by Timmy Duncan

Created on: March 31, 2010

Remember the book and movie Old Yeller? The dog in the story is a typical Black Mouth Cur. The Black Mouth Cur is a versatile working dog that was first bred in the southern region of the United States. A skilled hunting dog, well known for its ability to hunt squirrel, raccoon, bear, boar and mountain lion, the Black Mouth Cur is also commonly used as a herding dog. They bond strongly to their master and can be extremely protective, making them an excellent guard dog as well.

Black Mouth Cur are extremely sensitive and smart. You should plan to begin obedience training and socialization as soon as you bring your puppy home. Due to their sensitive nature, they do not respond well to harsh treatment. Instead use a gentle and firm training method that focuses on positive reinforcement. Even a stern tone of voice should be used very carefully with this sensitive breed.

To avoid boredom, keep training sessions short and varied. Black Mouth Curs are highly intelligent and do not do well with repetition. They bore quite easily and can become distracted if not engaged. Try not to work training for too long at a time and switch up your methods if you do a longer session. Maybe work obedience for a little while and then switch to something else.  

The Black Mouth Cur is not for everyone. They do best with a confident owner who can establish themselves as the authority figure. If there is any question about who is the boss, the Black Mouth Cur is happy to assert themselves as leader – you definitely don’t want this. Set the rules early and stick to them. It is important to be consistent with any dog, but an intelligent breed like this will take advantage of any wiggle room you allow.

Along with being highly intelligent, the Black Mouth Cur also has a burning desire to please his master. This characteristic makes them relatively easy to train as they only want to make you happy.

Socialization is critical with this dog. You must give them opportunities to meet new people and experience new things from the time they are very young. No amount of socialization, however, will make them trust worthy with non-canine pets. Their hunting instincts are too strong and they should never be left alone with other animals.

Resources:

Black Mouth Cur – Dog Breeds – Facts Every Owner Should Know. July 23, 2008 http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/black-mout h-cur-dog-breeds-facts-every-owner-should-know-49389 2.html

(Southern Cur) (Yellow Black Mouth Cur) (Southern Black Mouth Cur) (American Black Mouth Cur) – Information http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/blackmouthcur.htm

Black Mouth of the South. http://www.blackmouthcur.com/black_mouth_of_the_sout h.htm

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