Criteria for the appearance of the Blackmouth Hound, the temperament and health of the dog, care for the coat, ears, teeth, the composition of the diet, walking, raising the dog. Puppy price. Breed content:
- Appearance criteria
- Temperament
- Health features
- Maintenance and care requirements
- Upbringing
- Price
The Black Mouth Hound or Black Mouth Cur is a common working breed developed in the United States of America for herding and hunting. The breed is known for its outstanding workforce, courageous disposition and natural aptitude for grazing and hunting. There are many different lines of Blackmouth Hound, most of them named after the kennel or family that bred them. This breed became best known for the appearance in the novel by Fred Gipson "Old Lies", which was later filmed in the film of the same name. Although the dog that was filmed in the film was a mestizo of a Labrador retriever and a mastiff.
Criteria for the appearance of a blackmouth hound
There are many distinct lines, subspecies, and varieties of the Blackmouth Hound, many of which overlap strongly. As a result, the breed exhibits significant changes in appearance, although it is almost certainly the most standardized of any other line of its type.
In general, the animal is medium to large in size. Despite significant differences, the average male is between 45, 72 and 63.5 centimeters high at the shoulder, while the average female is 40, 64 to 58, 42 centimeters high. Weight is largely determined by the growth and condition of the body, but usually, males weigh from 18, 15 to 43, 10 kilograms, and females - from 51, 88 to 36, 29 kilograms. Ideal specimens are those whose length is equal to or slightly longer than their height at the withers.
- Head - large, but still proportional to the size of the dog's body. The skull is flat, broad and tapering slightly towards the muzzle. The forehead and muzzle have a smooth transition.
- Muzzle - Slightly shorter than the skull and rather wide, providing the dog with the largest area for scent receptors. The jaws are large and powerful. The lips should be tight-fitting. In light-colored dogs, they may be pink, but dark lips, especially black ones, are preferred.
- Nose - eye-catching, preferably black.
- Eyes Blackmouth Hounds are medium to large in size and can be green, brown or yellow in color.
- Ears - wide at the base, short or medium in length, tightly pressed to the cheeks.
- Neck - medium, muscular.
- Frame no matter the size, the Black Mouth Cur must be very muscular. These dogs are athletic, although some may be stocky or lithe. Since they are working dogs, this breed should not have overly exaggerated traits that might jeopardize its stamina or athleticism.
- Tail differs in its parameters. Puppies can be born with one of two natural tail types: long, slightly curved and tapering towards the end, or short. In addition, many owners prefer to artificially dock their pets' tails to a length of 2.5 to 5 cm.
- Front limbs - straight, long enough.
- Hind limbs - with muscular hips.
- Paws - oval, with dense pads and strong nails.
- Coat The Blackmouth Hound is short, dense and varies in texture from coarse to fine.
- Coloration includes: red, yellow, fawn, brown, black, deer and brindle. The vast majority of members of the breed, painted in any of these colors, may have a complete or partial black mask on the muzzle. Black hair is common on the ears and legs. Small spots of white are acceptable under the chin, around the nose, on the neck, chest, legs and tip of the tail, provided that the total area is less than 10% of the dog's total body color and there is no white collar.
Black Mouth Curs can sometimes be born with different colors and patterns. Such dogs are unacceptable for the show ring and probably should not be bred, but otherwise they are just as good as pets and working dogs as any other member of the breed.
Blackmouth Hound Temperament
The Black Mouth is a herding and hunting breed, and can also have characteristics that are common to both of these groups. The Blackmouth Hound is renowned for its loyalty and tends to form very strong bonds with the members of the family in which it lives. In different individuals, the degree of attachment to a person manifests itself in different ways. Some specimens are perennial companions, while others remain quite aloof.
With proper upbringing and sufficient attention to the pet, most members of the breed get along well with children and during the game are very tolerant of even the most rude children's pranks. This is, as a rule, a dog that understands that it must play with small children rather carefully. However, nevertheless, representatives of the species are not the best choice for a family with small children.
Black Mouth Cur possesses a strong protective instinct and carefully guards its owners and their property. Because of this, they have a natural suspicion of strangers. Once properly socialized, this breed is usually very tolerant of strangers, although it remains quite aloof and emotionless. Deprived of proper socialization, the Blackmouth Hound can become the possessor of a pronounced "protector" instinct and, possibly, very aggressive. Such dogs are a species that carefully guards their territory, and if some breed specimens can be very friendly with strangers during a walk, then in their home they are completely intolerant of strangers. Because of their protective inclinations, Black Mouth Curs are very good precisely as watchdogs, whose sonorous barking can scare off intruders. This breed is also an excellent guard dog because it will challenge anyone who enters its territory unaccompanied.
The Blackmouth Hound has a highly controversial reputation. This dog was bred to work together (hunting or grazing) in small groups with other canines. As a result, most dogs tend to be tolerant of other dogs if given careful socialization. But, usually, this is not a pet that will peacefully cohabit with other animals.
Therefore, breeders should consider the known problematic aggression in the breed, even if it is not particularly common among individuals. Most members of the breed tend to be fairly dominant. Also, territoriality is a problem, and some members of the breed may willingly, while playing with other dogs in the park, formally oppose anyone who approaches their designated territory. Although the species does not seek conflict, most of its representatives are on alert if a conflict situation arises.
These dogs were bred both for hunting and for catching small animals, as well as for corralling and holding cattle and pigs. As a result, most of these canines are very aggressive towards other animals. Such dogs are natural hunters, and regularly leave their owners gifts of dead animals that range in size from a mouse to a baby deer.
Blackmouth hounds will chase just about any creature they see and have a well-deserved reputation as a cat killer. When Black Mouth Curs are raised with cats or other creatures from an early age, most will behave well with their mates. But, they will probably chase and try to attack other people's animals.
Health features of the blackmouth hound
This breed is generally considered to be reasonably healthy. Blackmouth hounds continue to be bred as working dogs. Therefore, any potential genetic defects impairing their ability to work are immediately eliminated from breeding. These dogs have benefited from the fact that they were not purebred in the modern sense, as they have a very large gene pool. Therefore, hereditary diseases are rare in the species. Most breeders report that their dogs live from 12 to 16 years old, and some reach 18 years old.
Requirements for the maintenance and care of the blackmouth hound
- Wool dogs need to be combed out occasionally. Members of the breed molt once or twice a year. During these seasons, for several weeks, pets are combed every day, using a rubber glove or a thick brush. Bath procedures are rarely arranged for Black Mouths. For them, a shampoo is selected according to the type of wool. After application, the product is completely washed off from the scalp under running water, being careful not to get it into the ears of the animal.
- Teeth blackmouth hounds need constant cleaning to protect them from disease. For cleaning, it is great to use a silicone finger brush and taste paste.
- Ears Black Mouth Curs are susceptible to infections. They easily trap dirt, other particles and moisture. If they are not removed, then over time, this will cause problems. Individuals that regularly hunt and play in the water or work in humid climates are especially susceptible to ear diseases. If infections are not treated properly or quickly enough, they can become chronic and very painful. Fortunately, these problems are almost completely prevented with regular, thorough ear cleansing.
- Eyes such dogs are checked after the hunt for turbidity, damage or simple contamination. With slight redness, they are wiped with medications, and serious injuries are treated by a veterinarian.
- Claws Blackmouth hounds, who regularly receive prolonged physical activity, grind naturally. But, when the pet moves a little, then they can grow back very quickly and interfere with him. Therefore, if long claws are found, they must be immediately cut off with claws or cut with a special file.
- Feeding Working dogs should be balanced, complete and fortified, as the animal spends a lot of energy hunting or grazing. To work professionally, the dog needs to recover and draw strength from somewhere. All that is necessary for the body of a working Blackmouth Hound is in ready-made dry professional feeds from well-known manufacturers. The pet only needs to organize the diet and choose the right portion. Usually, owners will find the dosage of the product in relation to the weight of the dog on the back of the package, but if the dog has expended a lot of strength and energy, it can be slightly increased. If breeders prefer natural feeding, then it should be, first of all, lean meat, some fermented milk products and a minimum of cereals and vegetables. At the same time, every day, they give vitamin and mineral supplements, and chondroprotectors to strengthen the ligaments and joints. More detailed advice on the preparation of such a diet can be given to owners by a veterinarian.
- Walking. Black Mouth Curs are tireless workers who enjoy grazing livestock in the pasture for a long time, and then hunt in the forest for the rest of their free time. This is a very energetic breed that requires a lot of daily exercise. Its representatives will become excellent pets for active families, and will try to keep up with sports achievements. The blackmouth hound should get at least 6 hours of vigorous activity daily, but preferably more.
Dogs that do not find an outlet for their energy will almost certainly begin to harm the house and bark often, will be overly active, overexcited, nervous and sometimes even angry. Even after getting enough physical activity, they can be restless and sometimes even run away from home to wander alone. The Blackmouth Hound is a great jogging companion, but constantly craves for escape opportunities.
It is extremely difficult to satisfy the physical needs of this dog in an apartment, and, of course, a private house with a courtyard area of at least 40 acres is best for him to live. The high energy boost of the Black Mouth Cur is actually very suitable for families who enjoy active outdoor activities.
It is an unusually hardy and athletic dog, with an incredible desire to accompany its owner during any adventures and hikes, no matter how extreme and active they are. Those who think that the energy of these dogs will weaken with age are very mistaken. Blackmouth hounds remain extremely agile into old age, and many of them still successfully hunt even at the age of 13-14 years.
This breed is a virtuoso runaway artist. Blackmouth hounds have an unbridled love of roaming large areas, and stalking and pursuing anything that arouses their senses and grabs attention. Any fence behind which such a dog is kept must be reasonably reliable, as breed members are known to have a tendency to climb fences even 10 feet high. Fences that cannot be jumped, Black Mouth Cur will try to gnaw, dig holes, or exploit other weak points in the fence.
Raising the Blackmouth Hound
These dogs are considered to be very smart and do an excellent job of many tasks. However, Black Mouth Curs are challenging to learn. Such a pet wants to do what he intended, and not follow the commands of someone. Many of them are stubborn and completely uninterested in training. Even those individuals who are more or less amenable to training will not respond to the commands of the person whom they consider below themselves in the hierarchical order. This means that owners of Blackmouth Hounds must maintain a constant position of dominance.
This species is also known to be very sensitive to harsh correction and is much better suited to reward-based learning methods. This does not mean that Black Mouth cannot be trained. In fact, these dogs can learn many very difficult tasks. They just take much longer and more effort to train than other breeds. Therefore, an experienced professional should train them.
Blackmouth hounds are said to train fairly easily in two areas, farming and hunting. This breed learns very quickly to protect the house from intruders. Many of these dogs are instinctive hunters and require little or no training.
Blackmouth Hound's cost
Potential owners should know that this is one of the dogs in truth with a tough "doggy" character and, at the same time, a very kind heart. Black Mouth Cur loves to dig holes and roll around in the mud, sometimes to get dirty in the house at the end of their procedures.
Such dog dogs chase anything that moves, smells or makes noise, including birds, cars and cyclists. The Blackmouth Hound drives away strangers by barking, chases them and runs literally everywhere. Members of the breed seem to take great pleasure in outdoor activities, especially if they anticipate the manifestation of playfulness and mischief.
Black Mouth Curs almost certainly exhibit stereotypical or abnormal canine behavior. This breed is an infinitely loving and completely devoted companion, as well as a tireless and skilled worker, but it is definitely not a meek and calm "gentleman".
The price of a puppy is $ 300-500.
