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The Mountain Cur is a type of working dog used for treeing and trailing game; mainly squirrel and raccoon, but also large game. It is a member of the Hound group and is one of several varieties of cur. They can also be used as water dogs. Mainly bred in Kentucky, Virginia, and Tennessee, it has been registered with the United Kennel Club since 1998. The Mountain Cur Breeder's Association was formed in 1957.
History: The Mountain Cur was brought to America from
Europe by the settlers of the Virginia, Kentucky, and
Tennessee mountains to guard the family and property, and
chase and tree game. These dogs enabled the settlers to
provide meat and pelts which could be sold or traded for other
goods. The Mountain Cur was bred and maintained for nearly two
hundred years.
With the advent of World War II, many of the families who
had bred them left the rural areas and went to work in
factories in the war effort. By the end of the 1940's the
breed was becoming rare. Four individuals, Hugh Stephens and
Woody Huntsman of Kentucky, Carl McConnell of Virginia and
Dewey Ledbetter of Tennessee are given credit for saving the
breed from dying out and setting the Mountain Cur breed
standard.
Appearance:
Coat: Heavy, medium short.
Color: Black, black and brindle, yellow and can
have white points.
Head: Broad square with top being a flat plane
between the high set ears.
Eyes:Dark brown, expressive.
Ears:Short to medium with a high set and tightly
controlled.
Muzzle: Heavy with wide nares. Teeth form a
scissor like bite.
Body: Stocky, muscular, square and slightly
longer than it is tall. The tail can be docked but long
enough to form a handle for show. Some pups are born with
a bobbed tail.
Legs: Straight, medium long, muscular capable of
speed.
Feet: Oval shaped, muscled with feline-like pads.
Can have back dew claws.
Temperament: The Mountain Cur is intelligent, easily
trained, and neither vicious nor shy. They can be suitable as
companion animals and guard dogs. This is not a submissive, easygoing dog. With the toughness and courage to confront a very angry, very large cat, these curs have learned to be decisive and dauntless. Usually silent on the trail, they make consistent guard dogs but certainly are not ideal for suburbia, where there is no call to work.
Trailing ability varies with strains, but they have enough nose to follow game and many carry treeing ability. Some lines are bred for tree dogs and others for baying. This very tough large game, raccoon, and squirrel hunter is willing to face a squealing razor back or an angry wild cat when it is cornered. They have a strong desire to please their master. Very protective of the property and family; sometimes can be over-protective. The Mountain Cur is noted for his courage. This hunting dog will catch a mad bull head- on in the nose and will hold his ground even against a bear when threatened.
Miscellaneous: The book Old Yeller by Frederick
Gipson was about a Mountain Cur but, in the 1957 movie Old
Yeller, he was played by a yellow Labrador Retriever.
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