Mountain Cur Dog (A.K.A Mountain Kerr) – Quick Overview

The Mountain Cur dog, also known as the Mountain Kerr, is a working dog that is today extensively used in hunting practices and as a hunting dog.

The Mountain Cur dog was first registered with the United Kennel Club (UKC) back in the year 1998.

Introduction To The Mountain Cur Dog

The Mountain Cur chases down small animals such as squirrels and raccoons and forces them to run up on trees where they think they are safe, only to be shot down and hunted by the Mountain Cur’s owner that’s just waiting for these small game to get on the trees so they can take a shot.

They are also used to help in the process of hunting down bigger animals such as bears as well, and hunting down potential game that might be in the water.

As of this writing, the Mountain Cur is one of the most popular, and most effective, hunting dogs of today.

One of the special things about the Mountain Cur is that no one’s completely sure where they originated from yet, although Curs are known to be hound dogs, and it’s also known that there are many different varieties of Cur dogs beside the Mountain Cur.

Mountain Curr Appearance

Size, Height & Weight

The Mountain Cur is very well known for its muscular body and stocky build, being utilized and one of the most powerful working dogs ever.

Just take a quick look at its significantly deep chest and you’ll see that for yourself first hand.

On average, the Mountain Cur will weigh anywhere between 30-75 pounds and will stand anywhere from 18-26 inches tall.

Coat

The Mountain Cur’s coat is a relatively short one, but it’s a very dense coat nonetheless.

Some of the most common colors that the Mountain Cur’s coat comes in are black, brindle and yellow, while also having some white spots that are most commonly found on their face and chest areas.

Mountain Kerr Temperament

Protectiveness

Many owners of the Mountain Cur attest that this dog is one the the most possessive dogs they have ever come across, and this statement is echoed even from experienced dog owners who have already dealt with a few other dogs in their life before.

With this possessiveness comes a high level of protectiveness as well, both to you and to the other members of your family.

This trait is what makes them a very well preferred choice for a home guard dog for many people, instead of companion dogs (which they won’t be very good as).

Over the years, there have been many reports about deaths among Mountain Cur dogs when they were trying to courageously protect their owners, families and households from danger and harmful intruders, so this dog most certainly does not need to be tested for anyone to be sure of the lengths they are willing to go to to protect their owners.

Don’t forget the fact that this dog is often used to help in hunting down the largest of sized game in the wild, so they will stop at nothing when it comes to fighting dangerous threats because they tend to fear nothing.

The Mountain Cur is certainly not an outgoing, playful and friendly dog like the Labrador Retriever, it is instead a very protective and brave dog that will back off to nothing when it comes to completing the task it was assigned to do.

Training

Being notoriously used as one of the best hunting dogs around today, it’s safe to say that Mountain Curs are extremely smart dogs, which also means they will prove to be easier to train than other dogs that don’t have such high intelligence levels.

However, you should know that the Mountain Cur is most certainly NOT a submissive dog or one to act shy around you.

On the contrary, they have their own strong personality which will always shine.

You have to learn about how to train this dog that you’re the pack leader in the relationship between you and them, and that the pack leader is not really them, or else a dog with a personality as strong as theirs will easily try to overpower you in your relationship when they grow up and have all the necessary means to do that.

So training them about who the leader is in the relationship between you two is probably the most important take-away here, and is something that you should do ever since your Mountain Cur is still a young puppy.

For example, owners that take this dog out for a walk or similar activities should make sure that during the walk, the Mountain Cur doesn’t lead the way, but rather walks by their owner’s side.

If the Mountain Cur were to lead the way when walking, this would feed into their predisposition of thinking that “I’m the leader and my human is my follower”.

It’s little details like this that you have to pay attention to and address before it’s too late, yet without harming the relationship between you and your Mountain Cur at the same time.

With that being said, Mountain Curs are known to be fans of pleasing their owners during training, so that’s always good to hear.

Exercise & Physical Activity

The Mountain Cur probably has one of the highest energy levels among all dog breeds, with some owners reporting their Mountain Cur dog can walk up to 15 miles a day, after which they still have loads of energy to run around and remain active.

This very much goes hand in hand with the fact that they are excellent working dogs that are only suitable for owners that plan to use them for such tasks and, by the nature of these tasks, give them all this physical activity they need during the day.

Mountain Cur Living Conditions

The Mountain Cur dog will do terrible if they are brought home to live indoors in a closed apartment, as they only do well in homes where they can spend the majority of their day in open spaces, such as in a property’s backyard.

The Mountain Cur does very well when living in such large, open spaces, so this is a necessity and not an option if you’re considering getting one of these dogs home.

As a matter of fact, if you’re thinking about getting a Mountain Cur home as a companion pet, you’re probably making a bad choice, a very bad one as well.

The Mountain Cur isn’t suited to be a family dog or companion dog at all, they only excel as working dogs doing what they do best, hunting out in the wild.

So if you’re a hunting-loving person yourself and plan to get a Mountain Cur dog home in order to have them participate in such activities alongside you, that would be perfect.

But if you’re planning to get a Mountain Cur dog home in order for them to be a typical house pet, you’re best off looking at another breed.

Unless you’re able to supply them with ample amounts of exercise and doing what they love doing best, such as hunting, guarding, or doing anything else a work dog excels at doing, this dog is just not the one for you.

This dog was just not meant to live a typical “home life”, they are meant to have fun and enjoy themselves being in the wild.

Also, and as a last thought to wrap this section up, if you’re thinking about getting home a Mountain Cur dog as the first dog ever that you have any kind of experience with, forget about that idea because this dog will be WAY more than any new, inexperienced dog owner can ever handle.

Mountain Cur Health

As far as their health is concerned, the Mountain Cur isn’t known to suffer from any specific health problems or to inherit any such problems from their parents.

However, you have to keep in mind that the Mountain Cur is more prone to suffering from physical injuries than the majority of other dog breeds out there, because of the fact that they are given hard tasks to complete when used as working and hunting dogs.

If given everything it needs to live a healthy life and properly looked after, the Mountain Cur will live a lifespan ranging (on average) between 13-16 years.

Mountain Cur Care

If you’re considering getting a Mountain Cur as your new best friend, you’re going to love the fact that they are low maintenance dogs.

First off, you won’t have to brush the Mountain Cur’s coat all that too often, with brushing their coat around 1-2 times tops per week being enough to maintain their coat quality and do away with any dead hairs.

Their ears also don’t need that much grooming as well, with the usual cleaning process that happens around once every 2-3 weeks being enough as well.

Just make sure their ears don’t grow too much hair inside, as that can become problematic.

As for clipping their nails, you also don’t need to do anything special with the Mountain Cur for that one, as all you need to do is clip them when they start to grow longer than they should be.

Just a quick note about giving the Mountain Cur a bath – don’t do that way too often.

Only give your Mountain Cur a bath when they need one, because all that excess water that they don’t really need being poured on them will just lead to their skin becoming more and more dry.

8 COMMENTS

  1. I don’t know where you got your info from but the Mountain Cur is a great family dog. I know several people including myself that have kid friendly, loving lap dogs that are the Mountain Cur. I would recommend them to any family that wants a friendly fun companion.

    • I was getting really worried when I read this. I took a stray dog in eclipse day. It turns out to be a Mountain Cur. She sweet as can be. We’ve had her one week today and we are progressing right along. She gets along very well with my bully Boston Terrier. I’ve a 4 yr old grandson that will be meeting her in the next few weeks. Of course she will be learned and under my control. I’ve already established the alpha position. I’ve got ads out looking for the owner. So far no one has come forward. This is a dog about 1yr or under. I have an appointment to get her spayed as well. I’m holding my breath hoping she continues to be a sweet responsive pet.

  2. I also have a black mouth cur which is a sweet loving family dog I give her fun tasks like finding my kids when they pretend to be lost and they give her a treat she loves the game. She acts so fun like a bouncing tigger or bunny when she pounces on her toy out side and then acts like a rocket when in top speed running but I haven’t had any problem with aggression and I know my Labradors I’ve had, Dalmatians, German shepards all had more of a aggression side than these cur dogs do.

  3. My Mountain Cur is a very devoted companion, he does have a fenced backyard although he enjoys spending most of his time inside. At obedience class, he is among the smartest. He clearly needs outside time and a walk or there is some destructive behavior and there have been moments when he tests to see who the pack leader is however I would highly recommend this breed to any family that is willing to take them for a walk.

  4. I have a mountain cur.. he’s the smartest dog I’ve ever been around and he’ll test you just because he can.. once you establish the lead role mine will challenge but what alpha wouldn’t? Have to be strong.. they are very proctective as long as they know they aren’t harming you our your not scared.. also great with kids.. plus they live about 20 years.. it’s one of the best breeds out there!

  5. I have a mountain cur, which is absolutely fantastic. She is playful, smart, and eager to learn. She is A lap dog and loves cuddling. I have found most sites are wrong when describing them. Completely non aggressive and loves being inside. Good around people and kids. Stands by my side and walks at my pace.

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