By Avatar photoShiloh Nevada Last updated: 18th October 2022

Black Mouth Cur

By

Avatar photo Shiloh Nevada
Last updated: 18th October 2022

Originating in South Eastern USA, the medium-size hunting and guard dog Black Mouth Cur is a breed of companion dogs that would do anything for its master. With their broad chest, square muzzle, low-hanging ears, the coat color of their same-litter siblings might appear in varied colors, born with big webbed feet like the Catahoulas. The puppies can be born with a long to short, or even docked, tail.

Black Mouth Cur Pictures

Quick Information

Other NamesSouthern Cur, Yellow Black Mouth Cur, Red Black Mouth Cur, Southern Black Mouth Cur, Black-mouthed Cur, American Black Mouth Cur
CoatHard to soft, medium, short
ColorRed, fawn, brown, brindle, yellow, buckskinned (combined with white)
Breed TypePurebred
Group (of Breed)Hound, cur, working dog
Lifespan12 to 16 years
Weight50 to 100 pounds
Height/SizeMedium; 16 to 25 inches
SheddingAverage
TemperamentCommitted, affectionate, dependable , kind-hearted, protective
Good with ChildYes
HypoallergenicNo
BarkingModerate, prolonged bays
Country of OriginUSA
Litter Size4-10 puppies
Health ConcernsDysplasia, eye diseases, epilepsy
Competitive RegistrationABMCBA, CKC, NKC, SBMCBA, FBMCBO Inc., NSBMCBA, UKC, APRI, ACR, DRA

Black Mouth Cur Puppies Video

History

These old American inhabitants have their origin debated to be either hailing from the Tennessee Mountains, or else, the Mississippi regions. Although never trained as retrievers, these herding hunters would move from place to place with their masters, hunting down rats, raccoons, squirrels, and even bears and boars.

Temperament and Behavior

If trained from puppy days, this cur would make a great family dog and go well with children and other dogs/pets. However, with their old guard dog instinct of protecting the master from intruders and perils, they are naturally territorial. By virtue of their loyalty and courage, this intelligent and kind dog is ready to even die for his owner, and love to live with him rather than in kennels. This breed also loves flock guarding, especially for horses, and are ready to act as guard dogs from a tender age of 6 months.

Care

Exercise

Lots of exercise and a play and runtime with its family members in a wide (but enclosed) yard every day should meet with both their instincts of herding and hunting, as also of roaming and exploring, the instinct for which they feel very confined living an apartment life. Vigorous exercise keeps them physically and mentally fit.

Grooming

With a moderate-shedding short coat, the BMC hardly needs a trimming, but only a mild grooming from time to time including a daily hard-bristle brushing, checking their inner ears for possible infections, and extremely occasional bathing only if they are really dirty, are enough for them to be groomed.

Health Problems

Otherwise a healthy and hardy breed, recorded evidence of a few common health disorders including entropion, ectropion, sprained muscles or torn ligaments (for their exhibition of too much of energy), Ear infections, Demodicosis/Demodectic Mange/Demodex Mange, Hip Dysplasia, Elbow Dysplasia, Cataracts, Epilepsy and PRA might affect the dog’s health in general.

Training

Prior to training your Black Mouth Cur, allow it to bond well with you for which it might take a few weeks. Be firm yet gentle while training your pet as these sensitive dogs are unable to withstand yelling and spanking, but can pick up things very easily owing to their smart nature. It is even essential to keep the training sessions short as this breed tends to get bored easily and are not comfortable with repetitive activities.

Socialise them from an early age by exposing them to varied experiences, different kinds of noises as well as people of varying traits. Occasionally  arrange for puppy parties so that your pet gets exposure to other canines and learns to interact as well as play with them. However, even when it is social enough, it is recommended not to leave your Black Mouth Cur with non canine pets, owing to its high preying instincts.

You can impart agility training to these intelligent dogs. Make sure by then they are able to take simple commands such as ” Come”, ” Stop”, “Stay”, Lie and so on. After this you can teach them jumping through tires or hurdles, walking over the teeter board or even crawling through tunnels. Do not forget to reward him with praises and treats every time he achieves his goal.

Feeding

The diet chart and the quantity of everyday food for the black mouth curs is the same like other curs of the same size. However, a good quality dry dog food is also recommended. Divide the meal into two equal halves for two main meals.

Interesting Facts

  • The black-muzzled variety of these dogs is usually preferred and sought for, and any other variation in color (tan/same as the coat color) is considered a fault.
  • Although this is basically a purebred dog, in the recent times, black mouth cur mixes have also been introduced by the breeders like the black mouth cur-pitbull mix, the black mouth cur-lab mix etc.
  • A black mouth cur named ‘Old Yeller’ is the protagonist in the 1956 children’s novel of the same name written by Fred Gipson.
  • The AKC group has categorized this breed as ‘Rare’.

97 responses to “Black Mouth Cur”

  1. RC says:

    I had a BMC / lab .Pecos , she was the most loyal and loving friend Iv ever had .She lived to be 1 mo short of 18 yr!!! She was good with other dogs but if they got too sniffy , she’d give them a good growl but not much on fighting .Was scared of thunder and fireworks.

  2. Eve says:

    Love these dogs

  3. Becca says:

    I found my 2 babies on the side of the road in the woods near my house. Brother & sister…dumped. They were pretty much starving to death. At first we said we’d get them healthy & take’em to a no kill shelter, but we fell absolutely in love with these pups. Not givin them up now..,

  4. Amy says:

    My boy. My Scrappy Doo McNasty. I got him as a young puppy. He lost his baby teeth on my couch. I am not a dog person. But I wound up a Scrappy person. He died on the same couch that he lost his teeth on. Not a day goes by that I don’t miss him

  5. Sarah says:

    I adopted my Sammy at 8 weeks old from the local shelter. Him and his siblings were dumped and nearly starved to death before they were even weaned. I did take issue with the shelter trying to pass him off as a small breed to make him more adoptable but for me it was love at first sight even though I knew he would be big. Sammy is now 9 months old and my absolute best friend! The only thing that kept me sane when my grandfather passed away and proved to be a good guard dog when a creepy neighbor tried to break in my backdoor. Also my lease is up soon and I want to leave my apartment to get us a place with a nice backyard where he can run and play.
    I thought he was a typical stray mutt because he looked like a boxer lab mix to me but my aunt works with show dogs and could tell he’s a Black mouth Cur, possibly even purebred. Can’t believe someone threw away this sweet baby but I’m thrilled we found each other! ????

  6. Nancy says:

    I found my BMC through tragedy. He was found at a lake bleeding after having been shot. He only weighed 2 pds and wasn’t weaned yet. He’s now a 72 pound beauty that everyone loves. I socialized him early and he grew up with cats, so he gets along with everyone. He’s been trained, but it depends on his mood whether he’ll obey a command if other people are around. Visitors make him excited, so he loses his concentration. The vet’s been seeing him since birth and everyone in the clinic says he’s the most hyper dog they’ve ever seen, but he’s extremely lovable. I wish that I could post a pic of him here. People are always coming up to compliment him. He’s gorgeous.

  7. Saby says:

    Having a heck of a time finding a BMC, in CO. I’ve no problem with a mix at all, maybe even better given that I don’t go game hunting and don’t have a herd of livestock. But 4.5 acres, plenty of animals and wouldn’t mind it if I didn’t have to worry about field mice or rabbits. Any ideas on what route to take to get one? They seem to be calling anything a mix of some sort in the shelters. I really want to know that I have a BMC ratio within the overall dna of the dog.

    • Shari says:

      I just found my BMC at the dog pound. Someone just dropped her off and left. She is about 6 months old. Fell in love with within a couple of hours. I do have pasture land for her run in. And do have horses and other dog. My dog and her got along when I came home with her. Sure hope you will find one soon. Be like me and try the dog pound if you haven’t gotten one yet, you will be surpised, I was .. good luck.. Shari

    • Jamie says:

      Same here as Shari. We just adopted an amazing BMC/Lab mix from the Humane Society in CO Springs. That might be your beat chance.

    • Sarah says:

      If you are still interested, I just saw one on the Miami (FL) Animal Shelter website. I was curious about this breed so that’s how I wound up on this website!

      • Shelly says:

        SAFE in Saint Augustine Fl has the sweetest BMC/Sheppard female for adoption. I am her foster mom and can say she is exceptionally smart and eager to please.

    • Vanessa says:

      You can find plenty pure BMC on PetFinder. Just compare photos to purebred photos online if you are concerned, although PetFinder does a good job specifying if they’re a mix. That is how I found my BMC and he is great at pest control and the best dog I have ever had!

  8. Jack NIchol says:

    Would a black mouth cur boxer be a good inside dog? I am very active and would exercise the dog but I am just wondering how well they do inside.

    • Amy says:

      We’ve had our BMC just a few months. Adopted from a shelter. She’s just about 2 yrs old. Beautiful creature. We have a modest, 1100 square ft house that she stays in daily, with up to 3 of our cats. We are very active as well, so her and I go for a morning run/walk (she likes to explore the trails!) for about an hour each day, then she gets out again for about 30 minutes in the evening, along with the quick 5 minute pee-walk early am and late pm. This seems to do the trick. I wish we could be out with all day with her as she would be ecstatic but reality is what it is and she seems to be happy enough with this schedule. We do not crate her and she is still a super, well-behaved girl with A LOT of toys for her active mind!

  9. Kelly says:

    Wandering if my pup is

  10. Chuck Bennett says:

    I just figured out tonight that my dog is a BMC. We were told when we rescued her that she was a lab/shepard mix. I can certainly see why they thought that. I have never been fully convinced. So I’ve been looking online off and on and could not find an answer that satisfied me. Until tonight, it actually took google to figure it out. I had a pic of Remi on my phone and I was looking through my google photo app and there is a button that actually tries to identify the breed of your dog. It was totally wrong about our other dog, it called her a lab, she’s a fox hound mix. I had never heard of this dog breed until tonight, after reading about them and watching you tube videos I’m convinced that she is at the very least a BJC mix if not pure bread. Since I have no papers I won’t be able to make that claim. I am going to do a doggie DNA test to see if I’m correct. She’s the best dog in the world!

    • Rachel says:

      I had the same experience! I thought I had a lab shepherd mix but she is hands down a BMC mix. She’s 9 months and soooo smart, active, and strong. I think she’s too smart for my own good!

    • Mel says:

      Same here! I adopted my pup at the shelter, they just said “Shepherd mix”, but after reading this.. he is undeniably a black mouth cur! We will be getting a dna test as well!

    • pierre says:

      I just found out that mine might very well be so! Thanks to all for helping!!

    • sue says:

      We were wondering if Cur can be identified in a dog dna test.

  11. Laura Jones says:

    I adopted a pup from a rescue almost two years ago. They said he was a boxer/pit mix. From the moment I saw him, I knew there was indeed boxer because he has the saddest eyes, but I wasn’t convinced about the Pit mix (don’t get me wrong, I love pitties). He also displayed lab traits, and would often “point” like a pointer. So I had a canine dna test done (without giving any suggestions as to when I thought his mix was), and it shows his mom was Boxer and American Shorthaired Pointer…and the dad’s side containe Whippet, Lab, BMC! As soon as I saw the BMC I totally knew it.

    This pup is the most amazing dog I have ever seen. Not only is he handsome (Buff/Fawn and white with partially black muzzle), and weighs around 80 lbs., but he is definitely the smartest dog ever.

    He knew him a name in a day, learned to sit after about 5 mins, and was crate trained from the beginning. Potty training was a bit of a task, as he was plagued with loose stools for about 2 months, which we finally pinpointed as him not being able to eat beef! But once we got him on a chicken based diet, he did great! We even taught him to ring a bell to go outside!! He knows sit, stay, come, House, outside, bang (play dead), paw, high 5, hug, lay, kisses….the list goes on and on…

    I can’t brag on my boy enough. There is however a concern as of late…he has started developing extremely red and raw patches in all four “armpits” and on his tummy…and develops bumps over the rest of his body from time to time. Has anyone else has this issues? He wears a Siresto collar for fleas, and we check him regularly to make sure there aren’t any stragglers on him. I’m just perplexed. It’s not mange.

    This dog is extremely protective of all of us and his house. We have started leaving him out of his crate when we go to bed at night, and he definitely lets us know if something startles him. However, we still have to crate him when we all leave the house because he gets mad that he is left alone and will tear stuff up. He’s not happy unless all 5 of us are home with him lol.

    I love this dog so much, and would definitely recommend BMCs to anyone.

    • Morgan Lorenzo says:

      My BMC had allergic reactions, red bumps like you are commenting on. We tried everything but it wasn’t until we took him off all dry food that he got any relief. I suppose it was the preservatives in the dry food.
      He also doesn’t like to be alone. I suggest getting another dog for good company.

    • Stacie says:

      They truly are the best dogs! I will never get a different breed, I will always get BMC!! They truly are one of the smartest and gentle but yet protective when she needs to be!
      I am committing on the red armpits because it happened to her too. Someone mentioned if I was feeding her any kind of beef. I was thinking back because we do give her table scraps and sometimes we give her steak or beef broth in her dry food. As soon as I cut that out it truly helped. Try doing that to see if it works. I am the one that posted on March 13. Read that post because our dogs are so similar!!

      • Todd says:

        We got ours at about 1 yr old. He was an emergency foster placement so we thought we would have him for 30 days until his owner got more stable. After 2 months the owner surrendered him. Our gain for sure. He is a great dog. Smart, friendly, gentle, and fun. He likes to snuggle up with us, but only if we call him up. He does let us know when he hears strange noises at night.

    • Sonia bamba says:

      I had the same problem. It was from the harness.

  12. Stacie says:

    Love Love our BMC!!! She really is the best dog! She is all the characteristics as they mentioned. Such an intelligent and sweet dog! One of things mentioned was not to yell or spank them because they have a gentle temperment and it’s so true. She can pick up when we are disappointed and will correct her behavior on her own. She is so easy to train especially when you have chicken or some type of meat as the reward! We noticed she is stronger once we started giving her real chicken ( loves a rotisserie chicken). She can probably do 20 tricks. We even taught her how to close the door when she comes back in the house after going to the bathroom, cool trick!! She is so wonderful with children! My children can lay all over her and she just lays there wagging her tail! She is extremely gentle and sweet. BMC do need a lot of exercise though. It would be a disservice to them if they did not get to run around or if you didn’t have time to play with them. She would not do well being in the kennel all day. They are such great dogs that you could train them not to have to use the kennel when you’re not home, it has worked for us! She waits and looks out the window I think the whole time while we are gone. She was only 1 when we strarted leaving the kennel open and we can totally trust her. We re-warded her every time at the beginning when she did a great job! They are people pleaser!
    You can not go wrong with getting this breed! We had a boxer and lab (died of old age) and we thought they were wonderful too but the BMC is the best! We are actually thinking when should we get another BMC so she has a buddy! We love her SO much and she truly is part of our family!!

  13. tristan says:

    i like it

  14. Ronald Enderle says:

    We adapted a Lab mix 2 wks ago in CCTX. Cheeto is 9 mths old and we sense the mix may be a Calahula Black Mouth Cur…so many of this breed we have seen photos of are very much mixed with the typical Lab characteristics. Cheeto is proving to be easy to train and he has a soft mouth when playing. We have always had Labs but this mix is all that we could have ever asked for…so far…ha. rce

  15. Adi says:

    My cousin gave me female BMC and corso cane mix at 4 weeks old. She comes from a hard core hog hunting family and I think she knows it! She is now 9 months old at 55 lbs, she stands 54 inches when up on her hind legs. She’s beautiful but SO ENERGETIC! She is a super smart pup, crate trained at 3 months, never has had an accident in the house. Very obident but she is very playful and jumpy. Still working on that. She plays rough with my Calico but is gentle with my young son. If you are thinking about this breed….please understand they need a lot space to run and they are energetic. Make sure you can keep up with their activity level.

  16. Kristin says:

    I adopted what was thought to be a beagle/lab mix from a shelter while in Delaware. She was 2 months old at the time & will be 13 in April…she’s absolutely the best dog anyone could ever imagine/want! After someones comment on her resemblance to a black mouth cur, I couldn’t research them enough. Hayden surely displays so many of the breeds’ characteristics commonly noted (looks & mannerisms). Super compassionate, loving, loyal, protective, empathetic, beyond wonderful with our 3 children (lil mother hen since day 1), territorial, always places herself wherever she can be/see “everywhere/everyone”simply sweet to the core …I could seriously go on & on – we are clearly obsessed with her.
    Has anyone experienced health issues/concerns with their BMC, like Cushing’s Disease or diabetes? Our pup was diagnosed with both throughout this past year. She’s doing well & loving/enjoying life just as much as she did as a pup. It was simply heartbreaking news, but seeing her thrive despite her new health conditions makes our hearts smile.

  17. Kathy says:

    We just adopted a BMC from a shelter in South Florida. Apparently he was abandoned in the everglades, which, sadly, is not uncommon. My questions are
    1. He doesn’t seem to be house trained! He has many accidents in the house ( floors, walls…) I don’t think It’s just marking. It’s a Lol of urine!!
    2. He sticks to me like glue and scoots over to my side of the bed until I’m waking up clinging to the edge. I hate to kick him out of our bed, especially since our other dog, a Bischon,, sleeps wherever my husband is. He acts like a shadow, and I think of him as needy and starved for attention.

    • enm says:

      I adopted the sweetest little black mouth cur when i was living in Texas shes wonderful with my huge elderly dog and 2cats So now we are in Upstate NY Where it will snow anyday now Do u think I should get her a coat or sweater Im afraid this weather is all new to her she is 2 and so sensitive and sweet Highly recommend this breed for families

    • Mike says:

      Did you ever get yours house trained? I have a 10 week old and I am struggling.

      • Jh says:

        Immediately go outside with her when you let her out the crate. When you being her back in do this every 30 minutes to a hour. Go to the door and ask her do she have to use it at the same time let her out and go with her. Repeat for a week and you will be fine.

  18. denise schump says:

    Hi, I rescued a dog from Bounce rescue and they believed that the puppy was lab and red healer. I wasn’t convinced so I had my dog’s dn done and the results say that he is 33% Stratton shire terrier and 17% lab. The other 50% is a mixed breed. He is the best dog ever. He stays in the yard. He loves to play at the dog park. He likes walks and he is really great on a leash. I can take him into stores and they think that he is a service dog. Buddy swims like a fish, which I think might be his lab. but people often tell me he looks like a black mouth cur. I looked it up and he has a lot of characteristics. Could that be from the 50% mixed breed?

  19. Samuel iztueta says:

    I’m interested in the black mouth puppy,please send me an application and adoption fees. Thanks.

  20. Teresa McCaw says:

    I have a black mouth curr terrier mix,she was a Xmas gift from my daughter.she is an inside dog,red in color with a black mouth,very smart,loving & playful,a great companion for me ,I am a widow with grown children I live in the south ,Birdie is her name ,in time I plan on getting a pure breed BMC male .I love this breed.teresa from mississippi

  21. Walshy says:

    We live in Massachusetts and rescued a dog that came from Tennessee. We were told it was a boxer mix. So many people would comment on how good looking she was and wanted to know what kind of dog she was. We thought she was a mutt. But one day at our veterinary office we encountered a dog which was exactly like our dog Jasmine. After talking to that dogs owner we discovered that they rescued their dog from Tennessee and that they were told it was a boxer mix. They told us that these dogs were Black Mouth Curs which were very poplar down south. We were glad to hear that Jasmine was not a mutt. She is such a special dog. Loving, loyal,playful and smart. She is a small female about 52lbs. But very strong. Has all the markings of a yellow BMC. Loves to chase squirrels.

    • Mary M. says:

      I rescued a puppy from Georgia 8 years ago. I’d had him only a month when a neighbor’s lab came into my pasture and started to attack me. My labx stood there barking. Luckily my 40 pound puppy charged at the 100+ pound lab, baying at the top of his lungs, and ran him off. He even already understood the stone wall was the property line! Nobody here in Maine had a clue as to his breed. I only found out a few months ago from a vet that moved here from NJ that he’s a blackmouth cur. He looks and acts just like the description. Loves to herd the horses. Velcro dog follows me all day while I do chores. Napping by my feet right now…

    • Susan Dornan says:

      Hi Walshy;

      We get Black Mouth Curs at our rescue in MS all the time–typically they are mixes because no one spays or neuters in many parts of the south, and they let them run around. These dogs would technically be “mutts” because inter-breeding is common (like, a Catahoula with a Black Cur – not inbreeding).

      I’m very much a mutt advocate…purebreds can be congenitally predisposed towards medical and some behavioral challenges. I’m curious as to why you would be glad that your dog is not a mutt:

      “We were glad to hear that Jasmine was not a mutt”.

      When you adopted her, you were told that she was a boxer mix which is…a mutt.

      I mean absolutely no disrespect, and I would never challenge someone who adopted and loves a rescue pup, so please do not think I’m being combative! Thank you so much, good luck with sweet Jasmine.

    • Maria says:

      I leave in Massachusetts and I got my Skyler from Sterling animal shelter she is 11 months now and she is a BMC mix with lab she is very playful and kind but loves eating socks and shoes even walls she my daughter anxiety dog and she is a great companion.

    • sue says:

      We just adopted a 3 year old lab/hound mix which came from Tennessee also. She was part of a dog hoarding situation we were told. Tied outside all the time. Starving. Had three litters in a row. Our vet said she looks like she’s mixed with Cur so of course we started researching. She is a golden color with white chest and feet. Looks very much like the fawn colored Curs online. Our lady, Belle, was about 55 when we were approved to adopt. She’s tipping scales at 64 already, yikes. I see you’ve had your dog since 2017. Curious how’s she doing? We’re in CT and wonder how our girl will like the winter months? Thank you.

  22. Cam miller-kozik says:

    How are Cur pups with cats

    • Krista Orsie says:

      We have 8 children 2 cats and 3 bunnies that are litter trained and our cur is AMAZING with other animals! I wouldnt have another breed around my children. She is the best dog

    • Debbie says:

      Mine is great with my old cat. The sensitive nature makes them aware of anxiety in other animals.

    • Liz says:

      Mine loves to charge my cat (for fun I guess), but would never bite her. It’s a game to her. She was raised for a few months and my friend’s place (cuz she found, but couldn’t keep her)….and she has 13 cats. They are all still accounted for.

  23. veronica says:

    I have a Black Mouth Cur that we adopted about a month ago and she appears to have been abused. She has a disdain for men but my husband really tries to get her to trust and bond with him. Also, we have a large yard with lots of trees and a walk trail with a creek however the yard is not fenced in. We allowed her to go outside to get some exercise and we could not get her back to us for two days. One reason was that she do like men and another reason was she was happy to have all that area to play in. We were so afraid that we would not get her back but she came back but we do not want that to happen again so we have purchased a wireless fence. We have not used it yet because we do not want to use it too soon because of her separation anxiety and she was in a shelter for a while. We really want her to have access to the yard when we are home but cannot risk her run through the woods for 2 days. Any suggestions regarding the wireless fence.

    • Sergey Uhanov (Certified Veterinarian) admin says:

      Hi!
      You need to consider few things before installing a wireless fence system. Firstly, you got to have a secure neighborhood free from feral dogs or wildlife. Secondly, having large trees in the yard would not help since dense objects might disrupt the signal between your dog’s collar and the fence base. Moreover, BMCs have high prey drive and are likely to ignore low to mid-level collar signals. Select higher levels of correction if you want to match up with their strong roaming instinct. Finally, a dog that has been trained to respond to positive reinforcement and clicker is better-suited to wireless containment systems.

      • veronica says:

        thank you!

        • Susan Dornan says:

          Hi Veronica;

          I wanted to expand on the wise comment the admin left regarding feral dogs and wildlife (coyotes, bears, etc.) The reason is…that animal can come into the invisibly fenced area…but your dog can’t get out, thus putting them in danger. I know that fencing can be very expensive, so perhaps that’s not viable for you. I just wanted to add that bit of information. Thank you and good luck with your beautiful dog!

      • Kevin Fuelling says:

        Our Cur is about 10 months old and we installed an invisible fence. During the training period, we had to have the collar turned up several times as he is very stubborn. It finally registered with him and he is very respectable about the fence, wont try to go outside of it even to chase rabbits or play with the kids next door. Highly recommend!

  24. Courtney says:

    I adopted Cassie from a local rescue. She was shot in the hind leg while pregnant and the local rescue, rescued her from the shelter. Unfortunately her leg could not be saved. She runs just as fast. She is red and her nose isn’t pointed. She is about 2 1/2 years old and beautiful. Everything I read about them is totally her. She loves to be outside to sunbathe and loves to sit in a window. She loves car rides and she is a social butterfly. She wants to meet everyone when we are on walks. She has the sweetest disposition that any dog could have and lets kids love and hang all over her. I can walk in the room and my friends little boy is sleeping halfway on her with his hands wrapped around her. She is 50 pounds and thinks she is a lap dog. I do have to keep horns and kongs to keep her busy if she is inside and she loves her toys. She is so bored right now because she is going through heart worm treatment and I have to keep her calm. Try keeping a Black Mouth Cur calm. She pouts. I am so lucky to have such a good dog and would love another one just like her.

    • John says:

      Ha, I just rescued one. A male puppy. Where do you live?

    • Toby Strumpf says:

      3 weeks ago, I adopted what I thought was a lab/shepherd mix. Well after seeing these photos and reading about their personality and temperment, I am convinced that my dog is a Black Mouth Cur, maybe with lab. Who knows? This dog, Beau is about 3 years old and such a love bug! He just wants love and attention. Dont know his past, but cant imagine someone not loving this guy. Had my grandchildren (3 & 1 over and he was great with them. Beau too is going through heartworm treatment and it is difficult keeping him calm. Can’t wait until he can run and play and really be himself.
      Sounds like your dog is doing great! Hang in there with the heartworm treatment.

      • Courtney says:

        Oh she is back to her normal self. She got through it like a trooper. It was nothing we did for her to catch but she is now on the shot to make sure she never gets again.

  25. Melanie says:

    I have had a rescue dog for a little over 4 years now. He looks an awful lot lut some of these pics, just mayne not as much muscle as some. He acts like a lot of what i am reading here, but the vets think he is German Shepherd mixed with Lab or Boxer. I see the Boxer possibility but act more like what I am reading here. Up until about 1 year old, we were able to go to the dog park about 5 times a week with no issue,or her wohld get a short walk on the few off days then all of a sudden he started picking fights with random dogs, for seemingly no reason so we had to give the dog park up. I know he no longer gets enough excercise, and he has become afraid of literally just about anything he does not know what it is. The walks have also shortened due to the number of dogs the people let run loose around me, and he hets aggressive if they try to approach us. All this poor dog has is me. I have no idea what to do to help him to have a more enjoyable existence outside of his love for me and mine for him. Suggestions??

    • Rachael says:

      We have the same issue with Jay, our rescue. He attacks other dogs for no reason, but absolutely LOVES people. We go for long morning runs; not many people and much easier to distract while running. My husband isn’t a runner so he takes Jay with the bike. Hope this helps!

  26. Lisa says:

    I am rescuing a black mouth Cur mix from our local animal shelter, she is 11 months old. After a week or so of bonding I would like to take her to the local dog park. Does this breed interact and socialize well with other dogs? I also plan on taking her to obedience classes. I live alone so majority of her time will be spent with me. I don’t want that to become a issue for her later in life. Thoughts on this? My father said he did some research that says the dog is not good with children and is aggresive with other animals. I have read the opposite.

    • Brian says:

      My BMC lab mix is amazing with my nephews 9 and 12 and niece 7. Very very playful though and can knock them over or get a little excited and put his mouth on them, but never bites down or draws blood, just a sweet playful guy. You NEED to exercise them though. Lots and lots of exercise and play.

    • Kevin Fuelling says:

      My 11 month old Cur LOVES to play with other dogs, all dogs! And loves kids, but he can be a little rambunctious (sp?) with smaller kids. But he loves to play, fetch, Frisbee catch, you name it, he will do it.

    • Carolyn Berger says:

      My Black Mouth Cur loves to socialize with people and other dogs. Mostly he loves children. He is 8 months old and weighs around 35 lbs. He is still very much a puppy. I recommend taking your dog to the area where the middle size dogs are. The area where dogs over 30 lbs are not very patient with playful pups. Even though my dog is big he’s still a puppy. Also, I believe some pet stores have free supervised play time with other dogs.

  27. Edwin G says:

    We got our BMC when she was 8 weeks old. Had several dogs before but this is by far the best breed. Smart, fast learners, protective and active.
    Kiki loves to right the car to the park where she’s like to chase squirrels.

  28. RSoames says:

    We’ve had our BMC since she was rescued from a breeder at 10 weeks, and she’s now 20 months old. Extremely intelligent, extremely sensitive, and by far the most active dog we’ve ever had: it’s almost impossible to tire her out.

    BMCs are best when they’re rarely left alone, when they’re occupied throughout the day with activities, interaction, and tasks, and they should not spend excess time in kennels. If you’re looking for a dog that can hang-out alone for 8+ hours while you’re at work, this is not the dog for you. These dogs need a lot of stimulation and exercise, and they’re highly social (and must be well socialized as puppies to avoid negative behavior).

    BMCs are wonderful, amazing dogs, but they’re not for everyone. This is the dog for people who want to interact with their dogs constantly, not for people looking for a mellow lap dog to hang-out with in the evenings and weekends.

  29. Ferkel says:

    We rescued Boadie, our Black Mouth Cur almost 5 yrs ago. He’s EXTREMELY loving and VERY protective of our family. He’s about 105 lbs and plays great with our Japanese Chin dog Harley who is only 20lbs. Boadie is really smart, loves attention and has been an amazing companion! Def a great breed!

  30. Anne Aalbue says:

    I have a rescued black mouth cur pit mix. He is a CGC, and pet partner therapy dog. He has an incredible temperament and very sensitive and affectionate. Very trainable, and eager to learn.
    I’ve had him since he was 2. He is 6.5. He was very easy to train. This is a great mix of dog!

  31. sandy says:

    I just found out that .y rescue is a blk mth cur. He was 95 lbs when I got him now he is 117. They said he was a 1 1/2 2 yrs ago. He does love to play and destroy certain toys. Unfortunately he was not socialized but he gets along with little dogs . He is fixed but very territorial. He has a great judge of character. Barks and almost lundges over our fence at certain people who walk by.

    • Elizabeth says:

      I have a black mouth cut that was socialized and does what yours does when people walk by. Not all people just certain ones like ones on bikes, etc. I think it’s just their protective nature

  32. Wyoming says:

    Yes mine needs to run aboutan hour to get tired about ten miles. I will occasioally use a walking harness. Or just loop a leash under the ribcage behind the front legs. For a little more control when needed. A retractable leash is helpful. Recommend social time at dog park. And at store visits where permitted.

  33. Megan LaPorte says:

    I am fascinated by these posted. We adopted a South Carolina rescue. That was advertised as a lab mix. And we thought the same as Darlene. That he resembled a Rhodesian ridgeback.
    We think Otis is about 10 months old. He is about 40 pounds. Very energetic and chews all the time. Not destructively but constantly. Tennis balls done in 5 minutes. Pops basketballs and footballs. Only chews the toys and knotted socks we give him. Thankfully no shoes or furniture.
    His personality is very much as described. Just love him. Does not play fetch because he has to chew whatever I bring out to play. But will find a deer bone and bring it to me and drop it at my feet when I tell him to. Very smart and trainable. We used a training collar to teach him the boarders of our yard at home and at the lake with great success.
    He barks and nips at us when he has to go out to the bathroom. Which is good and annoying. And he has to have my undecided attention for at least 30 minutes when I come home from work. He will pull at my skirt if I am distracted.
    We do crate home for the day with a lunch break. He sleeps upstairs but not in our bedrooms. At the top of the stairs. His choice. And he does not like to cuddle. Or give kisses. I originally thought that was just because he was a rescue but am wondering if is a part of the breed.

  34. Darlene says:

    Interesting! I have a rescue dog, a mix of some sort, and we thought him to be a Rhodesian Ridgeback mix of some sort, maybe…possibly mixed with Shar Pei or Chow Chow, but he looks JUST like some of these Black Mouth Curs, with the exception of a curled tail (curls perfectly up over his back), and a few black spots on his tongue.

    • Cara says:

      Wow! Us too! You just described our rescue down to his curly tail and spotted tongue. Could not tell what he was at all. His litter was orphaned and we took one to help out, he was not even 2 weeks old. I am fairly certain he is a black mouth cur at this point, ran into a puppy who looked exactly as he did at that age and started asking questions. After 2 years it is so nice to finally know!

      • FD says:

        I just adopted a dog 3 weeks ago that is exactly as described too! Curly tail, spotted tongue, looks like a Rhodesian but is much smaller, has lab retriever like fur but it’s red, slight black around the muzzle and looks like he has black eyeliner on. He’s 1 and a half years old. Has long howling type barks and follows his nose everywhere when we take him hiking. Can be very jumpy and mouthy when he gets excited, almost like he’s in a frenzy. He weighs about 60lbs but he’s thin so he will definitely be heavier once he fills out. He’s a good dog, loves to snuggle. Always has to be near us, doesn’t like to be alone. He does have a problem though, his hips pop a lot so we think he may have hip dysphasia. It’s unfortunate but we will do anything to make him better.

  35. Angela says:

    We have a black mouth cur we found as a puppy. He is a year old now, he has been neutered. We live with my grandmother right now and we have three other little dogs he grew up around. Unfortunately with our living conditions they all spend a lot of time in their cages/kennels inside the house. Lately he has been growling and trying to lunge at my grandmother. He doesn’t do it everytime but she is 83 years old. I don’t know why he is doing this. Any help or advise would be greatly appreciated.

    • Cizhon says:

      These dogs can’t be left in a kennel like that. If they are locked up too much they will start to have serious anxiety issues and the stress can cause them to lash out or become aggressive. It is understood from your living situation, that he is in a kennel a lot. They are high energy dogs and need to be exercised several hours every day. If you are not able to do this, his quality of life will diminish and his temperament will be affected negatively. Perhaps train him to be outside his kennel, but calm. We have trained ours in a similar fashion. We take him out to the dog park for a brisk playtime for an hour or so 3-4 times per day. When we come home, he is ready to lie down and be lazy. The only time he is kenneled is at night… he knows that as his bed. I hope this helps!

      • RSoames says:

        These dogs absolutely are not suited for spending hours every day in a crate — that’s going to significantly harm the cur’s mental health. If your lifestyle requires that you keep your dogs in kennels, PLEASE rehome your cur to a family that can provide it the proper environment.

        • Susan Dornan says:

          Sadly, I have to agree with RSoames. The best possible thing for your dog, AND your grandmother, is to help him find a home that can provide the exercise and engagement that his breed needs. Some things can’t be “trained out of” a dog (meaning, his need for these things), because it’s so organic–it’s part of the breed characteristic, not a behavior that it’s developed based on environment.

          Please do NOT just turn him over to a shelter. Depending on where you are, euthanasia in a shelter is not out of the question, especially for a very large dog. I recommend that you pursue breed-specific rescue (NOT shelter)that can help you, unless you are very familiar with someone who expresses interest in adopting him. Also…please do NOT advertise in your local paper and NEVER on Craig List. You have no idea who a respondent may be, and what they’ll do with that dog.

          Sorry to be so vehement…I volunteer for a rescue that pulls dogs from kill shelters in the south to bet and rehome then in Wisconsin. I unfortunately know what I’m talking about.

          I hope things turn out well for you and your dog!

    • Tammie says:

      My husband found Anna on a country road 2 years ago. Someone put her out with a cardboard box as her home. Our vet said she had curr in her. We have 2 other small dogs she has bitten before. So when we leave the house Anna stays outside. We have a 1 year old grandbaby. Anna snapped at him. I don’t trust her now. What can we do?

      • Aaron Rosenberg says:

        Well i have a 1yr old female cur who seems to have the same problem. From what it looks like, i believe the problem has to do with the physical appearance of the person or even objects, as in my case. If a person is wearing a costume, walking with crutches, in a wheelchair, walking with a cane, has a physical deformity, or simply just very old and slow, my female will growl, bark, and lunge at them. With discipline and constant disapproval everytime our cur (Emma) displayed that behavior, she has greatly improved. Now a days she is much better behaved. She just turned 1 a few weeks ago and seems to be more independent and making better decisions without our(my wife and i) constant supervision. Curs are extremely smart dogs and will learn quickly if you stick to your guns. But from time to time Emma will still lunge at strangers if their appearance frightens her. Hopefully the progress she has made continues until the problem is gone completely. I’m sure it will. I’ve had dogs around me for 37yrs. so I’m pretty good with judging dogs and their behaviours. So i recommend giving your cur a very negative response,(whatever that may be for you and your dog) whenever he displays growling or lunging at grandma. Remember YOU run your house. NOT your dogs. If your dog has to spend a little more time them average in a kennel, then so be it. Don’t make any excuses for your dogs negative behaviours. Nip them in the bud immediately or they will just get worse.

    • Tammie says:

      My husband found Anna on a country road 2 years ago. Someone put her out with a cardboard box as her home. Our vet said she had curr in her. We have 2 other small dogs she has bitten before. So when we leave the house Anna stays outside. We have a 1 year old grandbaby. Anna snapped at him. I don’t trust her now. What can we do? We found her when she was around 6 weeks old I should mention

      • RSoames says:

        Your first duty is to protect the baby, but you should not do so at the expense of the health of your dog. If you’re unable to commit to professional training and the work that comes with it, consider rehoming you dog with someone experienced in aggressive behaviors.

    • Aaron Rosenberg says:

      Well i

  36. Paige says:

    Also he is very excited and very energetic always wants to play. I named him Hurk any ideas how to get him to calm down and not wake me up at 3 in the morning

    • Sergey Uhanov (Certified Veterinarian) admin says:

      Hi!
      Yes, they are very energetic and always love activities. Let it play as and when he wants. Do not stop him, since a good playtime and lots of activities would keep them balanced mentally and physically. At the same time, playing would burn down their energy and they would naturally need rest at the end of the day, and wouldn’t wake you up at 3 in the morning.

    • Roy says:

      The best answer is to get another one. We have two and they burn a ton of energy on each other.

      You didn’t say how old your pup is. Mine are now 7 months, and until they were about 4 months they also work me up about 3 to let them out to use the bathroom. I think this is because of how much they eat as pups. They grow out of it.

  37. Paige says:

    I have a Catahula and a Black mouth cur mixed stray/mutt.
    I don’t know how old it is all I know is that he is a puppy

  38. Shirley Arredondo says:

    I rescued a cur mix when it was 7-8 months old. She is wonderful until we put a leash on her and take her to the vet. She wants to see and play with everybody and it is very difficult to control her. Do you have any suggestions?

    • Sergey Uhanov (Certified Veterinarian) admin says:

      Hello,
      You have not mentioned whether your dog is leash trained. It is important to get your dog accustomed to the leash in the first place. You can also socialize your dog by taking her to different public places (rather than just to the vet) like the pet store, dog-friendly malls, and especially dog parks, where she can easily mix with other dogs and humans, and get to see how the dogs interact with their owners and other people.

    • Ryan says:

      Haha our puppy wants to meet everyone there has been a few people that she is not happy with and gets aggressive we are not sure what she is as we got from a friend who found her

    • Rob says:

      A long, brisk walk before the vet. I have a 4 yo Black Mouth Cur and he’s a completely different animal before and after a good workout.

    • sandy says:

      To get her used to the leash let her wear the leash around the yard for 30 minutes or so then she will begin to realize by selfcorrecting everytime she steps on the leash.

  39. Kelly says:

    Old Yeller was played by Spike, a Lab/Mastiff mix. In the book Old Yeller was a Black Mouth Cur.

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