Breed Characteristics:
Apartment Friendly
?How well will this breed adapt to apartment living? Is the apartment size the most important factor when it comes to proper living conditions? Is the breed suitable for apartment living?
Good For First-Time Owners
?Some dogs aren't suitable for first-time dog owners. Is this breed a good match for someone with no dog experience? Can training help them be on their best behavior with owners with no dog experience? Are they suitable to be handled by someone who is just entering the canine world?
Overall Sensitivity
?Some dogs are sensitive. Certain breeds are rough on the outside, while having the softest heart on the inside. In other words, some dogs are 'thick-skinned' while some are 'easygoing.' Is this breed prone to sensitivity?
Tolerates Being Alone
?Separation anxiety in dogs is a serious condition that can affect a dog's life quality. Is this breed prone to this condition? Can you leave him alone for hours? How destructive this breed can become when bored, neglected, or not loved enough?
Affectionate With Family
?How affectionate this breed will be around his humans? Will he welcome new family friends easily or he will choose to be shy? Some breeds can be clingy with owners, while others don't attach a lot. Will this breed act as the family's best friend?
Kid-Friendly
?Some dogs will tolerate children, while others will adore well-behaved ones. Dogs and children should always be supervised, no matter how well trained the dog might be. Will this breed act as a nanny dog or he will stay away from children?
Friendly Toward Other Dogs
?Some dog breeds cannot wait to run to the dog park and run with others. Others prefer to be with their humans, and not to be a part of a multi-pet household. Is this breed dog lover or not? How friendly this breed will be toward other dogs?
Friendly Toward Strangers
?Some dog breeds tend to be reserved toward strangers and highly suspicious. Others are fast to walk away with them easily. How welcoming this breed is toward strangers?
Drooling Level
?If you love to clean all the time drooling level in dogs is a trait that you should mind. Is this breed less likely to drool, or you will always need a towel on hand?
Easy To Groom
?Heavier shedding during the shedding season is something that every dog needs to go through. However, some dogs shed just a bit all year round. Is this breed one of them? How often should you groom this dog?
Overall Health
?What can you expect from this breed in terms of health? Are there any genetic conditions to vary about? Is obesity a major issue in this breed? By knowing more about the dog's health, you are learning how to help him live a longer and healthier life.
Prone To Obesity
?Treats are a great addition to training sessions. Dogs love sweet bites of dog treats but they should be served in moderation. Treats can lead to obesity, next to poor nutrition. Can this breed gain extra weight from treats? How prone to obesity this breed actually is?
Trainability Level
?Training some dogs is easier than others. How easy this dog will be to train? What can you expect? Some dogs are huge people pleasers and they will master commands easily, while others will try to outsmart you.
Intelligence Level
?Dogs are smart beings. We do our best to train them, but they do still end up training us to adapt to their needs. How intelligent is this breed? Will he try to outsmart you? Or he will need multiple training sessions to master basic commands?
Prey Drive
?Dogs were bred for a specific purpose. Those who were bred to hunt have natural instincts to hunt, even today. This is why many dogs, like Terriers, will chase other animals. They will also have a hard time concentrating on your commands when there is something small moving. Is this breed prone to following his prey instincts?
Barking Level
?How vocal this breed is? Can you expect neighbors to ring you often to calm your dog? Or you can sleep without worries of hearing your Fido bark? Some breeds are highly vocal, others have unusual sounds, and some are silent. Is this breed prone to barking?
Energy Level
?Low-energy dogs are happy with regular walks and indoor chill times. High-energy dogs are always ready for action. Is this breed a couch potato, energetic dog, or somewhere in between?
Exercise Needs
?Some dogs are more than happy with a slow stroll down the street. Others need hours of active time to stay happy and fit. Is this breed demanding in terms of exercise? How much exercise this breed needs to stay happy and healthy?
Playfulness Level
?Some dogs never lose that puppy spirit, not even in their senior years. Others are more serious and prefer having a job to do. Is this breed demanding in terms of playfulness? Can you expect playfulness in their senior years as well?
Black Mouth Cur is a loyal, hard-working, and all-around dog who is highly sensitive, and playful with people.
They are true softies of high-energy levels that are easy to groom.
Black Mouth Curs were bred to be working dogs and to help farmers and hunters with their obligations. Moreover, their duties were closely linked with rough terrain where only a few dog breeds can move easily.
Black Mouth Cur is an American breed, developed in the southeastern United States.
They were bred to be all-around working dogs, who can perfectly work as herding dogs, guarding dogs, and mandatory dogs in tracking games.
These dogs may be great for working, but it doesn’t make them anyhow less sensitive.
As a sensitive breed, they may be prone to separation anxiety, and they respond well only to positive reinforcement.
Like any other dog breed, they should never be under any harsh training methods or rough handling.
If you ever feel that you need help with training think about hiring a professional dog trainer or enrolling your puppy in puppy classes – both options should be enough to speed up the training process and provide effective future training tips.
Now, let’s see how Black Mouth Cur was actually developed.
Quick Facts
Real name: Black Mouth Cur
Other names: Southern Cur, Southern Black Mouth Cur, Yellow Black Mouth Cur
Origin: United States
Breed type: Working Dogs
Weight: 40 to 95 pounds
Height: 16 to 25 inches
Lifespan: 12 to 18 years
Litter Size: 3 – 12 puppies
Color: Yellow, fawn, brown, brindle, or black with a black muzzle
Coat: Short coat
Black Mouth Cur History
Black Mouth Cur is considered to be a young breed. Yet, little is known about this active breed.
In fact, it is fair to say that the origin and development of this breed are covered with mystery. However, so far it is known that the Black Mouth Cur originated in the American south.
Where exactly? Dog fanciers believe that this breed probably emerged in Mississippi or Tennessee.
Moreover, dog fanciers believe that this breed is probably descended from European and Asian cur dogs who were originally brought to North America.
These dogs were commonly used by pioneers and settlers who needed dogs from Florida to Texas.
To do more, they needed working dogs to help them with daily obligations.
Precisely, they needed a farm dog to help them herd livestock and hunt in rugged and challenging terrain.
Next to these features, they needed dogs to ward off dangerous wildlife.
Some are even fast to say that proper settling would not be possible without this breed around.
What about breeders of this breed?
So fat it is known that the Ladner family in southern Mississippi has bred Black Mouth Curs for over 100 years.
At the moment, they are best known for breeding these dogs.
If you hear about other Black Mouth Curs alternatives, know that is still the same breed:
- Alabama Black Mouth Cur is best known and recognized for its red coloration
- Florida Black Mouth Cur is best known and recognized for its yellow coloration
These variations are always exciting to see, but variations also make it hard to establish standards.
Breed standards are what keep a specific breed alive and get recognition from major clubs.
This is why this American breed isn’t yet recognized by major clubs, including the American Kennel Club.
However, back in 1998, The United Kennel Club registered the Black Mouth Cur and they are allowed to appear in the show ring.
The Most Famous Black Mouth Cur Dog
Even those who are not big dog lovers are familiar with Old Yeller – either the novel or the book.
The dog in this famous novel is the Black Mouth Cur. This breed isn’t exactly mentioned by its name, but the physical description fits Black Mouth Cur perfectly.
Not only does the physical description suits Black Mouth Cur, but both temperament and personality traits are such that it is easy to conclude that the Old Yeller is a Black Mouth Cur.
Now, let’s see what you can expect from this American breed in terms of appearance.
Black Mouth Cur Physical Appearance
Black Mouth Cur is often described as a medium-to-large size dog. They are not fit for really tiny living areas or homes without a backyard.
Not only that they love to be active, but they need a larger space to keep them happy in their environment.
Before we bring in the numbers know that the dogs of the same litter can be smaller or bigger.
Like with other breeds, you can expect males to be larger than females.
As for the overall size, Black Mouth Curs are usually 16 inches in height or taller, or of weight ranging from 35 to 95 pounds.
Both males and females are of lean posture, strong bodies, and overall muscular appearance.
Breed standards demand a minimum height of 18 inches for males and 16 inches for females; the same standards demand a minimum of 40 pounds for males and 35 pounds for females.
As for the coat, this breed will always have a short and dense coat of commonly yellow, fawn, or light brown in color.
Some representatives of the breed, although this is rare, may have a coat that is dark brown, brindle, or even black.
Their head should be broad and flat, while their ears should be dropped and powerful.
The muzzle is distinctively black. Their chest should be broad, legs long, and a tail long and left undocked.
Black Mouth Cur Personality
The personality of this breed is heavily linked with the breed’s history.
Settlers needed dogs who will help them with different tasks, who would suit all of their needs sort of speaking.
Having dogs who will focus on a specific task wasn’t something that they found useful.
Therefore, they helped developed dogs who are independent, of sharp minds and have fast reactions.
They also need fearless dogs, which is why Black Mouth Curs are so great when it comes through homes and scare strangers away. Even today, they won’t back down from a fight.
This fearlessness is something that sticks with them even in modern times.
Another trait that remained with them from their days with settlers is their need for energy.
Not only that they are energetic dogs, but they will be the first to jump in for an adventure.
Black Mouth Cur With Children
Black Mouth Cur loves being around people, and children are no exception.
They will keep their children safe and entertained. However, due to their energy levels, they may not be best suited for young children. or at least they should not be left alone with them.
This is something that should be a general rule for any breed – there should always be supervision whenever dogs and children interact.
Accidents happen due to many reasons, and commonly during playtime.
A powerful and big dog (as much as a small size dog) may knock the child down during playtime.
To prevent any sort of accidents make sure that you always supervise their interaction, train your dog well, and educate your children on how to behave around dogs.
Dogs should know house dog rules, basic commands, and how to behave (and move) around people and children.
Equally, children should know the following:
- Not to disturb dogs while they are eating, sleeping, or resting
- Not to pull dog’s hair, ears or tail
- Not to try to grab food or toys from dog’s mouth
- To know and understand that dogs are territorial creatures
- To know basic commands to which dog will respond
- To be included in the training process
Black Mouth Cur Training
Training your Black Mouth Cur dog should be no different than training any other breed.
Dogs are more than capable of mastering basic commands as of eight weeks of age. This is usually the time when it is safe for breeders to separate the puppies from the mother dog and hand you the dog.
This is the period when training and early socialization should start. That being said, you should start training your Black Mouth Cur as soon as you bring your puppy home.
By the time the socialization period ends, your Black Mouth Cur should know the following:
- Basic commands such as ‘sit’ and ‘come’
- House dog rules
- Which areas of the house are off limits
- How to behave around strangers
- How to use pee walk
- How to behave in the backyard
- How to behave around children
If you miss training your Black Mouth Cur properly, you can expect to have a dog that is bored and prone to destructive behavior.
To get the maximum out of training sessions, make sure that they are:
- Short
- Fun
- Consistent
- Packed with treats
- Engaging
Training is what separates a good dog from a well-behaved canine citizen.
Black Mouth Cur Exercise Needs
Next to proper training, dogs need a proper amount of exercise.
Training is what helps dogs behave better and engage safely both with other animals and people, while exercise keeps them healthy.
Regular exercise will help dogs have strong joints and overall better health.
Next to regular walks that serve for dogs to pee, exercise time should be separate from this time.
Exercise time can be structured as long walks, hike time, jogging, or participation in dog sports, such as agility or obedience.
Two 60-minute walks per day would be great for Black Mouth Cur.
Black Mouth Cur Health
Black Mouth Curs are considered to be healthy dogs. They may experience some issues during their lifetime but that is possible with any breed.
If you are buying a dog, make sure that you deal only with Black Mouth Cur breeders, as they should be responsible and provide you with a healthy puppy.
Responsible dog breeders will always present you with medical documentation on the puppy, let you meet the bitch, and show you the facilities.
If you are suspecting that you are standing in the middle of a puppy mill, just walk away.
If the price seems too good to be true, then it is – it is a sign that you are standing in the puppy mills. What to do if that is the case?
Just walk away, and find a responsible dog breeder.
The best way to keep your Black Mouth Cur healthy is to provide the right nutrition, regular veterinarian check-ups, and a proper exercise regime.
All three factors next to safe and loving surroundings and fun moments should enable your Black Mouth Cur to reach his senior years without major health issues.
The most common issue that has been reported in Black Mouth Curs so far may include arthritis and hip dysplasia.
Does this mean that your Black Mouth Cur will experience one if not all of the listed issues? Of course not, but it does mean that you should do your research on each one of them.
Knowledge is the power when it comes to keeping your Black Mouth Cur healthy and strong.
Is Black Mouth Cur For You?
If you are a first time dog owner, the Black Mouth Cur isn’t for you. This breed is recommended for experienced dog owners, who know their way around energetic breeds.
Make sure that you have enough time to invest in training and exercising this breed. Remember – a tired dog is a good dog.
Black Mouth Cur is for you if you have experience with dogs and you have an active outdoor life.
If you prefer spending time indoors, you might think about getting a breed that is of low energy and doesn’t need a harsh exercise regime.
When choosing a breed make sure that you are honest about your lifestyle, how much free time you have, and if a dog is the best pet for you at the moment.
If adoption is an option for you, know that local shelters are full of purebred and mixed breeds waiting for their forever home.