Drever

Guides for your Drever

The story behind the Drever

The Drever was developed in Sweden during the twentieth century from Westphalian Dachsbracke stock imported from Germany in the earlier decades and crossed with local hounds. Swedish hunters wanted a short-legged trailing dog able to work deer, hare, and fox through dense cover and deep snow, pushing game at a pace slow enough for a hunter on foot to get into position, unlike the fast pursuit of longer-legged hounds. The type proved popular and gained recognition under the name Drever from Swedish authorities in the middle of the century, the word deriving from a term for driving game. The FCI recognises the breed, and the Canadian Kennel Club also accepted it, reflecting some North American use. It stays among the more numerous hunting dogs in Sweden and is scarce elsewhere.

Originally bred for: Deer and hare trailing hound, Driving dog, Fox hunter. You can trace how working roles shaped today’s breeds across our dog guides.

Feeding a Drever

A long-bodied, short-legged hound that must stay lean to protect its back, so measure portions and count the treats hounds pursue so relentlessly. Working dogs in cold weather need more food than pets do. Two meals daily suit most, followed by quiet rest.

Watch for: No breed-linked intolerance is described. The realistic dietary risk for a food-motivated hound is weight gain rather than allergy, and excess weight is hard on a long back. Recurring skin or ear complaints deserve veterinary assessment, since ear shape often plays a part.

Not sure what to put in the bowl? See our picks for the best dog food for small breeds.

Mealtime extras: training treats worth keeping in your pocket. Everything else lives in our dog nutrition and feeding hub.

Living with a Drever

Day to day, the basics matter most: how much exercise your dog needs, how often to get out for a walk, and how much sleep is normal.

For play and enrichment, browse our favorite dog toys and interactive toys for rainy days.

Gear that fits the breed makes life easier: a well-sized dog bed, a comfortable no-pull harness.

Raising a puppy? Work through crate training and the teething timeline — or see how old your dog is in human years with our dog age calculator.