Hamiltonstovare

This Handsome, stylish dog comes from Sweden, where he is the most popular of the hounds breeds. Hound breeds have been known in Sweden since the 16th century. Hunting with hounds was up to 1789 a priviege for royalty and gentry only. It was not until the end of the 18th century that the ban that had prevented the peasantry from hunting the land was lifted. Hounds earlier kept only by the nobility became known and commonly spread. The origin of the Hamiltonstovare is believed to be a mixture of scent hounds from Southern Germany, Switzerland and primarily Foxhounds and Harriers. At the first dog show in Sweden in 1886 some 189 scent hounds where on exhibition. 

Among them were a dog and bitch, named Pang and Stella, owned by Count Adolf Patrik Hamilton. A painting of this couple is in the possession of the swedish Kennel Club. This couple are considered the origin of the Hamiltonstovare, or as the hounds initially were called; Swedish hounds. The breed gained the name Hamiltonstovare in 1921 as an honour to the man that had created the breed, the founder of the Swedish kennel Club, Count A.P.Hamilton. Hamiltonstovare are a hunting hound used singly to drive their prey, usually hare or fox, towards the hunter for shooting. For more information on hunting with Hamiltonstovare please go to the hunting section.

Characteristics*  Handsome, upstanding dog of striking colouring. Hardy and sound.

Temperament*  Typical even - tempered hound

Head and Skull*  Head longish, rectangular, with slightly arched and moderately broad skull. Occiput not too prominent. Stop well defined but not over pronounced. Jowis not too heavy. Muzzle fairly long, large and rectangular. Bridge of nose straight and parallel to line of skull. Nose always black, well developed with large nostrils. Upper lips full but not too overhanging.

Ears*  Set fairly high, when drawn alongside jaw, ears extend to approximately half - way along muzzle and should be raised only slightly above skull when responding to call. Soft with straight fall and fore edge not folded out.

Mouth*  Jaws strong, with a perfect, regular and complete scissor bite, i.e. upper theet closely overlapping lower teeth and set square to the jaws.

Neck*  Long and powerful, merging well into shoulders, skin on neck supple and close fitting.

Forequarters*  Shoulders muscular and well laid back. When viewed from front forelegs appear straight and parallel. Upper foreleg long and broad and set at a right angel to shoulder blade. Elbows set close in tp body.

Hindquarters* Strong  and parallel when viewed from behind. Well angulated, muscle well developed and broad when seen from side.

Feet*  Short and hard. Pads firm and pointing straight forward, dewclaws only allowed on front legs.

Tail* Set on high, in an almost straight continuation of line back. Held in straight position or curving slightly in sabre - like shape. Fairly wide at base and narrowing off towards tip. In length reaches hock.

Coat*  Coat consists of two layers. Undercoat short, close and soft, especially thick during winter. Upper coat strongly weather - resistant lying close to body. On underside of tail ordinary hair quit long but not forming a fringe. Ample hair between pads.

Colour*  Upper side of neck, back, sides of trunk and upper side of tail black. Head and legs, as well as side of neck, trunk and tail brown. Blaze on upper part of muzzle, underside of neck, breast and tip of tail, together wit feet, white. A mixture of black and brown undesirable, as is any preponderance of any of three permissible colours.

Faults*  Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree.

Note*  Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum .

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