Drever

The Drever is a short-legged scenthound from Sweden, developed to push deer and hare toward a waiting hunter at a slow, steady pace rather than a full chase. Its low build keeps its nose close to the spoor, and its loud, musical voice tells the hunter which way the animal is heading. Off the hunting ground, the breed is calm, sociable, and no trouble to live with.

Adult Drevers are low to the ground but solidly built, with a rectangular body made for stamina rather than speed. The breed gets on well with people of all ages and rarely shows aggression. Its tracking instinct runs deep, though, so a scent on the ground can pull its attention away in an instant.

In Sweden and its neighbouring countries the Drever remains a popular hunting companion, but it is a rare sight anywhere else, South Africa included. Households prepared to give it daily activity and regular outlets for its nose get the best out of the breed.

Who the Drever suits

The Drever suits active owners who can offer long daily walks and a securely fenced garden. It does well in homes that hunt or take part in tracking sports, and it gets on with children and other dogs without any fuss. Its carrying voice and strong scent drive make it a poor match for a flat with neighbours close by, or for owners who cannot manage a determined nose on a walk.

The Drever's roots go back to short-legged scenthounds brought into Sweden from continental Europe in the early 1900s. Hunters wanted a hound low enough to work deer and hare at a gentle pace, moving the game toward the gun rather than running it down. Crosses between imported dachshund-type hounds and local Swedish scenthounds gave the breed its foundation stock.

For several decades these dogs were lumped together with other short-legged Swedish hounds under one broad label. As the type grew more distinct, Swedish breeders set about fixing its size, proportions, and working style into a recognisable breed.

The name Drever came out of a public naming competition held in Sweden in 1947. It comes from the Swedish word for driving game, which sums up the breed's job in the field. Formal recognition in Sweden followed soon after.

The Drever is still widely used for hunting in Sweden and turns up in smaller numbers across the other Nordic countries and in North America. It has never caught on outside hunting circles elsewhere, South Africa included, which has kept its working character largely intact.

The Drever has a long, low body set on short, strong legs. The build is rectangular rather than compact, which gives it reach and stamina at a steady working pace. The head is fairly long with a clear stop, and the ears sit moderately high, of medium length, hanging flat against the cheeks. The tail is fairly long and may be carried level, or slightly raised when the dog is working a spoor. Where the breed is registered in South Africa, it is shown to the FCI standard under Kennel Union of Southern Africa (KUSA) rules, the same standard used in Sweden.

Coat and colours

The coat is short and dense, lying close to the body, with slightly longer hair on the neck, the back of the thighs, and the underside of the tail. The breed standard allows any colour, but white markings must always be present and clearly visible, which helps a hunter keep the dog in sight in thick cover. Tricolour and red or fawn with white are the most common patterns. The white usually shows on the muzzle, neck, chest, feet, and tip of the tail. The short coat needs very little upkeep to stay neat.

The Drever is known for a cheerful, even temper. It is affectionate with family members and generally welcoming to strangers, with little tendency toward shyness or aggression. It is patient and tolerant around children, and it usually accepts other dogs without any bother, a trait that comes from its history of working in packs.

The breed is alert and quick to announce visitors or unfamiliar sounds, which makes it a capable watchdog without being an aggressive one. Its hunting background shows in a powerful scent drive: a fresh trail can hold its full attention, and it may follow a spoor with single-minded focus. The Drever also has a loud, carrying voice that it uses freely on a trail, and sometimes indoors as well.

Cats and small pets can trigger the chase instinct, so early introductions and supervision are worth the effort. Given enough activity and company, the Drever settles into a calm, affectionate household companion.

Grooming

• Brush the short coat once a week to clear out loose hair and keep it neat
• Bathe the dog only when it is dirty, as frequent washing is not needed
• Check the hanging ears weekly and clean them to lower the risk of infection
• Trim the nails every few weeks and check the paws after time in the garden or veld
• Brush the teeth several times a week to support dental health

Exercise

• Give the dog at least an hour of activity a day, split between walks and play
• Keep it on a lead or inside a fenced garden, since a scent can pull it off course
• Offer scent games, tracking work, or hunting activity to use its nose
• Add mental tasks such as search games to keep boredom at bay

Environment

The Drever adapts to most homes with a garden, provided it gets its daily exercise. A secure fence matters, because the breed will follow a spoor for a surprising distance. Its loud voice carries, so it suits a house with some space around it better than a block of flats. The short coat gives limited protection against the cold, and South Africa's climate varies sharply with region and altitude: a frosty Highveld winter morning calls for more shelter than a warm Lowveld evening, so plan for the conditions where you actually live.

The Drever does well on a complete, balanced dog food suited to its size, age, and activity level. Working and hunting dogs need more calories during active seasons, while a less active pet needs less to avoid piling on weight. Because the breed has a long back and short legs, extra weight adds strain to the spine and joints, so watching portions matters. Fresh water should be available at all times.

Treats and supplements

Use treats sparingly and count them toward the day's calories, since this breed puts on weight easily. Most Drevers on a complete diet need no extra supplements. A vet may suggest joint support for an older dog given the long-backed build, but only add supplements on professional advice.

The Drever is a generally healthy, hardy breed with a typical lifespan of 12 to 15 years. Its working background and modest popularity have helped keep the gene pool sound. The main concerns relate to its body shape and ears rather than to widespread inherited disease. In South Africa, tick exposure adds another factor to watch: canine biliary (babesiosis), spread by the yellow dog tick, is a genuine risk for any dog that spends time in long grass or veld, so owners should stay alert to it alongside the breed's own structural concerns. Regular veterinary checks and sensible weight management support a long, active life.

Preventive care

• Keep up to date with routine vaccinations and parasite control
• Use a reliable tick treatment all year round, since ticks stay active for most of the year in much of South Africa and biliary can turn serious fast
• Maintain a healthy weight to protect the back and joints
• Clean and check the ears weekly
• Brush the teeth regularly and book dental checks
• Have a yearly veterinary exam, with more frequent visits for senior dogs

The Drever is intelligent and keen to please, but its scenthound independence means it can tune out commands the moment it picks up an interesting spoor. Training works best when it starts early and stays consistent. Short, varied sessions hold the dog's interest better than long, repetitive drills. A reliable recall is the hardest lesson and the most important one, since the breed will follow a scent for a surprising distance, so most off-lead work should happen in secure areas until recall is solid.

Basics

1. Start socialisation in puppyhood with people, dogs, and everyday sights and sounds
2. Teach name response and attention before moving on to harder commands
3. Build sit, down, and stay with food rewards and short repetitions
4. Practise recall daily, starting in a fenced garden and using high-value treats
5. Introduce a release word and lead manners to manage pulling toward a scent
6. Channel the nose into tracking or scent games as a structured outlet

Drevers generally reach sexual maturity between six and twelve months, though responsible breeders wait until a bitch is physically and mentally mature, usually around two years, before breeding. Health screening before mating helps cut the risk of passing on problems, with particular attention to back and joint soundness given the breed's long build.

Gestation runs about 63 days from conception. Litters typically number four to six puppies, and most births go smoothly, though a vet should be on call. The mother raises the puppies, with normal weaning around four to seven weeks. Early handling and gentle exposure to household life help the puppies develop the steady, friendly temperament the breed is known for. Puppies usually go to new homes from about eight weeks old.

Drever registration and microchips in South Africa

South Africa has no single national law forcing microchips on dogs, though the SPCA chips as standard and rabies vaccination is required by law. What actually reunites a lost Drever with you is a record, and that part is free: a United Pet Club profile carries your details beside the dog's photo for as long as you have him. Registering your dog takes a few minutes, with no fee attached.

The chip is a number; the registry entry is the story behind it. Capture your Drever's 15-digit number in a free United Pet Club account and the story reads: this dog has a home. Every brand is accepted, updates never cost a cent, and the record stays searchable here and abroad. Microchip registration plus a free account does it.