Fun Black Mouth Cur Facts For Kids

Anusuya Mukherjee
Oct 20, 2022 By Anusuya Mukherjee
Originally Published on Aug 05, 2021
Edited by Natalie Rayworth
Fact-checked by Yashvee Patel
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Read these Black Mouth Cur facts to learn more about these dogs.

Black Mouth Curs are short-haired ranch dogs that have a sweet personality. They get their name from their square black muzzle.

This is a working dog that is a jack of all trades and can be used for jobs like herding and hunting. This medium to large sized hunting dog became quite popular with American settlers who were looking for help on their ranches and farms.

Developed from European and Asian Cur type dogs, Black Mouth Cur personalities include intelligence, tenacity, and energy which makes them loyal companions and workers.

Their desire to bond with humans is what makes them great family dogs. They are also easy to train and have a high prey drive.

Since Black Mouth Curs are high energy herding and hunting dogs, you have to keep an eye on them around other animals. When breeding, they might lean toward territorial behavior.

Their prey drive might compel them to chase and attack small animals like squirrels and rabbits. However, with the appropriate introductions to other animals and proper socialization when they are puppies, they can cohabitate happily with other pets. You should still feed them separately and ensure that there are ample resources such as extra balls, bones, and water bowls.

This will discourage their resource guarding behavior. Owners also need to look out for eye and ear infections.

There are some breeds that have been developed from Black Mouth Cur working dogs including Foundation Black Mouth Curs (Texas), Ladner Yellow Black Mouth Curs (Mississippi), and Southern Black Mouth Curs (Alabama). There are also Black Mouth Cur mixes and Black Mouth Cur Shepherd mixes.

If you liked this article, read our fact files on Eskimo dog and Tibetan mastiff.

Black Mouth Cur Interesting Facts

What type of animal is a Black Mouth Cur?

Black Mouth Curs are strong, fearless, energetic, and all-around working dogs that are bred to help hunters and farmers. They are capable of herding livestock, tracking games, and protecting homes. However, they have a sensitive side that won’t respond well to punishment or harsh rebukes.

What class of animal does a Black Mouth Cur belong to?

Black Mouth Curs are a mammal that got their name from the black fur covering their muzzle and lips. They are a purebred dog that can protect their family and hunt animals.

How many Black Mouth Curs are there in the world?

There is no accurate estimation of their population.

Where does a Black Mouth Cur live?

Black Mouth Curs are best suited to live on farms.

What is a Black Mouth Curs habitat?

Farmland is an important part of wildlife where a lot of animals including Black Mouth Curs thrive.

Who do Black Mouth Curs live with?

Black Mouth Curs live with humans.

How long does a Black Mouth Cur live?

The average Black Mouth Cur lifespan is 18 years. This is longer than the lifespan of most large breed dogs which is an average of 12 to 13 years.

How do they reproduce?

Black Mouth Cur dogs reproduce like any other dog. The male dogs start sniffing the females vulva and the latter responds by pulling her tail to the side. Then, the male mounts the female and starts the copulation process. This is followed by the breeding tie where the dogs are locked together.

What is their conservation status?

The conservation status of these dogs is Not Evaluated.

Black Mouth Cur Fun Facts

What do Black Mouth Curs look like?

Black Mouth Curs will look differently depending on their breeding. Even dogs from the same litter might look very different from each other. But, in most cases, they will have short coats that can be fine or coarse.

They might be yellow, red, brown, brindle, or black in color. Most of them will have their trademark black fur on the muzzle that gives them their name. But, not all Black Mouth Curs will have black fur.

Some might have the appearance of a mask around the eyes and face. Some might have white patches on their face, legs, tail, or chest. Their eyes can be yellow, brown, or green.

When it comes to the size of Black Mouth Curs, there are several variations also depending on the breeding. Dogs from the same litter might have different sizes.

The dog is an average of 16 in (40 cm) in height. Herding dogs might weigh more than 100 lb (45 kg), while tree dogs might be only 35-50 lb (15-22 kg) in weight.

Black Mouth Curs are extremely loyal and protective dogs.

How cute are they?

Just like all other dogs, Black Mouth Curs are incredibly cute.

How do they communicate?

Black Mouth Cur dogs use vocalization to communicate which can include howls, growls, barks, whimpers, whines, pants, sighs, and screams. They can also communicate through gustatory communication which includes using pheromones and scent. In order to have healthy dogs, you must understand the ways your dogs communicate with you.

How big is a Black Mouth Cur?

Black Mouth Curs are usually 16 in (40 cm) in height.

How fast can a Black Mouth Cur run?

Black Mouth Curs are a highly active dog breed that can easily run at a speed of 14 mph (24 kmph).

How much does a Black Mouth Cur weigh?

Males are usually larger and weigh somewhere between 40-95 lb (18-43 kg) whereas females range between 35-80 lb (15-36 kg).

What are the male and female names of the species?

Male Black Mouth Curs are called dogs, and females are called bitches.

What would you call a baby Black Mouth Cur?

Baby Black Mouth Curs are called Black Mouth Cur puppies.

What do they eat?

Black Mouth Cur dogs are a large to medium-sized breed that need an appropriate dog food to be a healthy breed and avoid health problems like hip dysplasia.

If you are planning to use them for hunting or herding, make sure that the dog food is formulated for an active dog so that they have the required energy to perform the tasks.

Are they slobbery?

Yes, Black Mouth Curs are slobbery.

Would they make a good pet?

Black Mouth Cur temperament and obedience is what makes them good hunters, but also good family dogs. They are reliable and loving companions who are loyal to their humans.

They are also extremely social and high energy animals who would love to spend their day at their owners side. Playful and highly energetic, they are even suitable for families with kids.

Did you know…

Black Mouth Curs are considered to be a very intelligent breed that are always eager to please their owner. However, it is crucial that they have a firm and consistent training regime.

They must know at all times that the boss is their owner and it is the owners responsibility to not let go of control of their dog. If you do, then the dog won’t respond to your training.

However, it is also crucial to not confuse positioning yourself as the leader and assertiveness with aversive training methods. Punishing, hitting, or yelling at your dog is cruel as well as counterproductive. Using such cruel and dated methods of dog training is considered animal abuse.

You will never get the results you want with such methods. What you need are positive reinforcement methods using praise and treats that will help your pet learn.

You should start training your Black Mouth Cur dog breed as early as possible and continue this throughout their early life in order to solidify their obedience. You should begin with essentials like leash training and potty training.

You can also teach them easy-to-follow commands such as ‘drop it’ and ‘fetch’. Once your dog is trained in these and is eager to learn more, you can work on expanding the repertoire of commands.

Apart from training, you also have to make sure that your dog socializes early and frequently. By getting early exposure to children and other pets, your dog will have better behavior.

You can train your Black Mouth Cur dog breed to do a lot of things including herding, hunting, agility, search and rescue, and coursing. It is best to give them a job they can do every day, and this will also help them avoid health problems.

However, it also means that whenever they don’t have anything to occupy themselves, they will become unhappy. It is your responsibility as an owner to make sure that they always have something to do or play with so that they don’t become destructive.

Please note that Black Mouth Curs are not the type of dog that can live in an apartment or only go for short walks.

They are a big dog that have big needs. If you are unable to provide them with space, tasks, and attention they need, you shouldn’t bring them into your home.

What breeds make a Black Mouth Cur?

No one knows the exact origins of Black Mouth Curs. However, it is believed that this breed is developed from different European and Asian Cur dogs.

The only thing known for sure is that they were developed as an all-purpose farm dog in South America in the 19th century. Since then, the breed has been widespread. These dogs have a long history of being working dogs on farms and serving their masters well.

While some people believe that the word ‘cur' implies that they are a mixed breed dog species, Black Mouth Curs are purebred. There are some breeds that have been developed from Black Mouth Curs including Foundation Black Mouth Curs (Texas), Ladner Yellow Black Mouth Curs (Mississippi), and Southern Black Mouth Curs (Alabama).

What is the difference between a Black Mouth Cur and a Mountain Cur?

Mountain Curs are a dog species that are often confused with Black Mouth Curs. One of the main differences between the two is that the former is smaller boned than the latter. Another apparent difference is that Mountain Curs have longer coats. When it comes to temperament, Black Mouth Curs are more aggressive than Mountain Curs.

Mountain Curs are in the hound group from the United States. The breed was specially developed for trailing and treeing their prey.

They are also known to tree larger prey like bears and wild boar in the mountains. They also trail smaller animals such as squirrels and raccoons. It is important to know that there are different types of Curs and Mountain Cur is just one breed.

Curs can be farm dogs, guard dogs, water dogs, and hunting dogs. However, since they were born to hunt, most don’t make good family pets.

Mountain Curs dog come out of Ohio, Virginia, Tennessee, and Kentucky. American Mountain Curs ancestors came almost 200 years ago with European settlers.

They helped the settlers by hunting for animals that would provide them with meat and pelts in order to survive. However, when the settlers’ descendants moved to factories, the breed became rare.

This breed was saved by four ambitious men who created the Original Mountain Cur Breeders Association, or OMCBA, in 1956.

However, not everything went smoothly and after arguing over the standards, two of them left to create their own association named The Stephen Stock Mountain Cur Association. Even though The Mountain Cur Breeders Association was created in 1957, the species was only registered with the United Kennel Club in 1998.

Just like all other Curs, Mountain Curs are a courageous and tough dog who are willing to face large, ferocious prey. They are known to be fearless watchdogs who use their ability to remain quiet as an advantage during hunting.

But, even after all this, all they want to do is make their owners happy. This dog is capable of cornering bears and bulls. They are such intelligent and independent animals that if there isn’t any human as the pack leader, they will assume the role.

If Mountain Curs get angry, they will start growling and biting. That is why it is crucial that humans are the pack leader.

An interesting fact about Mountain Curs is that they were the dog from the novel ‘Old Yeller’. It was a yellow, short-haired dog with terrier blood and a bobbed tail.

Just like it was shown in the novel, the Mountain Cur treed and hunted their prey, fought a bear, and even held onto a charging bulls nose. In fact, Curs were the first purebred dog in America. This tough and courageous dog came together by mixing terriers and hounds.

Their grit and tenacity are second to none. Currently, there are four distinct breeds of Mountain Cur which includes Mountain Cur, Treeing Tennessee Brindle, Mountain View Cur, and Stephens Stock.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other mammals including Pomsky, or Cavapoo.

You can even occupy yourself at home by drawing one of our black mouth cur coloring pages.

Black Mouth Cur Facts

What Did They Prey On?

Dog food, rabbits and squirrels

What Type of Animal were they?

Omnivore

Average Litter Size?

3-9 pups

How Much Did They Weigh?

35-95 lb (15-43 kg)

What habitat Do they Live In?

farms

Where Do They Live?

south america

How Long Were They?

N/A

How Tall Were They?

16 in (40 cm)

Class

Mammalia

Genus

Canis

Family

Canidae

Scientific Name

Canis lupus familiaris

What Do They Look Like?

Brown colored with black fur on the muzzle

Skin Type

Fur

What Are Their Main Threats?

n/a

What is their Conservation Status?

Not Evaluated
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Written by Anusuya Mukherjee

Bachelor of Arts and Law specializing in Political Science and Intellectual Property Rights

Anusuya Mukherjee picture

Anusuya MukherjeeBachelor of Arts and Law specializing in Political Science and Intellectual Property Rights

With a wealth of international experience spanning Europe, Africa, North America, and the Middle East, Anusuya brings a unique perspective to her work as a Content Assistant and Content Updating Coordinator. She holds a law degree from India and has practiced law in India and Kuwait. Anusuya is a fan of rap music and enjoys a good cup of coffee in her free time. Currently, she is working on her novel, "Mr. Ivory Merchant".

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Fact-checked by Yashvee Patel

Bachelor of Business Management

Yashvee Patel picture

Yashvee PatelBachelor of Business Management

Yashvee has won awards for both her writing and badminton skills. She holds a business administration honors degree and has previously interned with social media clients and worked on content for an international student festival. Yashvee has excelled in academic competitions, ranking in the top 100 in the Unified International English Olympiad and placing second in an essay-writing competition. Additionally, she has won the inter-school singles badminton title for two consecutive years.

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