Introduction
In the highlands of Tennessee and Kentucky, the mountain cur dog breed first appeared. They played a significant role in the lives of the early settlers and supported their people as they established farms in the southern, hilly, and rural areas. They helped in hunting, served as watchmen in fields, and also shepherds.
These responsibilities, in addition to other jobs such as being devoted companions, are still carried out by these types of dogs today.
The dog is also known as the “Mountain Cur” and occasionally the “Pioneer’s Dog.” Despite being purebred, you can still find these dogs in shelters and rescues. Don’t forget to adopt! If you are looking to add a mountain cur dog to your home then in this article we have included all the relevant information about our mountain dogs.
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Table of Contents
- History of Mountain Cur
- The Appearance of Mountain Cur
- Temperament and Personality of Mountain Cur
- Health and Care of Mountain Curs
- Food and Diet of Mountain Cur
- Mountain Cur Feeding Guide
- Mountain Cur Dog Grooming
- Mountain Cur Training
- Mountain Cur Exercise
- Mountain Cur Facts
- Conclusion
History of the Mountain Cur
The colonizers of the mountains in Ohio, Virginia, Kentucky, and Tennessee, then later in Arkansas and Oklahoma, imported the Mountain Cur to America from Europe around two hundred years ago to protect family and property and pursue and kill wildlife in the forest.
These dogs were helpful on the frontier because they allowed the colonists to produce meat and pelts for their consumption or commerce.
Many of the families who had raised them fled rural regions when World War II broke out in order to work in industries for the war effort. The breed had become scarce by the end of the 1940s.
Hugh Stephens, Woody Huntsman, Carl McConnell, and Dewey Ledbetter, all from Kentucky, Virginia, and Tennessee, are credited with rescuing the breed and establishing the Mountain Cur breed standard.
Carl McConnell soon left the OMCBA because of disagreements over the breed standard and established the Stephen Stock Mountain Cur Association.
Daniel Boone was an Appalachian mountain explorer and frontiersman who bred and kept Mountain Curs. He significantly relied on the breed when making paths across the Appalachians, protecting his family, and assisting in the hunt for wild wildlife, just like many other early Americans.
It is said that he even carried pups in safety baskets on these trips.
After World War II, Michael and Marie Blood Good of Afton, New York, created the Mountain View Cur from the Mountain Cur. This development took place in the 1980s and 1990s.
The Appearance of Mountain Cur
Height:
Male: 18-26 inches
Female: 16-24 inches
Weight:
30-60 Pounds
Coat:
Short-coated Mountain Curs can be blue, black, yellow, brown, or brindle in color.
Head:
Mountain Curs should have a broad head that matches the size of their body.
Ear:
Dogs have long, high-set drop ears with a broad base. Their length might range from short to medium.
Eye:
Mountain Curs should have huge eyes far away from one another, with the outer and inside corners of each eye being on the same horizontal line. The dog should have eyes that range from black to amber in color and are dark brown.
Tail:
The tail of a mountain cur should be low-set, medium-length, or bobbed, and have a high carriage. You should see good tail feathering if the dog has a rough coat as well.
Temperament and Personality of Mountain Cur
Mountain curly dogs are often calm and loving, but it’s important to remember that this breed was created to hunt, chase, and trap small animals. Mountain curly dogs have a high prey drive as a result, and they have mad impulses to hunt tiny animals.
As a result, having a mountain dog in a home with other animals, particularly cats, might be problematic. However, if properly taught, these canines get along with other dogs in your household.
These canines can be trained to learn which animals are family members and which ones they should chase, according to some experts.
For this reason, it’s crucial to raise them alongside the family pets and to begin teaching them at an early age. Similar to how they enjoy youngsters and elderly members of your family, these dogs may be fiercely protective of them. They might appear confident guard dogs that never let strangers inside their domain.
Because of this, it is safe to trust a mountain guide with children and older people, although it is still best to closely observe the whole encounter. Remember that mountain dogs need constant movement and dog sports to release their pent-up energy. They are not a breed of pet that can be left unattended.
They could acquire irreversible separation anxiety if left alone, even for a short period. So only purchase or adopt this dog if you’re prepared to offer him enough time, love, and regular walks.
They also like homes with large yards where they can play and receive enough mental and physical stimulation. Canines from the mountain cur breed prefer being outside over inside.
The good news is that these dogs don’t bark much, but they nevertheless make fiercely loyal watchdogs. Their frighteningly little bodies can produce a deafening bark that can awaken you from a dream by alerting you to a potential security concern.
But we can’t assume that mountain curly dogs are always aloof or suspicious of strangers. They are quite sociable, and if they label a new person as a friend, they will be kind to him as well.
Health and Care of Mountain Curs
The Mountain Cur might be wary of strangers because of its devotion and protective attitude.
But once they get to know someone, they behave just as amicably towards them as they do towards their relatives. Mountain lions may not be appropriate for homes with small animals or young children because of their high prey drive and penchant for hunting.
In general, mountain dogs are relatively, healthy canines. But no puppy is entirely maintenance-free when it comes to its health. Mountain crows require routine visits to the veterinarian for vaccinations and checkups, just like any other breed.
Mountain curs may have infections and skin rashes. These infections can be brought on by dry skin, is often caused by excessive washing or poor air circulation. Additionally, some people’s ear infections may be brought on by wax accumulation. To avoid this, clean their ears once a week.
According to Burch, if mountain people don’t have a job to perform or aren’t getting enough stimulation, they will get physically and mentally stressed and quickly grow worried out of boredom.
Consider whether you have the time and resources to look for a mountain dog’s physical and mental needs before taking one home.
Food and Diet of Mountain Cur
A Mountain Cur should be fed a premium kibble diet designed for medium-sized, highly active dogs after it has reached adulthood (one human year). The dog just needs two or three cups of kibble every day to supply all the calories and nutrients required.
Mountain Cur puppies should consume premium puppy food as well. A 3- to 6-month-old should have three cups of food, while puppies between the ages of 8 and 12 weeks should consume four cups.
To prevent bloating, feed your dog at least an hour before or after exercise. The food should also be divided into smaller portions and combined with broth or water. Treats should only makeup 10% or less of the dog’s daily caloric intake and only be given occasionally.
Mountain Cur Feeding Guide
Although you may make your Black Mouth Cur fresh natural food meals, dog owners who are unfamiliar with raw feeding sometimes find the process challenging.
Going it alone might seem difficult since creating meals with the correct proportions of critical ingredients is necessary to guarantee that your dog obtains the best nutrition.
The good news is that there is a far easier method. You can fill your freezer with high-quality raw food meals at the touch of a button by selecting a reliable source of pre-prepared natural dog food.
You can be confident that your dog gets nutritionally balanced meals every day by choosing FEDIAF*-approved recipes, such as ProDog’s Complete natural dog food or basic puppy food formula varieties.
Mountain Cur Dog Grooming
To properly groom your Mountain Curs, you’ll need top-notch canine grooming equipment and materials. The list of necessary dog grooming equipment for Mountain Curs is provided below.
Bathing:
A mountain goat shouldn’t be bathed too regularly because doing so might dry up their skin.
Coat care:
The Mountain Cur’s short hair requires little maintenance. Use a rubber curry comb or shedding blade to sometimes brush him to remove any dead or loose hair. Twice a year, his coat sheds; therefore, it would be essential to groom him more frequently at these times.
Toothbrush:
Although it is recommended that Mountain Curs be brushed at least three times a week, few Mountain Cur owners do so.
Nail Clipping:
It would help if you trimmed, your Mountain Curs nails every three to four weeks.
Mountain Cur Training
The mountain dog sees you more as a member of its pack than as a family since it is a security dog. He won’t think twice about acting in your place because of this. Because of this, training your dog’s obedience should be your priority.
Please make sure they are aware of who is in charge right away. You must pay special attention to even the slightest details for this.
For instance, while taking your mountain dog for regular walks outside, teach them how to heel next to or behind you while walking on the leash.
Your dog will get the message that the person carrying the leash is in charge and that it must obey his orders at all times if you do this. Keep in mind that to own the mountain, you must be dependable, firm, persistent, and authoritative
To support his rapid learning growth, always utilize positive reinforcement techniques and provide prizes through snacks and toys. However, it would help if you didn’t, give him goodies that make up more than 10% of his daily diet.
Early socialization will help the dog become tolerant of unfamiliar faces by allowing it to become accustomed to particular people, noises, scents, handling, and situations.
Mountain Cur Exercise
Mountain Curs have relatively high activity needs as a working breed since they are muscular, athletic, and task-oriented.
These dogs require exercises that will both cognitively and physically engage them after decades of serving as guard dogs and hunting dogs. They are also great company for jogging.
How much exercise does a Mountain climber particularly require each day? Depending on age and level of total activity, an average adult will require a minimum of 60–75 minutes of exercise each day.
At three months old, you may begin exercising your Cur puppy by taking it on brief (10-minute) leashed walks. You can lengthen and increase the frequency of the walks as the puppy ages.
Putting safety measures aside, it’s essential to use your Mountain bike every single day. These dogs are task-oriented, and if they grow bored or restless, they may become irritable, and rebellious, and even start making up their own “tasks” by shredding things to pieces.
Regular exercise will be fantastic for your child’s mental health and your sanity. Several activities you may do
Walking:
Aim for two daily 30-minute walks (or 20-minute jogs).
Fetch:
A Mountain Cur will spend hours chasing a ball or stick.
Tug-of-War:
Use a rope or an old towel for this fun indoor pastime on a wet day.
Swimming:
These dogs like swimming.
Canine Sports:
Mountain Curs are exceptional at events such as agility trials and fly balls.
Hiking:
Excellent opportunity for bonding; extra points if you can locate an isolated spot where the dog may run free.
Mountain Cur Facts
- The average running speed of most dogs is 20 mph, compared to the mountain cur’s quick pace of around 28 mph.
- Mountain curly dogs often live between 12 and 16 years. Some mountain climbers, nevertheless, have also survived for 18 years.
- Between three and eight cub pups are born in a single litter.
- Depending on where you reside, the price of a mountain curly puppy might range from $500 to $1,000.
- Because mountain currants are not hypoallergenic, they might harm the health of those who suffer from allergies.
- Raising a mountain curly dog might cost you about $150 per month when you consider the price of food, grooming, toys, and health examinations.
Conclusion
Mountain curly dogs are naturally curious and are readily sidetracked by odors and squirrels. As a result, make sure they stay on the leash when you take them for walks. To prevent these dogs from straying, totally fence your yard.
Since mountain curly dogs are in such great demand, it might be challenging to find them through rescue organizations or shelters, but you can still search for availability to save hundreds of dollars.