Origin
The Drever originated from Sweden. This short-legged hound is a cross-breed of the rare species, Westphalian Dachsbrake, German hound and the local hounds. The resulting breed is a hunting dog which is most popular in Sweden, especially during the deer-hunting season.
The dog’s name was derived from the word, “Drev,” which means ‘hunt’ in Sweden. In 1947, the name was considered official after entering it in a kennel contest.
By 1956, the Canadian Kennel Club recognized this breed as a rare hound and, in 1996, by the United Kennel Club as a breed belonging to the scent-hound group.
Traits and Behavior
The Drever was primarily developed as a hunting dog. Therefore, one can observe a common trait characteristic that of which is being an excellent tracker of wild animals, such as deer, hare, fox, and, sometimes, wild boar.
Its innate ability to sniff the scents of animals comes from the fact that the Drever is naturally born with a first-class nose.
This is the reason why their breed is categorized by the United Kennel Club as a scent-hound, rare dog.
The only setback of this dog during a hunting activity is that it cannot run fast enough to catch the prey because of its short legs.
But it has a way of overcoming this disadvantage by the way it maneuvers to the animals, circling and dodging around, warning the owner/hunter of the presence of the animal prey.
Being tenacious, it has a strong tendency to follow its behavioral instincts. The owner or dog trainer must be firm and consistent in training and managing this dog if it can serve as a good companion either for hunting or as a house pet.
Also, the dog’s manner of socialization with people and other dogs and animals must be managed in such a way as to allow the dog to be loyal, alert, and playful.
Pet Care and Diseases
The Drever dog, through the years, has evolved from a working dog to a house pet.
It has adapted its own living space, maybe because of its short size, like in apartments or houses with not much yard space.
Being an average shredder, regular care must be given to their fur coat like brushing, bathing, and occasionally a rubdown with a damp cloth.
There are no known or documented and specific health ailments of this breed.
The owner must provide proper food and conduct regular exercises such as walking and running to firm up its muscles and, at the same time, allow it to be continuously alert and active.
Appearance
The most visible feature of the Drever is its body built which is long but short-legged, similar in a way to the Dachshund. Its facial features are typical of hound dogs, eyes are clear with close-fitting eyelids, and drop-hanging ears.
Its head is a bit large but well-proportioned. The tail is long and curved downward. It is covered with a short fur coat but thick and flat all over the body.
The coat carries varied colors from black, fawn, or tan but with slight white markings on some parts of the body, like the face, neck, chest, feet, and tail. This dog bears a height between 11-16 inches and weighs 14-16 kg.
General Information
The life expectancy of a Drever is about 12-14 years. The average litter is about 3-6 puppies. Other names include Swedish Drever, Svensk Drever, Swedish Dachsbracke, Svensk Dachsbracke or Dachsbracke.