Cur Dog

Cur Dog

He is not recognized by the F.C.I.

Origin

Translation

En français, cette race se dit

Diese Norm ist in deutscher Sprache sichtbar

En español, esta raza se dice

In het Nederlands, wordt dit ras gezegd

Cur dogs are a diverse group of intelligent, energetic, and loyal working breeds originating in the United States and developed for hunting, herding, and guarding. Standing 40 to 69 cm at the shoulder and weighing 11 to 43 kg, they are short-haired, muscular, and require a great deal of exercise, making them better suited to an active life in the countryside than to apartment living. Among the best-known varieties are the Mountain Cur, the Black Mouth Cur, and the Catahoula Leopard Dog.

Here is a list of the breeds and types of Curs developed over the years: American Leopard Hound, Black Mouth Cur, Blue Lacy, Cajun Cur, Camus Cur, Canadian Cur, Catahoula Cur, Feist, Florida Cracker Cur, Foundation Stock Mountain Cur, Henderson Cur, Kemmer Stock Mountain Cur, Kemmer Stock Hybrid Squirrel Dog, Leopard Cur, Mountain Cur, Mountain View Cur, Original Mountain Cur, Parnell's Carolina Cur, Plott Cur, Southern Blackmouth Cur, Stephens Stock Cur, Treeing Tennessee Brindle, Texas Cur, Treeing Cur, and Western Mountain Cur.

Curs dogs are a group of purebred dogs and their crossbreeds, specialized as versatile working and hunting dogs originating in the southern United States. Each breed or type of Cur is unique. Curs are generally not recognized as show dogs but are developed solely for their hunting abilities. Therefore, most Curs are types rather than breeds; that is, one of these dogs may be recognized as a certain type of Cur, but the appearance standard is extremely flexible, so much so that it is difficult to create a comprehensive breed standard.

The name "Cur" means mongrel dog, and because Curs come from a wide variety of crosses, this is how they got their name. Curs are not the result of random crosses; you cannot "make" a Cur. They are specialized working dogs, bred for their abilities by selecting the best individuals from among themselves, based on their individual performance and generally regardless of their breed. Several kennel clubs, however, register different types of Curs based on their ancestry (lines), and several lines are recognized within each type. The United Kennel Club offers an active registration program and a hunting competition program for these dogs.