MOUNTAIN CUR DOG

What is the Mountain Cur dog breed?

After about the 1940’s, the influx of new settlers had slowed.

The early settlers living in more established areas had less need of the Mountain Cur’s guard dog services, and the breed itself began to decline.

By the early 1950’s, this shift was pointing towards the Original Mountain Cur dog breed’s potential extinction.

The reason for this extinction threat was simple. The original breeders and keepers had little interest in tracking or recording pedigrees.

They were much too busy carving out a place for their families in the wild country, with the help and protection of their faithful Mountain Cur dogs.

Becoming official…

In fact, the Mountain Cur only achieved official “breed status” in 1957, when a group of four enthusiasts banded together to form the Original Mountain Cur Breeders of America (OMCBA) with the intention to preserve this unique dog breed.

In time, the OMCBA was able to fill in some knowledge gaps in the original lineage.

For instance, they learned that the first Mountain Curs actually traveled with settlers from Europe and Spain (Brindle Mountain Cur) to New World.

Today, breeders know that in early American Mountain Curs, five bloodlines were predominant: McConnell, Stephens, York, Ledbetter, Arline.

From these five lines, the OMCBA breeders developed a new bloodline called the (Robert) Kemmer Stock Mountain Curs.

The Kemmer Stock bloodline served as foundation stock dogs to create the United Kennel Club (UKC) Mountain Cur.

Today, sometimes a Mountain Cur puppy will be referred to by a name that indicates the original cur bloodline stock, such as the Rocky Mountain Cur.

However, this type of indication is not in widespread use by breeders today.

By 2017, the Mountain Cur earned its place in the American Kennel Club’s (AKC) exclusive Foundation Stock Service® listing.

A directory reserved for rare breed enthusiasts who want to ensure the original purebred Mountain Cur hound line remains intact.

Mountain Cur squirrel dog

Squirrel hunting with Mountain Curs as assistants is a nearly surefire way to bag this essential ingredient.

Making classic southern Appalachian dishes such as squirrel casserole and squirrel stew.

Here, the purity of the breed line runs a distant second to the dog’s ability to get the job done.

Mountain Curs are not only the breed of choice for scenting and treeing these small, quick prey animals.

Most hunters will even choose a mutt with some cur heritage over a purebred hunting dog from another breed line!

Mountain Cur weight and height

The Mountain Cur is considered a “medium size” dog. But due to variances in parentage, a Mountain Cur’s weight can vary by as much as 30 pounds.

The generally accepted weight range is from 30 to 60 pounds, with males typically being heavier than females.

The height range of the Mountain Cur in adulthood is from 16 inches to 26 inches, with the males again typically standing taller than the females.

As well, the weight and the height of any individual dog is always proportional.

So with a proportionate height-to-weight ratio, this would mean a Mountain Cur of a heavier weight would also stand taller than a Mountain Cur of lighter weight.

Mountain Cur appearance

The Mountain Cur is a slim, athletic dog with long legs and an overall natural agility and grace.

Even the roughest terrain won’t phase this well-muscled working, tracking and treeing dog.

Here is some basic Mountain Cur info to help you learn more about this unique dog breed.

Tail

Sometimes the Mountain Cur’s tail is naturally bobbed (short). But sometimes the tail is also manually bobbed by the breeder for hygiene and safety.

Some Mountain Curs also have medium-length un-bobbed tails.

Ears

The Mountain Cur’s ears are set high on the dog’s stocky, powerful head and neck.

However, from there the ears are longish and flop endearingly downward to frame the face.

Eyes

A Mountain Cur’s eyes are typically brown, although here the brown color can range from a light amber to a deep rich mahogany brown.

Enthusiasts find the Mountain Cur’s eyes to be large, expressive and alert.

Mountain Cur Coat

Purebred Mountain Cur colors include blue, black, brown, brindle (brown striped pattern), yellow and red.

Sometimes small amounts of white may also be present.

Because of this, if you see references to a dog called a Yellow Mountain Cur or a White Mountain Cur or some other (color) Mountain Cur name.

These names generally refer to the dominant coat coloration for that particular animal.

The Mountain Cur’s coat is short, thick and close-fitting, with a roughly textured look.

The coat consists of two layers: a heavy top coat and a soft insulating undercoat.

Shedding is minimal with the exception of the semi-annual spring and fall shed seasons.

Regular brushing and occasional bathing typically provides sufficient coat grooming care.

With such a short coat that sheds minimally, it would be natural to wonder, “is the Mountain Cur hypoallergenic?”

The answer here is, “no.”

The Mountain Cur is also not one of the dog breeds that contains lower amounts of the dander protein that triggers allergies in some people.

Mountain Cur temperament

The Mountain Cur temperament is quite different from the typical domestic pet dog.

These dogs are not laid back at all.

They cope very poorly with isolation and boredom and are best kept as an “only dog,” as they may view other family pets as competition or intruders.

Bright and curious, Mountain Curs make for eager pupils during training.

Because they are bred to guard, protect and serve, the Mountain Cur can make a spectacular family dog….for the right family.

They are also excellent hunting dogs with keen instincts and a tireless work ethic.

Because of their high guarding and protective instincts, a Mountain Cur dog is normally reserved around strangers.

It can take some time for this dog to bypass that reserve and warm up to newcomers.

If you are thinking about becoming a first-time Mountain Cur owner, it is critical to understand that these dogs rarely adapt well to domestic suburban life.

Without sufficient daily enrichment and activity, a Mountain Cur is likely to become troublesome and destructive.

As well, bringing home another Mountain Cur to be a companion to the first will not alleviate this issue – these dogs simply need to WORK.

Mountain Cur socialization

As a natural guarding breed, the Mountain Cur will require a lot of socialization to be a happy member of a family.

From the first day they arrive home, you will need to begin a plan of intensive interaction with people and other pets.

Make sure you have visitors every day, of varying ages. To help your puppy understand that new people approaching the house are not a threat.

Take your dog to numerous locations, sit there and give him treats as people pass by.

Mountain Curs have some special requirements that you will need to take account for when raising him.

Mountain Cur special needs

The Mountain Cur dog breed has a tremendous capacity for activity. When kept as a working dog, this is a dog breed that could walk or run 15 miles or more per day and still have lots of enthusiasm for activity!

As well, since this dog has been bred for chasing and treeing climbing prey animals like squirrels and raccoons, the Mountain Cur has pretty fantastic climbing abilities.

With the proper motivation, your Mountain Cur has the potential to climb 10 feet or more!

For these reasons, it is vital to provide your Mountain Cur with plenty of active interaction, including running, games of fetch, training, swimming, retrieval and more.

A Mountain Cur will never do well in a small, confining space such as an apartment with no yard.

You should also plan your containment, fencing and crate or kennel design in advance to be sure your Mountain Cur doesn’t become an escape artist!

Finally, while the Mountain Cur is an eager and intelligent pupil in training, this dog breed is neither submissive nor patient, and is very intolerant to rough or overly authoritarian training or discipline.

As such, a firm and confident but gentle and affectionate approach will give you the best training results.

Mountain Cur lifespan

The general Mountain Cur lifespan range is from 12 to 16 years.

Overall, Mountain Curs are considered generally healthy dogs that can easily live up to 15 or 16 years.

Here however, as with any domestic pet animal, a Mountain Cur’s chances of reaching the far end of the breed life expectancy will largely depend on the individual dog’s daily diet, lifestyle, activity level and genetics.

Mountain Cur health

Overall, the Mountain Cur dog breed is considered one of the all-around healthiest purebred dog breeds alive today.

As with all dog breeds, however, the Mountain Cur has certain known sensitivities that should be kept in mind.

Dry skin

Excessive bathing or a consistent lack of humidity or both can lead to dry skin and irritation. Only gentle dog-safe shampoo should be used, and bathing should be done sparingly.

Ear infections

The long, floppy ears are more prone to wax buildup, ear mites and infections.

Genetic issues

Happily, the Mountain Cur is one of the few breeds with no consistent known genetic health concerns.

However, it is always still a good idea to consult the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) database to discover if new heritable health issues have been reported in association with the Mountain Cur dog breed.

Mountain Cur breeders

When selecting a breeder to work with, it is vital to communicate your ultimate goal(s) for bringing home a Mountain Cur puppy (hunting, herding, companionship, guarding, showing competitively, et al).

This is because a breeder may specialize in one aspect or another, and you want to choose a breeder with a specialization that matches your personal goals.

Look for each of these traits in any breeder you seriously consider working with:

• Good reputation in the field and among current and past clients.
• Willingness to provide an initial health guarantee of at least six to 12 months.
• Willing to take back a puppy if the new situation doesn’t work out.
• Able to provide proof of required vaccinations.
• A release date of nine weeks or later (to allow for proper initial socialization).
• Open to permitting genetic testing on any puppy you have a serious interest in.
• Grants permission for you to meet and spend time with both parent dogs.
• Gives you access to health and genetic information about both parent dogs.

If you encounter a breeder that expresses reluctance or resistance to any of the above, it is best to walk away. The same holds true for any breeder who states their dogs are free of all health problems, as this is biologically impossible.

Mountain Cur puppies

As you begin to search for Mountain Cur puppies, it likely won’t be long before you notice there are several different breed registries, including the American Kennel Club (AKC), the American Canine Association (ACA), the United Kennel Club (UKC) and the Continental Kennel Club (CKC).