Drever

The Drever is a short-legged scenthound from Sweden, used to hunt deer and other game. It descends from the Westphalian Dachsbracke, a small German hound. In Sweden it is kept mostly as a hunting dog and is seldom seen as a pet.

History

Westphalian Dachsbrackes were brought from Germany to Sweden around 1910 and crossed with other hounds to suit Swedish country and game. By the 1940s there were two distinct sizes. In 1947 a newspaper held a contest to name the slightly larger one, and Drever won. The name comes from the Swedish word drev, a kind of hunt in which the dogs drive game toward the hunter. The Swedish Kennel Club recognised the Drever as a separate breed the same year.

The Fédération Cynologique Internationale lists it among the small scenthounds. The Canadian Kennel Club recognised it in 1956 and the United Kennel Club in 1996, and the American Kennel Club keeps it in its Foundation Stock Service. It is not recognised by The Kennel Club in Britain or by the Australian or New Zealand kennel clubs. In North America it is promoted as a rare pet breed.

Appearance

The Drever has a long body on short legs, but as a working dog its shape is not exaggerated. It stands no more than 38 cm (15 in) at the withers, about 15 cm (6 in) lower than a long-legged hound with a body of the same size, and roughly 2 cm taller than the Westphalian Dachsbracke. The coat is short and may be any color with white markings. All-white dogs are not accepted, because that color has been linked to deafness. The ears hang down and the tail is long.

Temperament

Most hounds built like this are bred for one kind of quarry. The Drever hunts several: hare, fox, roe deer and red deer. It has a great deal of stamina. Roe deer are nervous, and a hound that follows them has to move slowly, especially where deep snow can fall in late autumn. That is the reason given for breeding a medium-sized body on short legs. After a change in the law allowed Drevers to be used on deer, the breed became popular with deer hunters in the north of Norway, Sweden and Finland.

Care and health

A 2005 Swedish study of insurance records found that 45 percent of Drevers had died by the age of 10, against 35 percent of dogs overall.

Facts on this page were checked against Wikipedia and may have changed since.