Drever

American Rare Breed Association

FCI-Standard N° 130  / 26. 07. 2006 / GB

DREVER 

TRANSLATION : Renée Sporre-Willes.

ORIGIN : Sweden.

DATE OF PUBLICATION OF THE ORIGINAL VALID STANDARD : 21.02.2006.

UTILIZATION : Scenthound.

CLASSIFICATION F.C.I. :  Group 6 Scenthounds and related breeds.  Section 1.3 Small-sized Hounds.  With working trial.

BRIEF HISTORICAL SUMMARY : The small-sized German hound, the Westphalian Dachsbracke, was imported to Sweden in 1910. The first dogs were registered in 1913 but little is known about the breed before 1930.  It was from then on it gained reputation as a very good tracker of deer.  Deer had been sparse until then, but as they grew stronger in numbers and spread further north, hunters got to hear about the advantages of the short-legged deer tracking hound.  In 1947, the larger (2 cm higher at the withers) Swedish variety of the Bracke was given the name Drever.  In 1953 the Drever was recognized as a Swedish breed.  The Drever is considered the first choice for deer-hunting but it is also a very reliable hound for hunting both hare and fox.  In all essentials the Drever should be built as a track hound.  It should have the ability to work efficiently in the Swedish terrain and climate.  The breed is strictly kept as a hunting dog and hardly ever heard of as « just » a companion dog.

GENERAL APPEARANCE : Rather long in body and fairly short on legs.  Appearance should be robust and strong rather than elegant and speedy.  Proud carriage, well developed muscles and agile appearance.  Differences in build between male and female clearly defined.

IMPORTANT PROPORTIONS : The distance between ground and sternum should be 40% of the height at the withers.  The muzzle should equal the skull in length.

BEHAVIOUR / TEMPERAMENT : Keen and even-tempered hound.  Never aggressive, nervous or shy.

HEAD : Rather large in proportion to body.  Longish and tapering towards the nose.  The muzzle should equal the skull in length.

CRANIAL REGION :

Skull : Only slightly arched.

Stop : Slight.

FACIAL REGION :

Nose : Black, with well developed, wide open nostrils.

Muzzle : Viewed from above or the side muzzle well developed, never snipy.  Bridge of nose straight or very slightly convex.

Lips : Tight, closely fitting.  They perfectly cover the teeth. Corner of the mouth not visible.

Jaws/Teeth : Jaws strong with a perfect, regular and complete scissor bite.  Level bite permissible.

Eyes : Bright and full of expression, neither protruding nor staring.  Dark brown.  Eye rims closely fitting.

Ears : Set fairly low, medium long and broad, hanging without folds close to the cheeks.  Rounded tips.

NECK : Proportionally long and powerful, merging well into shoulders; skin supple and tight-fitting.

BODY :

Topline : Level.

Withers : Well defined in males.

Back : Powerful and muscular.

Loin : Strong and comparatively short.  Slightly arched viewed from the side.

Croup : Slightly inclined, long and broad.

Chest : Well developed, oval and clearly reaching below elbows.  Ribs well developed to the rear. Well defined presternum.

Underline and belly : Line of sternum evenly joining the slightly tucked up belly.

TAIL : Long and thick at base.  Preferably hanging down but may be carried higher but never over the back.

LIMBS

FOREQUARTERS :

General appearance : Straight legs viewed from front and with strong bone.

Shoulder : Shoulders long, broad and muscular with well-developed withers.  Closely fitting.  Viewed from the side set at an angle of 50° to the horizontal line.

Upper arm : Proportionally long and broad.  Closely fitting but yet very mobile.  Set at an angle of 100° to shoulder blade.

Elbow: Turning neither in nor out.

Pastern (Metacarpus) : Springy with a slight angle to forearm, viewed from the side.

Forefeet : Firm, with well knit toes and well-developed pads.  Feet turning neither in nor out.

HINDQUARTERS :

General appearance : Parallel when viewed from behind.

Thigh : Broad with well-developed muscles.

Stifle : Well angulated.

Hock joint : Broad, strong and well angulated.

Metatarsus : Short and standing almost vertical.

Hind feet : See front feet.

GAIT / MOVEMENT  : Movement should be even, parallel and long reaching.  Backline to remain level.

COAT

HAIR : Harsh, straight and lying close to body.  On head, ears and lower part of legs coat should be shorter.  On neck, back and backside of thighs coat should be longer.  On underside of tail bushy but not forming a fringe.

COLOUR : All colours with white markings are permissible.  Not accepted is all white or liver brown.

Colours should be very well defined.  White markings should be visible from all angles and shall preferably be in form of a blaze, a full necklace, on legs, feet and tip of tail.  Symmetrical markings preferred.

SIZE :

Height at withers :

Ideal size 35 cm for males with a permitted variation   of 32-38 cm.

Ideal size 33 cm for bitches with a permitted variation of 30-36 cm.

FAULTS : Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree.

Flesh-coloured nose.

Light eyes.

Incomplete number of incisors.

White markings other than those mentioned in the standard.

SERIOUS FAULTS :

Too low on legs.

Narrow lower jaw.

Sway back.  Roach back.

Bandy front legs.

Feet turning in or out.

ELIMINATING FAULTS :

Aggressive or overly shy.

One or both eyes blue.

Pronounced over-or undershot bite.

Faulty position of one or both canines of the lower jaw which, when the mouth is shut, can damage the upper gums or the palate.

Kinked or otherwise deformed tail.

Liver brown colour, all white coat.

Under-or oversized.

Any dog clearly showing physical or behavioural abnormalities shall be disqualified.

N.B. : Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.