The Mountain Cur

Mountain Cur

 

Although Mountain Curs may be new to AKC, the breed started to take shape before America was settled. They were a necessity to the frontier family, and it is likely that the Southern Mountains could not have been settled without them. They were one of the biggest assets that the settlers had in the rough and unforgiving country of the mountains. Settlers needed a dog that could do all the work around the homestead, since it was not practical to keep and feed multiple dogs for different jobs. They guarded the family and livestock against wild animals or intruders, hunted food, and worked the farm.

They were used to catch, tree, or hole wild game for the family’s food. Until the 1940s, these dogs were part of the way of life for the frontiersmen. The men used money from sold furs that their dogs hunted to provide for their families. The decline of the fur market and the increase in city jobs was a huge factor in the declining numbers of the breed. The exact origins of this breed are undocumented, as there was no need for an official pedigree among the pioneers.

The Mountain Cur was declared a breed in 1957 with the organization of the Original Mountain Cur Breeders of America (OMCBA). At this time, there are three different registration organizations that AKC will accept into their registry; OMCBA, UKC, and Kemmer.

In modern days, the Mountain Cur excels at almost any task. They are super-athletic, high-energy, high-drive working dogs. They must have some kind of job or they will become bored and destructive. Obviously, they are a hunting breed, but if you’re not a hunter there are still many routes in dog sports to meet the breed’s needs. Curs have been titled in dog sports such as Obedience, Rally, Agility, Lure Coursing, Dock Diving, Conformation, Weight Pull, and more. There are several Cur service dogs as well. This is a breed that works WITH their people, and they do best when a solid bond is formed and balanced training methods are used.

The breed is normally wary of strangers and must be heavily socialized. They are working dogs and can also be stubborn and dominant as well, so it is advised to work with a professional trainer. They do well in the house with their family, but they can be very protective of their pack and home. It is definitely advised to supervise Curs with anyone who doesn’t live in the home. They also do not tolerate “rude” behavior well (kids pulling ears, overly friendly or dominant dogs, etc.). Children must be taught how to safely interact. The breed is extremely smart and will get into trouble if given the chance, especially if left unsupervised.

The Mountain Cur comes in a variety of colors, but never with more than one-third white markings. There is also no merle genetics in the breed. Colors are black, blue, blue brindle, yellow, red, brindle, and brown. The Cur can have tan or brindle trim and white markings. Ears should be drop and set high. Semi-erect ears are a fault. The tail can be any length. Rear dewclaws are preferred, but not required. The breed standard does allow for some variation in type, as this is primarily a working breed, but should always remain a sound, athletic, balanced dog, capable of hunting rough terrain for hours at a time.

ads
  • Mandy Middleton has had Mountain Cur dogs in her household since 2010. The first dog was a pound puppy out of Tennessee named “Diesel.” The versatility of this dog was amazing, and Diesel was able to do almost any task needed. Curious about these amazing dogs, Mandy happened across one dog online that looked just like Diesel, and found out what his breed was. She has been hooked on them since. Mandy bought her first registered Cur and started breeding in 2015, with her first bred-by pup, “Rebel,” achieving numerous awards and titles. The breed was already fully accepted in the United Kennel Club, but was not allowed to compete in AKC without being altered, since they were unrecognized. That is when Mandy petitioned for AKC recognition in the Foundation Stock Service. The breed was added in 2017, with her dog Rebel being the first to earn over 15 titles and multiple Best in Show awards in the AKC, thus, showcasing the breed’s versatility and beauty. Mandy has been single-handedly promoting the breed for the past five years in AKC events and hopes to be able to get more people involved in showing and performance events with this amazing breed

  • Show Comments

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

comment *

  • name *

  • email *

  • website *

You May Also Like

Mountain Cur

The Versatile Mountain Cur | America’s Original Working Dog

I would like to introduce America’s original versatile working dog, the Mountain Cur! They ...

Your Cart

No Item Found
Subtotal $0.00
Shipping $0.00
Tax $0.00
Total $0.00
0