raw lets you split the day into smaller portions by weight — easier on a deep-chested gut than one large bowl of high-volume kibble.

  • Heart-disease prone (cardiomyopathy)

    Needs: Real animal protein with taurine & omega-3

    Meat, heart and organ are natural sources of taurine and the amino acids the canine heart runs on, and omega-3 fats support healthy cardiovascular function.

  • Coarse, weatherproof harsh coat

    Needs: Whole-food fats & omega-3

    Animal and fish fats feed the skin barrier from the inside, keeping that rough double coat conditioned and easing the dry, itchy skin (atopy) the breed can be prone to.

How much to feed a Scottish Deerhound

Quick answer: a healthy adult Scottish Deerhound (75–110 lb) needs about 11.3–16.5 oz of freeze-dried raw per day, split across two meals. Freeze-dried is calorie-dense and measured dry — so it's much less by volume than kibble. Feed to a lean waistline and adjust every few weeks.

Ideal adult weightFreeze-dried per dayPer meal (×2)
75 lb 11.3 oz 5.6 oz
84 lb 12.6 oz 6.3 oz
93 lb typical Scottish Deerhound 14.0 oz 7.0 oz
102 lb 15.3 oz 7.7 oz
110 lb 16.5 oz 8.3 oz

Starting points for a moderately active adult (~0.15 oz of freeze-dried per lb of ideal weight). Active dogs need a little more, couch companions a little less — always adjust to body condition, not the bag.

Get exact portion →

What to feed a Scottish Deerhound

For a Scottish Deerhound we recommend complete freeze-dried raw as the daily base — real meat, organs and ground bone with no heat-processed filler — or as a topper while you transition. It is calorie-dense, so a lean giant eats less volume than its size suggests, which is also kinder to a bloat-prone gut.

Rotate lean single proteins like Chicken and Wild-Caught Cod for everyday feeding and sensitive stomachs, with richer Grass-Fed Beef for hard-running or underweight dogs. Just add water and serve in two calm meals.

Recipes for Scottish Deerhounds

Shop all →

Daily support for Scottish Deerhounds

Shop all →

Treats Scottish Deerhounds love

Shop all →

Feeding a Scottish Deerhound by life stage

  • Puppy: Giant-breed Deerhound puppies grow long and fast, so slow, steady growth is the goal — overfeeding a giant puppy stresses developing bones and joints. Feed roughly 5–8% of current body weight across 3–4 smaller meals and let them grow into their frame, never rush it.
  • Adult: Feed to a lean, tucked-up waist split across two or more calm meals to respect the deep chest. Use the chart below as a starting point and adjust to body condition, not to the dog's size.
  • Senior: Deerhounds age early and may slow by six or seven. Keep protein high to preserve lean muscle and heart tissue, trim calories as activity drops, and lean into joint- and heart-supporting nutrition.

Common Scottish Deerhound concerns — and the diet connection

  • Cardiomyopathy (heart disease)A leading concern in the breed. A diet rich in real meat, heart and organ supplies natural taurine and amino acids the heart depends on, and omega-3 fats support healthy cardiovascular function.
  • Gastric torsion (bloat)Deep-chested giants are at real risk. Calorie-dense freeze-dried raw fed in smaller, calmer, measured meals — not one large high-volume bowl — is a gut-smart way to feed this breed.
  • Bone & joint health (osteosarcoma watch)Giant frames carry their joints hard. Keeping a Deerhound lean takes load off the bones and joints, while real bone and organ supply natural glucosamine and the minerals that support skeletal health.
  • Cystinuria (urinary stones)Some Deerhounds are predisposed. A whole-food, moisture-rich diet — freeze-dried raw rehydrated with water — supports steady hydration and urinary health; ask your vet about protein specifics if your dog is affected.
  • Skin & coat (atopy)That coarse coat sits over skin that can turn dry and itchy. An omega-rich, low-filler whole-food diet supports the skin barrier and helps dial down inflammation.

Diet supports health but doesn't replace veterinary care — ask your vet about any specific condition.

Feeding a Scottish Deerhound: what to know

A Deerhound carries little spare flesh by design — you should see a tucked-up waist and feel the ribs and hip bones easily. Do not try to 'fill out' a Deerhound; excess weight loads the joints and heart of a breed that is already vulnerable to both.

Because deep-chested giants are prone to bloat, split the daily ration into two or more smaller meals, feed calmly, and avoid hard exercise right around mealtimes. Weigh portions rather than eyeballing them, and re-check the amount as activity changes with the seasons.

Scottish Deerhound feeding questions

How much should I feed my Scottish Deerhound?
A healthy adult Deerhound (75–110 lb) needs roughly 11–17 oz of freeze-dried raw per day, split across two or more meals. Freeze-dried is calorie-dense and measured dry, so it is far less by volume than kibble — feed to a lean, tucked-up waist and adjust every few weeks.
Why should I split a Deerhound's meals into smaller portions?
Deep-chested giant breeds like the Deerhound are prone to bloat (gastric torsion). Feeding two or more smaller, calmer meals a day instead of one large bowl, and avoiding hard exercise right around mealtimes, is a sensible precaution. Freeze-dried raw makes smaller measured meals easy.
What is the best food for a Scottish Deerhound puppy?
A complete, balanced freeze-dried raw diet supports the slow, steady growth a giant-breed puppy needs. Feed by current body weight across 3–4 smaller meals and avoid overfeeding — letting a Deerhound grow into its long frame gradually protects developing bones and joints.
How do I switch my Deerhound to raw?
Transition over 7–10 days, mixing a little more Land Animal into the old food each day. Because the breed is bloat-prone, keep meals smaller and calm throughout, and start at the lower end of the portion range while their gut adjusts.
Does diet help with a Deerhound's heart health?
Diet is supportive, not a treatment. A diet built on real meat, heart and organ supplies natural taurine and the amino acids the canine heart relies on, plus omega-3 fats that support cardiovascular function. Pair good nutrition with the regular cardiac checks this breed benefits from.

THE CLEAN BOWL GUARANTEE

If your dog won't eat it, it's on us

Try Scottish Deerhound's first plan risk-free. If they turn up their nose, we'll make it right — money-back, and skip, pause or cancel anytime.

  • Vet-formulated
  • AAFCO complete & balanced
  • Pathogen-tested every batch

  • "Knowing exactly how much to feed took all the guesswork out. He's leaner, with more energy on our walks."

    — Jenna & Cooper

  • "My picky rescue finally runs to the bowl — and cleanup in the yard is a fraction of what it was."

    — Priya & Luna
Build my dog's meal plan →

Portions are starting points for freeze-dried raw and AAFCO complete-and-balanced recipes. Always feed to your individual dog's body condition and ask your vet about specific health needs.