Mountain Cur

Scenthound Group

The goals and purposes of this breed standard include: to furnish guidelines for breeders who wish to maintain the quality of their breed and to improve it; to advance this breed to a state of similarity throughout the world; and to act as a guide for judges.

Breeders and judges have the responsibility to avoid any conditions or exaggerations that are detrimental to the health, welfare, essence and soundness of this breed, and must take the responsibility to see that these are not perpetuated.

Any departure from the following should be considered a fault, and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog and on the dog’s ability to perform its traditional work.

History

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.

The Mountain Cur was recognized by UKC on November 1, 1998.

General Appearance

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.

Characteristics

The Mountain Cur is a fast, hard hunter that runs the track with its head in the air. Open, semi-open, or silent on track, the Mountain Cur has a clear bark that can be heard a long distance. When a hot track is not immediately available, the Mountain Cur will circle and drift on a cold track until it locates a hot track. Mountain Curs are courageous fighters when required. This breed is intelligent, with a strong desire to please, so despite its strong treeing instincts on all game, the Mountain Cur is easily discouraged from tracking unwanted game. A Mountain Cur responds better to training if it has lots of human contact. In addition to hunting, Mountain Curs make great family companions and watch dogs.

Head

The head is broad, but proportionate to the size of the body. When viewed from the side, the muzzle is slightly shorter than the skull and joined by a definite stop. The planes of the skull and muzzle are parallel.

SKULL

The skull is flat and broad, tapering slightly toward the muzzle. Cheeks are muscular and prominent.

MUZZLE

The muzzle is shorter than the skull, moderately broad with a well-defined underjaw. Lips are tight with no flews. Lip pigment matches nose pigment.

TEETH

The Mountain Cur has a complete set of evenly spaced, white teeth meeting in a scissors bite.

Disqualifications: Overshot bite. Undershot bite.

NOSE

Nose is square with well-opened nostrils. Pigment is black or self-colored.

EYES

Eyes are large in size, set wide apart with inner and outer corners on the same horizontal line. Eye color is brown, ranging from dark to amber. Eye rims are tight. Eye rims match nose pigment.

EARS

Ears are drop, of short to medium length, wide at the base, and set high.

Fault: Semi-erect ears.

Neck

The neck is slightly arched, strong, very well muscled, and of moderate length. The neck gradually widens from the nape and blends smoothly into the shoulders.

Forequarters

Shoulders are well laid back. The upper arm is long and wide, and forms an apparent 90-degree angle with the shoulder blade.

FORELEGS

The forelegs are well muscled with strong bone. The elbows are set close to the body, but able to move freely in action. The pasterns are short, powerful, straight, and flexible.

Body

A properly proportioned Mountain Cur is just slightly longer than tall. Back is broad, strong, of moderate length, and level, blending into a muscular, slightly arched loin with slight to moderate tuck-up. The ribs extend well back and are well sprung out from the spine, then curving down and inward to form a deep body. The brisket extends to the elbow. Viewed from the front, the chest between the forelegs is muscular and well filled. This is a dog bred for stamina and faults should be penalized to the degree that they detract from that goal.

Hindquarters

The hindquarters are strong and muscular. The bone, angulation and musculature of the hindquarters are in balance with the forequarters.

HIND LEGS

The stifles are well bent, and the hocks are well let down. When the dog is standing, the short, strong rear pasterns are perpendicular to the ground, and viewed from the rear, parallel to one another.

Feet

The feet are slightly oval in shape, are of moderate size, compact and well arched. Pads are large, tough, and well cushioned. Single or double dewclaws are preferred but not required.

Tail

The tail is set low and either naturally bobbed, bobbed, or of medium length, carried high. Bobbed tail is preferred. On rough-coated dogs, the coat on the tail is well feathered.

Coat

The outer coat is short, and may be smooth or rough in texture. Undercoat is short, dense, and soft.

Color

Black (with or without tan or brindle points); blue; brindle; brown; red; yellow; blonde or buttermilk buckskin. White markings are permissible provided the dog is not more than one-third white in color.

Disqualification: Albinism.

Height and Weight

Height for a mature male ranges between 18 to 26 inches; and 16 to 24 inches for a mature female. Weight is proportionate to height. Mountain Curs are working dogs and should be presented in hard, muscular condition.

Gait

Mountain Cur gait is smooth and effortless, with good reach of forequarters. Rear quarters have strong driving power, with hocks fully extending. Viewed from any position, legs turn neither in nor out, nor do feet cross or interfere with each other. As speed increases, feet tend to converge toward center line of balance.

Disqualifications

(A dog with a Disqualification must not be considered for placement in a bench show/conformation event, and must be reported to UKC.)
Unilateral or bilateral cryptorchid.
Viciousness or extreme shyness.
Albinism.
Deafness.
Blindness.
Overshot bite.
Undershot bite.

The docking of tails and cropping of ears in America is legal and remains a personal choice. However, as an international registry, the United Kennel Club is aware that the practices of cropping and docking have been forbidden in some countries. In light of these developments, the United Kennel Club feels that no dog in any UKC event, including conformation, shall be penalized for a full tail or natural ears.