Mountain Cur

The Mountain Cur is a powerful, agile tree dog of medium size. The body is square or just slightly longer than tall. Legs are long enough to allow the dog to move quickly and with agility in rough terrain. The head is broad, with a moderate stop, and a muzzle slightly shorter than the length of skull. Ears are set high and drop. The tail is straight, set low, and may be a natural bob. The coat is dense but close fitting. The Mountain Cur should be evaluated as a working dog, and exaggerations or faults should be penalized in proportion to how much they interfere with the dog’s ability to work. Scars should neither be penalized nor regarded as proof of a dog’s working abilities.

The Mountain Cur is intelligent, easily trained, and neither vicious nor shy. They are known to always try to please their masters. They are not, however, dogs to be trifled with; historically many a cur died fighting to protect their family from attackers or dangerous predators. These curs were bred to work, and if deprived of the opportunity to hunt, guard, or work around a farm they will grow anxious and bored. When they have a job to do, these dogs are generally happy and obedient, and are able to get along well with children and other pets.

The Mountain Cur was declared a breed in 1957 with the organization of the Original Mountain Cur Breeders of America (OMCBA). Prior to that time, dogs of this type could only be found in very remote, rural areas, and there were no organized breeding records. The most common strains of Mountain Cur included the McConnell, Stephens, Ledbetter, Arline and York strains. OMCBA was able to assemble breeders and register the original-type Mountain Cur. On the last weekend of September 1991, a group of men and women met at Robert and Lou Ella Kemmer's house and formed a new breed club that registered a strain of linebred cur that became known as the Kemmer Stock Mountain Cur. These curs are Mountain Curs that are bred from the above-mentioned lines. The best was bred to the best and then linebred. Kemmer Stock Mountain Curs were first registered with the Kemmer Stock Mountain Cur Breeders’ Association (KSBA). Mountain Curs from OMBCA and KSBA provided the foundation stock for the UKC Mountain Cur breed. Today these dogs are used on squirrel, raccoon, and all types of big game.