DC wedding and dog photographer, Megan Rei, loves dogs, and it shows! Last summer, she photographed Peggy, the Scottish Deerhound, and her humans at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC.
From Katie: “Peggy, our one-year-old Scottish Deerhound, is literally a doggy dream come true! I have admired Scottish Deerhounds for over a decade, but we had to wait until we had the space (and yard) for one. Thankfully the husband got on the Deerhound bandwagon immediately once he met one. They are such gentle and regal sweethearts and ‘stare into your soul’ as he says!
Deerhounds are a type of sighthound – in other words, super interested in chasing by sight (rather than scent) – think Greyhounds, Whippets, the ones with the long slender heads. They love to run with those long, powerful legs.
Peggy enjoys lure coursing, an event where dogs chase a lure (plastic bag) on a pulley system, anywhere from 100 yards to 600 yards! Any dog of any breed (big or small, mixed breed, etc.) can participate in the AKC Fast Coursing Ability Test (known more commonly as “Fast CAT” – you can Google it!); this is a timed 100-yard dash where each dog runs alone. It is purely for the dog’s fun and enjoyment, though you can earn titles and ribbons for the points you earn over time. Peggy’s personal best is 29.86 mph! It is so fun to watch every dog chase the lure – whether a huge Great Dane or tiny Pomeranian – they are smiling the whole time!
A fun fact about Peggy is that she is related to a Deerhound you may have seen on TV! Her aunt ‘Claire’ has won the National Dog Show two years in a row – 2020 and 2021! Peggy is still learning the ropes at dog shows (and still growing), but we hope she has a few blue ribbons in her future. We want to make Aunt Claire proud!
We have tried to show Peggy her fellow Deerhound brethren in movies/TV like Brave, Outlander, and Harry Potter & the Order of the Phoenix (the train station scene, Sirius is a Deerhound!) – though she usually snoozes right through. Sighthounds are fast sprinters but equally skilled at being couch potatoes. Our favorite is when Peggy sleeps on her back with long, gangly legs stretched up in the air: the ‘dead bug’ pose! ” 
If you love Peggy, you might want to check out Spaghetti the Irish Wolfhound.
Follow Megan Rei Photography on Instagram.
Find a pet-friendly photographer near you.
About Megan Rei: Based in Northern Virginia, Megan specializes in wedding and portrait photography for dog people. She is available in the DC area, Virginia, Maryland, New York, and beyond.
I would love to get portraits done with our dogs! These turned out great!
What a special dog. These are some great photos of the couple.
What a magical and loving photoshoot and an amazing dog. There is so much love here!
These photos are so pretty! And what a cute doggo 🙂
These are beautiful pictures of your lovely doggo. I must try this with my two dogs as well.
Thanks for sharing this lovely article. I must try this with my two dogs as well.
She is beautiful, her eyes do speak to the soul
These are all really amazing and lovely photos! This is so wonderful to see
Peggy is so cute! I’m more of a small dog person, but I’ve always been a fan of deerhounds, and wolfhounds. I doubt I’ll ever own one myself, but I still admire them.
Peggy is full of personality! Those eyes speak volumes! What beautiful family photos. I’m glad “the husband” was convinced the add Peggy to the family.
Great shots, as always. And I like the location. I would love to have our photos taken there too.
I’ve never heard of this breed before. She is a beautiful dog and she is lucky to have loving parents.
Peggy is such a special song. You can see how her humans love her so much!
What a beautiful pooch! I absolutely adore everything about this one and I do love my furry family members!
What an interesting dog! Peggy is so talented and fast. I don’t know that I’ve ever seen a Scottish Deerhound before. I can see how a dog like Peggy could win at a dog show. She is super cute.
Family portraits with your pets is such a great way to express how much a part of the family they actually are!