Black Mouth Cur Breed Spotlight

Although there are many hypotheses regarding the origin of the breed, the history of the Black Mouth Cur remains slightly murky. Stories of the dogs are well documented throughout the South by families who have kept the dogs for generations. There are as many highly regarded bloodlines of the breed as there are origin stories, including Ladner, Southern, Weatherford’s Ben Texas, Foundation, and Howard, to name a few. Many families have kept these dogs for well over 150 years.

It is believed that the ancestors of these dogs were originally brought over with European immigrants, including the all-purpose dogs used by the Irish and Scottish people who settled throughout the Southeastern United States, as well as the old European hounds and molossoid-type dogs brought by the English and French. Like many in the cur family, these dogs were all-purpose homesteader dogs. They could trail game for meat and fur, pen or catch hogs and cattle, and protect their family and property.

The namesake of the Black Mouth Cur is believed to have come from the black mask on the muzzle that many dogs have, although they can come in many colors other than fawn with the black mask. However, others claim that the name is due to the pigment of the lips and gums often appearing darker than the traditional “bubble gum” pink of most dogs. Instead, the Black Mouth Cur’s lips and gums appear brownish pink to dark grey, giving them their “black mouth” moniker.

Black Mouth Curs are used to this day as working dogs, hog-catching dogs, herding dogs, and hunting dogs. They are also gaining popularity as companion dogs with families that are active in dog sports and events.

See the full Breed Standard for the Black Mouth Cur!