Smålandsstövare

Nineteenth-century Småland had scent hounds of many kinds. The FCI standard traces some of them to German, Polish and Baltic hounds brought back by soldiers returning from the great wars between 1611 and 1718. Crossed with local farm dogs of spitz type and later with English hounds, they became the foundation of the Smålandsstövare. Size, colour and tail length all varied, and some dogs were born with short tails.

The Svenska Smålandsstövareföreningen records the breed appearing at Sweden's first dog show in 1886, where a Smålandsstövare named Clerry became the first dog ever exhibited in the country. In the early twentieth century a serious effort was made to re-establish the old type, above all the bobtailed one, with Baron Fredrik J. von Essen of Strömsberg among those who kept it going. The first Swedish standard was drawn up in 1921 and the first dog entered in the Swedish Kennel Club register in 1922, and the standard has been revised several times since. The breed club itself was founded on 19 April 1969.

It is a hardy, versatile hound with a good voice, used mainly on fox and hare. The FCI standard is specific about what it is not: it is not a pack hound, and it is not used on deer. The temperament asked for is calm and friendly, faithful and keen.

The breed is registered by the FCI.

What the standard asks for

Bred for: Scenthound that give tongue used for hunting the hare and fox.

“Robust dog with a somewhat elegant look.”
— FCI standard no. 129

Temperament: Calm, friendly dog with a faithful and keen temperament

Size, standard by standard

• FCI — height 46-54 cm (males), 42-50 cm (females)

Full standards: FCI.

• A Smålandsstövare was the first dog ever exhibited at a Swedish dog show, in 1886.
• Some dogs are born with naturally short tails, and the standard allows both lengths.
• The first Swedish standard dates from 1921.
• Its ancestors include hounds brought home by soldiers between 1611 and 1718.
• It is one of Sweden's national scent hound breeds.