The Black Mouth Cur

Welcome To Our Complete Guide To The Wonderful Black Mouth Cur. A Tenacious And Loving Dog Breed That’s Stealing Hearts Around The World.

Let’s face it. There are a lot of dog breeds out there.

Choosing the right breed for you and your family is tricky.

Luckily, by doing a little research into a prospective dog breed and breeder, you can usually find a breed that matches your lifestyle.

Maybe you’ve heard about Black Mouth Curs from a friend. Maybe you saw a picture online and couldn’t believe how cute they are.

Either way, you’re probably wondering if the Black Mouth Cur could be a good fit for you.

What is a Black Mouth Cur?

The Black Mouth Cur is a versatile, all around working dog.

Breed enthusiasts are unsure about the exact origins of the Black Mouth Cur.

Some claim that they originated in Tennessee, others argue that the breed was first developed in Mississippi.

What we do know is that the Black Mouth Cur was popular amongst early American settlers, especially in the south.

They hunted, herded livestock, and guarded the homestead. And so it is no wonder that as settlers moved west, they took their dogs with them.

Black Mouth Curs get their name from their distinctive appearance.

Most dogs have a black muzzle. However, this trait is not a necessity for breeders.

Black Mouth Curs are bred for performance. This means most breeders do not care overly much about the color of the coat or the size of the dog. As long as they are healthy and can get the job done, they are happy.

Acceptable colors for Black Mouth Curs are all shades of red, fawn, yellow, brown, black, buckskin, or brindle.

They have short, dense coats, and most importantly, a strong drive to work and a desire to please their owners.

Black Mouth Cur personality

Black Mouth Curs love to work.

They are tenacious and courageous, traits that make them ideal hunting and cattle dogs.

They are also loyal, protective, and affectionate with their families.

Black Mouth Curs are often described as confident, bold, and trusting.

With the right training and socialization, these dogs can make wonderful family dogs, especially for families who enjoy spending time outside.

They do require regular exercise, so make sure you are prepared to go for plenty of long walks if you are thinking about bringing home a Black Mouth Cur.

Black Mouth Cur temperament

Like most working dogs, Black Mouth Curs are bred for stable, reliable temperaments.

Strangers might find the Black Mouth Cur aloof, but they are loving and playful with their families.

However they can be protective. It’s therefore very important to socialize a Black Mouth Cur puppy to lots of different people and outside the home and inside the home.

These dogs were originally bred as all around homestead dogs, which means they take their job of protecting their family and property seriously.

However, most Black Mouth Curs are not aggressive and work well with other dogs, especially if they are socialized as puppies.

Black Mouth Cur hunting

These days, the primary purpose of the breed is for hunting.

Black Mouth Curs are scent hounds. They use their nose, as well as their eyes and ears, to track and tree game.

Unlike some hounds, Black Mouth Curs are generally quiet.

Silent trackers are preferred by hunters, but the dogs may bark if very hot on a trail or when the game is treed.

Hunting is not all these dogs can do.

Black Mouth Curs are also used for herding, and can handle smaller livestock like goats and sheep as well as cattle.

Some breeders select dogs with traits better suited for these disciplines, so if you are looking for a hunting dog, you may want to avoid herding bloodlines.

Black Mouth Cur weight

These athletic dogs are medium to large in size. Males usually weigh between 40 to 50 pounds, and females may weigh slightly less.

Some bloodlines breed larger dogs. You may find some Black Mouth Curs can weigh between 60 and even 90 pounds.

Regardless of size, these are athletic, active dogs that require regular exercise.

If you choose to bring home a Black Mouth Cur, talk to your veterinarian about the best diet and weight for your dog.

Obesity, as with any dog breed, can lead to serious health problems like diabetes and joint disease, and puts stress on your dog’s body.

Keeping your dog at a healthy weight will reduce these risks and help your dog live a long, healthy, active life.

Black Mouth Cur health problems

No breed of dog is safe from health problems.

However, Black Mouth Curs are an unusually healthy breed.

This is possibly because most Black Mouth Cur breeders breed for performance instead of looks.

Healthy dogs perform better, whether they are hunting, herding, or performing in dog sports, and so the breed does not have some of the structural genetic defects, like hip dysplasia, found in other breeds.

No dog is perfect.

Black Mouth Curs may be prone to ear infections.

Their dropped ears can trap moisture and dirt, especially if they are worked under wet conditions like swamps, so be prepared to check and clean your dog’s ears on a regular basis.

You will also need to check out your puppy’s coefficient of inbreeding, as they are a less popular breed and therefore have a more limited gene pool.

Black Mouth Cur life expectancy

Despite their relatively large size, Black Mouth Curs live a long time.

The average lifespan for the breed is 12 to 16 years, with some dogs living longer.

This is well above average for larger breed dogs.

With the right nutrition and veterinary care, your Black Mouth Cur could live well into his teens.

Black Mouth Cur price

The price of a Black Mouth Cur will depend on the breeder, the dog’s pedigree, and the amount of training that has gone into the dog.

In general, you can expect to pay more for a dog with preliminary training in a discipline like hunting or herding than you would for Black Mouth Cur puppies.

Untrained Black Mouth Cur puppies range on average from $250 to $800.

If you purchase a puppy, remember to calculate in the cost of veterinary visits and a spay or neuter for the first year, plus toys, training, and supplies.

Black Mouth Cur breeders

The best place to start your search for Black Mouth Cur breeders is the internet.

However, there are several things you should do before buying a dog from any breeder.

The first thing is to look around their website.

See if they have photos and testimonials of previous dogs and litters, or if their dogs have received titles in competitions.

Most importantly, find out if they perform regular health testing on their breeding dogs.

You may have to contact the breeder directly to find out some of this information.

Black Mouth Curs are hunting dogs. You may also be able to find information about breeders in hunting publications.

For instance, Ladner’s Yellow Black Mouth Curs have been featured in Full Cry magazine.

Some breeders list information in the classified ads of these magazines, or may be mentioned in articles themselves.

Be upfront with the breeder about what you are looking for.

If you want a hunting dog, then the breeder may be able to recommend a puppy from a litter with strong hunting lines.

If you are looking for a family dog, hunting instincts won’t be as important, and so you may be able to find a breeder who breeds for family traits, or purchase a less promising hunting prospect for a reduced price.

Black Mouth Cur puppies

Bringing home a Black Mouth Cur puppy is exciting.

As with any dog, veterinary visits, socialization, and obedience training are essential to raising stable and healthy dogs.

If you plan on hunting with your Black Mouth Cur, you may also wish to talk with a trainer about the best hunting training protocol for your puppy.

Introduce your puppy to lots of new experiences, animals, and people in a calm environment. This will build your dog’s confidence and help reduce the risk of fear-based aggression in the future.

Puppies can be destructive.

Providing chew toys and mental stimulation keeps your puppy occupied and helps them channel natural behaviors into healthy activities – sparing your furniture.

Black Mouth Cur rescue

Rescuing a dog can be very rewarding, and comes with the added benefit of knowing you are helping an animal in need.

There are several options if you are interested in rescuing a Black Mouth Cur.

A few breed specific rescue organizations can be found in the U.S., especially in the south. You can find Black Mouth Cur rescues online.

You can also talk with all-breed rescue groups near you or online to see if there are any Black Mouth Curs in the shelter.

Some rescues will even keep your information on file and contact you if a Black Mouth Cur shows up in their system.

Black Mouth Cur mix

Black Mouth Cur mixes can vary widely in temperament, size, and health.

Some of this will depend on the breed of dog mixed with the Black Mouth Cur.

A similar type of hunting dog, for example, may produce a mix that is relatively similar to a Black Mouth Cur in appearance and temperament. A Catahoula Black Mouth Cur mix will probably produce a hunting dog similar to both breeds.

A mix that includes two very different parents, on the other hand, like a Black Mouth Cur Labrador mix, could yield offspring that are somewhere in the middle in size, appearance, and temperament.

Should I buy a Black Mouth Cur?

The decision to purchase or rescue a Black Mouth Cur ultimately depends on you and your family.

Black Mouth Curs need regular exercise. They may not be well suited for owners with very small backyards or sedentary lifestyles.

This breed is a good choice for sporting owners who plan to hunt or compete with their dogs.

They can also be good family dogs, as long as they are socialized around other pets and children.

See if you can find some Black Mouth Curs near you so that you can spend some time with them.

Sporting dog shows are a good place to start, or breed enthusiast groups.

You can also use those opportunities to ask more questions about the breed from people who have firsthand experience owning, handling, and training them.