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Mountain Cur Dog Breed Introduction
Mountain Cur is a medium-sized hunting dog with a great treeing instinct. They were brought in the United States nearly 200 years ago from Europe by the colonizers of the mountains in Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, and Ohio. Mountain Curs were crucial part of the cultures of homesteaders, settlers, and early pioneers. This is an outdoorsy dog that makes excellent companions for outdoor enthusiasts owners who enjoy adventurous hikes over lazy days spent indoors.
Mountain Curs are working dogs that will sometimes get bored or anxious if they are deprived of the opportunity to guard, hunt, or work around a farm. Although, if they have a job to do, they are generally obedient and happy. A Mountain Cur is energetic, intelligent, and easily trainable. It is also known for getting along with children and trying to please its owners. However, they have a high prey drive and will chase after cats and other small animals.
Mountain Cur Origin
Mountain Curs were brought in America from Europe nearly 200 years ago by colonizers and settlers of the mountains. This breed enabled the early frontiersmen to provide pelts and meat for personal use or trade. Mountain Curs also guarded the family and livestock against intruders or wild animals. They were used to hole, tree, or catch wild game for the family’s food.
With the surfacing of World War II, may families that had bred Mountain Curs left the rural setting to work in the factories in the war effort. Therefore, by the end of 1940s, the breed was becoming rare. Four individuals, Dewey Ledbetter of Tennessee, Carl McConnell of Virginia as well as Hugh Stephens and Woody Huntsman of Kentucky are credited for saving Mountain Curs from extinction and setting the breed’s standard.
Little is known about the origin of the Mountain Curs. This is because the early settlers were more concerned with the hunting ability of the dog rather than its pedigree. Mountain Curs were officially declared a breed in 1957 with the Original Mountain Cur Breeders of America. In 2017, this breed was assigned to the Foundation Stock Service group of the AKC.
Mountain Cur Lifespan
A Mountain Cur has a lifespan of 10 to 13 years according to AKC. Although, some may live up to the age of 14 to 16 years.
Mountain Cur Grooming
A Mountain Cur has a double-layered coat that is short and smooth. The coat sheds a bit of hair all-year round. Weekly brushing using a shedding blade or a rubber curry comb will help to remove loose hair, dirt, and promote new hair growth. Mountain Curs shed heavily during Spring and Fall. Brush the coat on a daily basis to minimize the amount of loose hair on the floor.
Mountain Curs need an occasional bath or when necessary if the dog rolls off into something stinky. Use a hypoallergenic canine shampoo and conditioner to bath and moisturize the coat. After a bath, thoroughly rinse off the cleaning products from the coat to prevent irritation to the skin. Wipe the eye corners with a damp cloth instead of using soapy water.
Trim the nails fortnightly using a nail grinder or trimmer to prevent overgrowth, cracking, and splitting. Overly grown nails are painful for a Mountain Cur while walking or running. Brush the teeth of Mountain Curs twice a week if not daily to remove tartar buildup using a dog-formulated toothpaste and toothbrush. Clean the ears with an ear cleanser solution and cotton balls once a week to remove debris and excess wax. While cleaning the ears, look out for signs of dog’s ear infection such as odor, redness, or a dark discharge.
Mountain Cur Shedding
A Mountain Cur sheds lightly all-year round. However, the shed hair is more noticeable in Spring and fall when experiencing seasonal change.
Mountain Cur Coat
A Mountain Cur has a double coat that is smooth, short, and close fitting.
Mountain Cur Hypoallergenic
A Mountain Cur is not hypoallergenic breed. It has a moulting coat that sheds all-year round at low levels and heavily during Spring and Fall. Shedding releases hair and dander into the environment triggering allergies. Apart from dander and hair, dog’s saliva, urine, and mucus have a protein allergen that aggravates allergies.
Mountain Cur Training | How To Train A Mountain Cur
A Mountain Cur is an easily trainable and intelligent dog. This breed also loves to please its owners which is a plus when training. Some Mountain Curs may be difficult to train while others are more agreeable. Parents should assume the role of pack leadership for successful training. Naturally, Mountain Curs are pack dogs that thrive where a pecking order has been established. Dogs follow orders and don’t challenge leadership if the hierarchy has already been created.
Owners may assume the role of pack leadership by making the pet understand they are the source of all great things such as food, toys, and treats. This can be done by eating first and always getting through the door first. The parent may also create a pecking order by only allowing the pooch to join them in their personal space following an invite. A successful pack leadership also teaches a Mountain Cur that nothing is for free. Therefore, the dog discovers to experience something like a walk, love, or snack, it has to behave appropriately.
Mountain Curs respond well to gentle and firm leadership as well as positive training methods such as use of treats, playtime, verbal praise, toys, and petting. This breed has a high tendency to please the owner. Therefore, it is sensitive to harsh correction methods such as yelling, shoving, beating, kicking, and use of choke or prong collars. These methods are counterproductive. Keep the training sessions short for a span of 5 minutes distributed throughout the day to avoid boredom and distraction.
Start training the pup immediately it comes home before it gets inclined to bad habits. Discourage the behaviors that you will not tolerant once the pup matures. Socialization is key in raising a well-mannered, well-adjusted Mountain Cur. This is especially significant for this breed since it has a guarding mentality. Socialization helps the Mountain Curs to understand that not everyone is a foe some are friends and they don’t need to protect the owner from everything. This training will also help to tame any aggression exhibited towards other people or dogs who they think pose as a threat to the parent.
Socialization training start from the age of 3 weeks while the puppy is living with the breeder until the age of 16 weeks after it has already settled in its new home. Normally, parents take their pets home from the age of 8 weeks. Although, socialization can be life-long process after the age of 16 weeks to ensure a Mountain Cur develops to have a well-rounded temperament. To socialize Mountain Curs, expose them to a wide variety of people, animals, surfaces, smell, places, sight, situations, experiences, and sounds such as whistles, door bells, baby crying sounds, vacuum cleaners, washing machines, sirens, and lawn mowers.
Enrolling a Mountain Cur in a puppy class will also serve as a form of socialization. These classes create a controlled environment where canines interact. Puppy classes also enable the owner to have access to training information and assistance. It goes undisputed that the puppy classes helps the parents to identify and correct bad habits such as resource guarding things like food and toys. Start teaching basic command words like come, sit, lie down, stay, heel, wait, leave it, etc. immediately the pup joins you home. Teach one basic command at a time until the dog is well-acquainted before proceeding to the next command word. Avoid issuing a command word while too excited or frustrated since it no longer sounds as per usual.
Effectively housebreak a Mountain Cur by creating a feeding schedule, potty training, and crate training. A crate is an invaluable tool that enables the owner to closely monitor the dog for signs of elimination such as circling, sniffing, whining, squatting, restlessness, and lifting a leg against the crate wall. To get positive outcomes while potty training, take a Mountain Cur to the designated toilet area immediately it comes home from the breeder, every morning when it wakes up, 20 minutes after meals and drinks, following an exciting activity such as a car ride and playtime, every 2 to 3 hours, after naptime, and before bedtime. The bladder and bowel muscles of a pup strengthens as the puppy matures. Therefore, after the age of 8 months, Mountain Curs should go for potty breaks every 6 to 8 hours.
Mountain Cur Temperament | Personality | Characteristics
- Intelligent.
- Protective.
- Easily trainable.
- Willing to please.
- Active.
- Watchful.
- Alert.
- Courageous.
- Energetic.
- Reserved with strangers.
- Tireless.
- Willful.
- Agile.
- Decisive.
Mountain Cur Exercise
A Mountain Cur is an active and energetic dog that needs mental and physical exercise in form of daily long walks if they are not hunting or they may become bored or destructive. While walking the dogs, the owners must make the dog heel so that they may reinforce they are the pack leaders.
Mountain Cur Bark
A Mountain Cur has a clear bark that can be heard over a long distance. Although, it is not an overly-vocal dog. Mountain curs can silent, open, or semi-open while on a trail.
Mountain Cur Height
Female Mountain Curs have a height of 16 to 24 inches ( approx. 41 to 61 cm ) while their male counterparts have a height of 18 to 26 inches ( approx. 46 to 66 cm ).
Mountain Cur Weight
A mature Mountain Cur has a weight of 30 to 60 pounds ( approx. 14 to 27 kg ).
Mountain Cur Size
Mountain Curs are medium-sized dogs that have a weight of 30 to 60 pounds ( approx. 14 to 27 kg ). However, male Mountain Curs are slightly taller with a height of 18 to 26 inches ( approx. 46 to 66 cm ) while Female Mountain Curs have a height of 16 to 24 inches ( approx. 41 to 61 cm ).
Mountain Cur Health Issues
A Mountain Cur is a healthy and robust breed that is affected by few health issues such as ear infections, skin infections, injuries, scrapes, or leg injuries while hunting, fleas or ticks infestation if the dog is predominantly outside, and dry or sensitive skin.
Apart from Mountain Curs, other dog breeds include:
Mountain Cur Names
A Mountain Cur owner may get a name for the pet before it joins them home from the breeder or days after the pup has settled home to understand better the personality of the dog. Mountain Curs owners may get name inspirations from the coat color and texture, heritage of the breed, behavior, celebrity Mountain Curs, songs, food, movies, books, historical figures, or nature.
Regardless of where you source the name, ensure it freely rolls off your tongue and will not make you embarrassed once the name is uttered out loud. Mountain Curs and other dog breeds better understand a name that has vowels. If the owner settles with a long name, he or she should find a cute nickname for the dog.
Avoid giving a Mountain Cur a name that rhymes with the command words to avoid confusion. If this breed shares a name with any household member or guest who frequent your home, it may cause confusion. Some of the names that Mountain Curs owners give to their pets include:
- Hammer.
- Rex.
- Cookie.
- Josh.
- Athena.
- Blondie.
- Cookie.
- Polo.
- Duke.
- Buttercup.
- Blair.
- Boris.
- Ava.
- Omar, etc.
Mountain Cur Food
The amount of food that a Mountain Cur feeds on depends on its age, metabolism, size, activity level, and body build. Mountain Curs puppies have a high metabolism rate as compared to adults or senior dogs. Therefore, a puppy should feed 3 or 4 times a day immediately they start weaning until the age of 6 months. From the age of 6 months, Mountain Curs will feed a total of two meals for life with snacks in between.
Like other dogs, Mountain Curs should feed on the right amount of minerals, protein, amino acids, fatty acids, carbohydrates, water, and fats to maintain a healthy bone structure and weight. Depending on the budget and the time of preparation needed, parents may feed a Mountain Cur with dry food, wet food, home made meals, or a raw diet. Owners who prefer commercial dry or wet food should ensure the first three ingredients that are listed are proteins from a known source.
Commercial foods should neither have fillers, chemicals, meat by-products, additives, nor preservatives. The same goes to the snacks given to the pets. Dry or wet food should also be formulated for medium sized puppies, adults, and senior depending on the age of your Mountain Cur. Check the physique of your dog to tell whether it is underweight or overweight.
The pooch is underweight if the ribs are visible. However, if the ribs are not visible but can be felt without pressing hard, a Mountain Cur has an ideal weight. Although, if the ribs cannot be felt after pressing, the pet is overweight and should be exercised. Owners who want to switch to another pet food should gradually do this over a period of one month by mixing old food with new food. As the week progresses, the amount of old food decreases as the amount of the new food increases until the Mountain Cur is only feeding on the new food.
Mountain Cur Brindle | Black | Colors
A Mountain Cur may either have a black, yellow, blue, brown, brindle, or black & brindle with white patches on the chest or face.
Mountain Cur Types
There is only one type of pure-bred Mountain Cur. However, some may categorize them according to their coat colors; black, brindle and black, yellow, brown, blue, and brindle Mountain Curs respectively.
Mountain Cur Tail
A Mountain Cur has a natural bobtail or a medium length tail that has a high carriage.
What Breeds Make Up A Mountain Cur
The Mountain Curs were brought to the USA nearly 200 years ago by colonizers and settlers from Europe. However, the precise origin of this breed is undocumented. Initially, there was no need for an official pedigree among the frontiersmen.
What | How Does A Mountain Cur Dog Look Like
A Mountain Cur is a medium-sized hunting coat that has a short and smooth double coat. The coat may either be blue, black, brown, brindle, yellow, or brindle and black. Mountain Curs may also have white markings on the chest or face.
Do Mountain Curs Shed
Yes. Mountain Curs shed lightly all-year round and heavily during Spring and Fall.
Do Mountain Curs Bark A Lot
No. Mountain Curs have a clear bark that is heard over great distances. However, they may be on track while open, semi-open, or silent. Mountain Curs may develop a habit of excessive barking if they have no work to do due to boredom or anxiousness.
Are Mountain Curs Good Family Dogs
Yes. Mountain curs are intelligent, protective, alert, and energetic dogs that get along well with children and other pets. They also try to please their humans.
Are Mountain Curs Hypoallergenic
No. Mountain Curs have a moulting coat that sheds all-year round at low-levels and heavily during Spring or Fall. Shedding spreads fur and dander around the house aggravating allergies.
Is A Mountain Cur A Pitbull
No. A Mountain Cur was brought to the United States by settlers and colonizers from Europe. However, the precise Origin of the dog is currently undocumented. In the United States the term ‘Pitbull’ is used to refer to dog breeds that have been descended from bulldogs and terriers. Mountain Curs have not be listed as one of the breeds under the Pitbull classification. Pitbull dog breeds in America include American Pit Bull Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, American Bully, American Staffordshire Terrier and occasionally the American Bulldog.
Mountain Curs Quick Facts
- Mountain Curs are alert, watchful, and protective dogs that make excellent watch dogs.
- These dogs are neither fearful or vicious.
- Mountain Curs are wary of strangers. However, once introduced they gradually warm to people.
