Black Mouth Curs are beloved by many people because of their loyalty, smartness, strong health, friendliness, and so on. In spite of having no unique appearance like other dog breeds like Husky or Samoyed, they are truly great dogs for families.
Black Mouth Cur, the native American dog, is now preferred not only by people living in the countryside but also in the city. Thanks to a long lifespan, perfect health and smartness, this dog breed is a perfect choice for families that want a watchdog. In spite of being one of the most famous pets in the US, the Black Mouth Cur seems to have a mysterious history. To explore new things, let find out in this article.
Profile
Origin
In spite of being recognized as a native dog in America, the origin of Black Mouth Cur breed is still a mystery because there’s no exact document about the history of this dog. All we know is that Black Mouth Cur is raised mainly in the south of the US and became popular in the 19th century.
From the beginning, Black Mouth Curs are farm dogs. They take responsibility for herding the livestock and farm, as well as protecting farmers from dangerous wild animals like bears. As seen, this dog breed plays a vital role in most farmers’ life. Besides, Black Mouth Curs are a good assistant to hunters.
Until now, Black Mouth Curs are still important to farmers around the world due to their loyalty, smartness, and bravery. That’s why more and more citizens choose them as a pet.
Pedigree
Some people believe that this breed has the origin in the South of the US, particularly in Mississippi and Alabama. In fact, according to a recorder, the ancestor of Black Mouth Curs was European and Asia cur dogs. In 1621, this dog breed was brought to America through the Mayflower ship and was crossbred with other dog breeds when the ship reached the land. The Black Mouth Cur was believed to be the “product” of this crossbreeding.
This theory is not proved by anyone, but it had a great effect on the American mind that the Black Mouth Cur is not a purebred. It was not until 1998 that the United Kennel Club recognized it a purebred.
Life Expectancy
The Black Mouth Cur breed is known as a very healthy dog. The lifespan of this breed is around 12 to 16 years, which is much longer than that of other large breeds and pretty similar to small-sized breeds like Shih Tzu, Poodle, or the mix of them.
However, their lifespan can be shorter if the owners don’t take care of them in the right way. In those situations, some dogs can live only 10 years. But don’t worry too much, Black Mouth Curs are famous for their “strong as an ox” health, and they rarely get diseases as well.
Prominent Features of the Black Mouth Cur
Body Measurements
The size of Black Mouth Curs is various, ranging from a medium- to a large-sized dog.
Overall, the smallest sizes of male and female Black Mouth Curs are 40 pounds and 35 pounds respectively. Meanwhile, the largest male dog can get up to 95 pounds, and 85 pounds for a female. Also, both male and female Black Mouth Curs are able to reach 16 to 18 inches in height and can even get higher in special cases.
Appearance
You may think that the most special feature of the Black Mouth Cur can be known through its name: a black shading covers the dog’s square muzzle. In fact, not all Black Mouth Curs do have this feature. The muzzle is in square, which is quite broad and seems to be shorter than the skull.
Black Mouth Curs’ coat varies widely in colors. Those include black, brown, brindle, red, fawn, yellow, and mahogany. Besides, the coat is short and dense with no patterns, making the grooming seem so easy. Usually, a purebred Black Mouth Cur will have white patches under the chin, top of the tail and around the nose.
Moreover, the eyes’ colors of Black Mouth Curs are also various, including green, yellow and brown. If your dogs have a different color in their eyes, they are definitely not pure.
Temperaments
Most people who raise this dog breed agree that Black Mouth Curs are very intelligent, brave, strong, agile, loyal and tenacious. All of these features make them a perfect dog breed for humans’ best friend. To farmers, Black Mouth Curs would be the greatest assistant in protecting herd and livestock. They can run all day long.
Moreover, Black Mouth Curs are good family members. Because they are not aggressive, they play with children very well, so you can feel safe when letting your kids play with the dog. However, being affectionate with children doesn’t mean that Black Mouth Curs are friendly with everyone. In fact, they can attack bad guys who try to get into your house, and they will not let them these guys alone until they get out of your house.
In spite of getting along well with humans, Black Mouth Curs can’t work well with canine friends or other pets like cats. If you want to raise more than one pet in your house with a Black Mouth Cur, make sure you train him/her well and afford chances for two pets to understand each other.
One more thing, Black Mouth Curs love outside activities. Therefore, it is necessary for you to play with your dog or take them for walks every day.
General Care for the Black Mouth Cur
Diet
Black Mouth Curs can be either medium- or large-sized dog. So, feeding them with a diet for normal large dogs is suitable. But if your dog usually does extra activities or goes hunting and herding, give him more food that contains much protein so that he can have enough nutrition.
Grooming
Grooming for Black Mouth Curs is quite easy. Because of having a short coat which doesn’t shed much, it takes you only several minutes to brush your dog’s fur. Note that you should groom Black Mouth Curs at least twice a week and use comb/brush produced for dogs. Also, when brushing your dog’s fur, you should take it easy so that he won’t get hurt.
Bathing
As said, Black Mouth Curs love playing outside, even in the garden or on the street. As a result, they may look dirty all the time. But, you shouldn’t take this reason for bathing them more than once a week. Their skin is quite sensitive, bathing them too much doesn’t help them clean and clear, but it can even cause some skin issues on them. Besides, remember to choose suitable dog shampoo and never use human shampoo for bathing your dog.
Other notes:
Never let your dog’s nails too long or too short. Using a nail grinder for dogs is necessary.
Use toothbrush and toothpaste for dogs
Not let any pieces of hair get into your dog’s eyes and ears when brushing them
Take your dog to the vets at least twice a year
Health Problems
Black Mouth Curs are famous for their excellent health and long lifespan. Most Black Mouth Curs’ owners agree that they don’t have to spend too much expense on curing diseases on their dogs. However, this just means the rate of getting health problems on this breed is low. In fact, they can still get health problems at any time, especially in the first 3 years of their life.
The most common problem that a Black Mouth Cur can get is an ear infection. Because the Black Mouth Cur is drop-eared breed, it is easy for dirt, water or tiny objects being stuck and accumulating in the ears. After a long time not being cleaned, those ears may get an infection. This condition, if isn’t treated, will make the dog feel very hurt. Luckily, the ear infection is easy to prevent. You just need to clean your dog’s ear at least once a week and right after he plays in water.
Moreover, there’re some other health conditions that Black Mouth Curs may get:
Epilepsy
Diabetes
Obesity
Cataracts
Should You Raise a Black Mouth Cur?
Of course, you can raise a Black Moth Cur if you’re confident that you can take care of him/her well. The following requirements are what you should meet:
You are able to train your dog. For one thing, Black Mouth Curs are quite big, so it is dangerous if they don’t obey their owners. An attack on other dogs or strangers can happen at any time. So, the ability to train your dogs is the most important requirement.
You are able to play and do exercise with your dog every day. As mentioned, this dog breed is very active. Playing outdoors is a part of their life, and it’s hard to imagine how they will become without exercises. Not to mention that staying in house too long can cause several mental problems.
It’s not suitable to raise a Black Mouth Cur in a small house or small department. Going outside to play isn’t enough for these dogs. They need a spacious house to live and play with the family. A house with a garden would be the best accommodation, not only for living but also for satisfying their curiosity.
How Much for a Black Mouth Cur?
The price for a Black Mouth Cur relies on many factors, including his breed lines, lineage, reputation, locations, ages, etc. In general, the average price for a Black Mouth Cur puppy goes with papers is about $400. But you can get one without papers in a lower price. In some places, people sell high-quality Black Mouth Curs (which means they guarantee the purebred, health, breed lines, and of course, with papers) around $1000 to $3000.
Photo credit: Save-A-Pet Adoption Center Via: https://flic.kr/p/5S8FPe
As you see, Black Mouth Curs’ price varies widely. But we recommend you to get one in a reliable dog store with papers. Although the price may be higher than normal, you are guaranteed the quality and the purebred of the dog. If not, you can choose to adopt one in an animal shelter.
Conclusion
Black Mouth Curs are beloved by many people because of their loyalty, smartness, strong health, friendliness, and so on. In spite of having no unique appearance like other dog breeds like Husky or Samoyed, they are truly great dogs for families.
Hopefully, this article is useful to you. If you have something to ask us, don’t hesitate to leave your comment below. Thanks for reading!
