Drever dog breed

Drever

Drever dog breed is from Sweden. When a small German hound called the Westphalian Dachsbracke was imported to Sweden in 1910, news about this industrious, short-legged game-tracker spread among hunters. In 1947, the larger Swedish variety was given the name Drever and in 1953, it was recognized as a Swedish dog breed.

Drever Temperament

Tenacious and a keen hunter, the Drever’s temperament is similar to that of other short-legged scent hounds.

Drever

Drever

General Appearance: The Drever should be somewhat less than medium size. The appearance from the side should be rectangular. It must be compact, of good stature, powerful with well-developed musculature, lithe, and agile. It must be alert and self-possessed. External sexual characteristics should be well developed.

Drever Size

The height of the dog at the withers should be 14 inches (36 cm); of the bitch, 13-1/2 inches (34 cm). The dog’s height should not exceed 16 inches (40 cm), nor be less than 12-1/2 inches (32 cm). The height of the bitch should not vary from a maximum of 15 inches (38 cm) and a minimum of 12 inches (30 cm).

Coat and Colour: The coat should be complete. The hair should be close and straight. On the head, ears, lower legs, on the upper side of the tail it should be relatively short; longer on the neck, back and back part of the thighs. It should be bristly on the underside of the tail, but not feathered. All colors are permitted, but there must be some white visible from the front, sides, and back. It should preferably appear on the front, including the neck, and at the tip of the tail and on the paws. The color should be clean.

Drever

Head: The head should be relatively large. It should be longish, broadest between the ears, diminishing toward the snout with a slight supraorbital ridge. The snout should be well developed and not snippy either from above or from the side view. The bridge of the nose should be straight or slightly convex. The tip of the nose should be well developed with wide nostrils. It is preferably black. The lower edge of the upper lip should overlap the edge of the lower jaw. The lower lip should fit tightly against the lower jaw. The bite should be powerful and upper incisors fit firmly against the lowers. The eyes should be clear and expressive. They must not protrude or be stary. They are preferably dark brown. The eyelids should be thin and fit closely over the eyes. The ears should be of medium length and wide, bluntly rounded at the tips. They must be set neither especially high nor low. When at attention, the forward edge of the ear should be against the head.

Neck: The neck should be long and powerful. It should flow gracefully and smoothly into the trunk. The skin of the neck should be fairly loose though not so loose as to form pouches at the throat or chin.

Drever dog

Drever dog

Forequarters: The shoulders should be muscular with long, sloping shoulder blades, set well into the chest and back. The points of the shoulder blades must not extend up over the apophysis of the spine of the vertebrae of the withers. The front legs should be powerful and in front view, straight and parallel. The upper foreleg should be relatively long and broad and make a good angle with the shoulder blade. The metacarpus should be springy and form a slight angle with the radius and ulna.

Body: The back should be straight or, from the side view, slightly arched at the rear. It should be strong and slope gently from the withers to the sacral region. The hindquarters should flow evenly into the slightly ascending line of the abdomen.

Hindquarters: From the rear view, the hind legs should be straight and parallel. There should be good bends at knee and back joints. The thighs should be muscular and broad from the side view. The metatarsus should be short and almost perpendicular. Dewclaws may be removed. Both front and back paws should be firm, with toes pointing forward and close together. The pads should be well developed and hard.

Tail: The tail should be long and thick at the root. Preferably, it should be carried hanging, but when the dog is in motion it may be carried higher, though never over the back.

Drever puppies

Drever puppies

Links: Drever dog breed clubs: USA

Video: Rabbit Hunting with Drever