Smaland Hound

Calm, kind dog with a faithful and keen temperament.

A great variety of scent hounds existed in the county of Småland during the 19Th century. Some, whose ancestry came from German, Polish and Baltic hounds, had accompanied soldiers returning to Småland from the great wars (1611-1718). Those hounds together with local farm dogs of spitz type with an addition of English hounds became the foundation of the Smålandsstövare. Size as well as colour varied, as did the length of tail. Some where black-and-tan, others red or yellow. White markings were common. Some dogs were born with short tails. In the early 20Th century great efforts were made to re-establish the old Smålandsstövare, mainly the bobtailed variety, although the first standard drawn in 1921 allowed both the natural short and long tail. Colour was primarily decided to be black-and-tan but red and yellow was allowed as was white markings. The Smålandsstövare has had continuing additions of new blood, sometimes with strong lines to other breeds. The last time new blood was added was in the 1950?s, when for a short period, dogs of accepted type but with unknown background where registered as Smålandsstövare.