The Drever is a very well known breed in Scandinavian countries, while in our country it is not very popular, indeed. It is a breed that tolerates the cold very well, demonstrating that it can move with speed and ease on the snow. In Sweden it is particularly used in hunting wild boar and roe deer.
The Swedish Dachshund, known as Drever, belongs to group 6 of bloodhounds and track dogs. For the Drever (Schwedische Dachsbracke) many hypotheses have been made about its origin, but they seem the most truthful. The first of these considers that the ancestors of this hound were present in Sweden already many centuries ago.
The second argues that this breed and its current standard are much more recent, to be traced back to the beginning of 1900, a period in which hounds with low limbs, originating from central Europe and in particular the "German Dechsbrake" and that of "Westphalia". Many experts also claim that these European hounds, introduced in Sweden at the end of the nineteenth century, were crossed with other native dogs of the same morphological characteristics, giving rise to the Drever as we know it. The breed was officially recognized by the FCI in 1953, with its current name. The Drever is one of the most widespread breeds in Scandinavia and is little known in our country. As always when we describe new breeds, we will try to convince even the most skeptical and uninformed about the potential of this breed.
It is a small dog, anacolymorphic aberrant dachshund, dolichocephalic, morphologically classified as a braccoid type. The size is close to the average one. Viewed in profile, the shape of the Drever can be inscribed in a rectangle. His physique is compact and harmonious, showing a well developed musculature and denoting a certain flexibility and agility.
The Drever in Scandinavia is considered a profitable auxiliary, suitable for any type of game. He is a very good and diligent Hound. The rapidity and his extraordinary sense of smell allow him to demonstrate, in particular, his virtue in hunting roe deer, fox and wild boar, prey that chases and manages to move towards the hunter's gun. It is an intelligent breed and therefore quite well trainable. He is very affectionate with his owner and family in general. Very faithful and devoted, he is also an excellent companion dog, even if he needs constant and daily physical exercise and runs in the open air.
The height for the males is between 32 and 40 cm, while for the females between 30 and 38 cm.
The back of the Drever is straight and appears somewhat curved in the back when viewed in profile. This part of the body must have a slightly sloping line, starting from the withers to the rump. The loins are powerful and relatively short, while the rump is strong, broad and slightly sloping. The thorax is broad, with an oval cross section. The lower line of the latter continues harmoniously in that of the belly, which is the latter is slightly raised in the final part. The head is relatively large and long, with the widest part located between the ears, then gradually narrowing towards the nose. The muzzle is voluminous and well squared and the nose is straight or slightly arched in some specimens.
The nose, black in color, has well opened nostrils. The teeth are regularly aligned and complete in number, with a tight scissor bite.
The neck is long and strong enough, blending harmoniously and correctly with the shoulders. The Drever's skin is moderately peeled off but does not form dewlap.
The ears are broad and of medium length, rounded at the tip and set in the right measure. When the dog is alert or alert, the lower edge of the ears adheres snugly to the head. Dark brown eyes instill a great sense of expressiveness.
The forelegs are strong and, viewed from the front, straight and parallel, with relatively long and broad arms, well angled with respect to the shoulder blades. The hind limbs are straight and parallel, with well emphasized joints of the stifle and hock. The thighs are muscular and wide. The musculature of this breed, compared to the size of the animal, is quite well developed and powerful.
The tail is long and thick at the root, generally carried hanging, but when the dog is in motion it is raised; always the tail must never however be carried curved over the back.
The Drever's coat is compact and stiff, and covers the whole body. It is limitedly short on the head, ears, lower limbs and upper part of the tail, while on the neck, back and back of the thighs it is slightly longer. At the bottom of the tail a brush is formed, without fringes. All colors are allowed for this breed, although white markings are mandatory, which must be clearly visible on all sides. The standard prefers a white star and collar, as well as a white spot at the tip of the tail and on the feet.
The Drever, according to the testimonies coming from the Scandinavian countries, in particular from Sweden, testify its ability to adapt to different types of hunting, even if many consider it very suitable for hunting wild boar and roe deer. We must also consider the environmental factor: in Sweden snow makes it difficult to follow both visible and olfactory traces. Not only that, even the difficulty of moving and the cold can put many breeds of dogs in difficulty. For the Drever all of this is not a problem.