Smålandsstövare - Smaland Hound - TOP 10 Interesting facts

1) Origin
The breed was developed in 17th century in historical swedish province Smaland. They are descendants of various European Hounds from Germany, Poland and Baltic regions, that were brought back to Sweden with returning Swedish soldiers. These dogs naturally cross with each other and later, they were also crossed with local swedish spitz like farm dog, which created the foundation stock for the Smalandsstovare.

2) Hunter
The Smalandsstovare was mainly bred by swedish farmers as all around hunting dog breed, specialized on hunting hare and fox, but also squirrels, birds or even large game such as moose. Farmers could not afford more hunting dogs, which is why the Smaland Hound was trained to be independent hunter and they were not used to hunt in packs. This dog is using its strong sense of smell, deep voice and high endurance on the hunt, as well as its high prey drive and chasing instinct. Overall, it is very good hunting breed.

3) Not a Rottweiler
Due to a similar coloration, the Smaland Hound is often times mistaken with Rottweiler or Doberman, but this breed has no links to these two dogs. They are much smaller than the Rottweiler and they have much slimmer face and the similarities are purely accidental and this truly is completely separate dog breed.

4) Companion
Of course, this is not only a hunter, but also amazing lively, loyal and intelligent companion dog. They are very playful and affectionate dogs that create very strong bond with its owner and family and they tend to be very protective over their loved ones. On the other hand, they are known to be suspicious and alert around strangers, but they should never be agressive without a reason. Unlike many other hounds, these dogs were not used to work in large packs, which is why they do not need company of other dogs, but of course, they can be socialized to live with other dogs. Other household pets might be little bit more problematic, because of the high prey drive of Smaland Hound. The Smalandsstovare can be good playful partners for kids as well, but of course, they should never be left with a very young child unsupervised.

5) Exercise
It is important to say that the Smalandsstovare is only suitable as companion pet for active owners and families. They are used to hunt all day long and they need some form of mental and physical exercise to stay healthy and happy and in good shape. It is absolutely essential to provide this dog with long daily walks, jogs, hikes, playtime, fun training session, etc. Otherwise they might become bored and possibly develop some unwanted behaviour such as destruction.

6) Size
The Smalandsstovare is a muscular, robust, but still very athletic dog breed with almost square shaped body. The average height is typically between 41-53 cm, which is 16-21 inch and weight between 15-20 kg, which is 33-44 lbs. Females are naturally slightly smaller than males.

7) Coat and color
The coat of Smaland Hound is in medium length and it is very coarse to touch. The coat is lying very close to the body and it is very shiny and straight. It is a doublecoated dog. The most common color is black and tan, but the markings can range in color from shades of amber to a reddish brown.

8) Maintenance
The dense doublecoat of Smalandsstovare sheds some deal of fur all year long, more heavily during shedding seasons. Regular brushing is ideal to remove all the loose and dead hair and minimize the shedding. No other grooming is required. Just like with any other dog breed, you should regularly check the dogs ears, eyes, nails and teeth and clip them or clean them if needed.

9) Standardization
For a long time, this breed was bred for purpose, rather than for appearance. Farmers needed a hunting dog and they did not care how it looked. That is why the Smaland Hound came in variety of sizes, colors or different tail types even at the end of 19th century. 19Th century is a date, when selective breeding was put into practice and when the Smaland Hound as we know it today was created. Today, the breed is recognized in many kennel clubs around the world. Next to the swedish kennel club, it is officially recognized by the FCI, UKC or CKC.
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10) Health
The average lifespan of this breed is around 13 or 14 years and it is not linked with any serious genetic health issues. Overall, this is very healthy and hardy breed. They can still suffer from typical doggy health issues like some allergies, infections, eye problems or joint problems, but none of these health issues should not be extremely common in this dog breed.