The Hamiltonstovare (Hamilton Hound) is a Swedish scent hound — a tricolour, black-blanket, tan-and-white dog of about 22-27 kg and 49-61 cm — bred to hunt hare and fox solo across the Swedish forest by tracking, flushing, and giving voice. It looks like a refined Foxhound and behaves like a scent hound, which is the single most important thing a prospective owner has to internalise: the nose runs this dog, not the recall. The breed is rare outside Scandinavia. In North America it is uncommon, with a very small breeding base and occasional dogs turning up in rural shelters in the American South. In the home it is genuinely calm, low-maintenance, and rarely-shedding — a relaxed, affectionate housemate. Outdoors, off-lead, near a scent, it is a different animal: independent, driven, and capable of working a trail for a long time without checking in. Temperament: friendly, even-tempered, affectionate with family, sociable with people and usually other dogs (it was bred to hunt alone, not in packs, so it is not as pack-obligate as some hounds but is not dog-aggressive either), good with children, and notably food-motivated, which makes training workable despite hound independence. It is a hound, so high-level competitive obedience is usually unrealistic and that is fine. Who the Hamiltonstovare is right for: an owner with secure fencing, a commitment to leashed or long-line freedom, and an appetite for daily exercise who wants a calm-at-home, healthy hound. Who it is wrong for: anyone expecting reliable off-lead recall near wildlife, or anyone in a no-fence situation — the trade-off is built into the breed.
Life Span
14–17 years
Weight
23–27 kg
Height
49–61 cm
moderate
Exercise
moderate
Grooming
moderate
Shedding
Yes
Good with Kids
Yes
Good with Pets
Friendly
Apartment
The Hamiltonstovare was developed in late-19th-century Sweden by Count Adolf Patrik Hamilton, a founder of the Swedish Kennel Club, who crossed German and English hounds — accounts cite Holsteiner, Hanoverian, and Curländer hounds with English Foxhound and Harrier blood — to create a hardy scent hound suited to the Swedish climate and to solo hunting of hare and fox where pack hunting was impractical. The breed was first shown in 1886 and became …
Hamiltonstovare dog breed portrait
The Hamiltonstovare belongs to the Foundation Stock Service.
With proper care, Hamiltonstovare dogs can live up to 17 years or more.
Hamiltonstovare dogs are valued for their agile, versatile, regal nature.
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Detailed cost data for Hamiltonstovare is not yet available. Check back soon!
The Hamiltonstovare's real costs are containment and exercise, not grooming or vet bills. Containment: this is non-negotiable and the thing new owners underestimate. A scent hound on a trail does not hear you. Secure fencing and a long line for open spaces are not optional accessories — they are core care. Most Hamiltonstovare 'behaviour problems' are actually a loose hound following its nose two fields away. Exercise: budget 60+ minutes of daily activity. A bored, under-exercised hound becomes a vocal, restless one — and this breed has a carrying hunting voice that neighbours notice. Scent games and tracking work satisfy the dog far more efficiently than aimless walking. Coat: short, dense, weatherproof. A weekly brush handles it; shedding is low. No clipping, no professional grooming cost — one of the cheaper breeds to maintain. Ears: pendulous hound ears trap moisture and warmth. Check and dry them weekly, especially after wet work; ear infections are the breed's most common everyday veterinary issue and are largely preventable with routine checks. Weight: food-motivated hounds gain easily. Keep a feel-able rib cage, feed measured meals, and resist the begging — excess weight stresses joints over a long life. Decision rule: if a Hamiltonstovare shaking its head, scratching an ear, or producing ear odour or discharge does not resolve within a day of cleaning, book a vet rather than re-cleaning repeatedly — untreated hound-ear infections deepen fast and become a recurring cost when caught late.
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Hamiltonstovare Care Guide
## Hamiltonstovare Care Overview This Hamiltonstovare care guide gives owners a practical plan for...
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