Right before setting out to hit the google search bar for a BMC puppy is a great time to reflect on whether or not the Black Mouth Cur dog breed is a fit for you. Your lifestyle and family status, as well as the amount of space you have will be a factor in this decision.
The Black Mouth Cur is a hunting and working family dog that will need plenty of room to roam. They are not suited for apartment or city life as a general rule. BMC’s are a high energy breed with a desire to please and a constant need for new challenges. They fare best with a good bit of space and new and stimulating activities and puzzles to solve.
Understanding some constraints of the breed and knowing your own capacity and ability to train the dog are of the utmost importance. Black Mouth Cur lines are very intelligent and intuitive. New and even seasoned owners of the BMC can consider obedience training or e-collar work. Leash work from an early age and basic commands are also very important.
Once we’ve considered our options and responsibilities with our new friend it’s time to actually find a black mouth cur puppy. First and foremost we want a healthy puppy. Here are some tips on how to find the healthiest BMC puppy:
Registered Black Mouth Cur Puppies
- A healthy BMC puppy can only come from healthy parents. Choose a reputable kennel and breeder with healthy and proven dogs.
- Take a visit to the kennel and see the dogs for yourself. Check out the cleanliness of the kennel and the overall look of the dogs. If you are a hunter try and go out and see how the dogs hunt.
- Ask for current pictures of the Sire and Dam of the BMC puppies that you plan to purchase.
- Dealing with a forthright and honest breeder will be a great benefit to any potential owner; especially if you intend to breed your future BMC. A breeder that is well versed about how his dogs are bred can provide truthful information about the dog you are going to purchase.
- A well maintained kennel will provide vaccinations and/or documentation dates of the vaccines and current worming. The breeder should have up to date information on everything done prior to purchase of the pup. This info will let you know when it’s time to take your pup to the vet!
- Read standards for the particular black mouth cur line you are interested in. The NKC or UKC standards will give you a guideline on what to look out for. These are independent registries not attached to any particular line of BMC, individual dog or breeder.
- A well established kennel will be able to provide breeding pairs and/or future dogs with the ability to breed with previously purchased dogs. A great dog will likely result in the future desire to purchase another great dog.
- Breeders of the Black Mouth Cur will have registered dogs. There are independent registries like the NKC and UKC . There are also individual registries like the FBMCBO and the Original Black Mouth Cur association that are based on dogs or family lines. BMCBA is also a well documented registry based on the breeding of Carnathan’s Bruno. Ask your perspective breeder about any registration or pedigree paperwork if you are interested in breeding.
- Something to keep in mind that all BMC’s are bred by individuals; individual breeders like to further the traits that they like in their dogs. A kennel that stands behind and/or guarantees their dogs can be valuable to perspective owners.
Black Mouth Cur Lines and Families
There are four popular lines of Black Mouth Curs you are likely to come across when you begin your search. They all have similarities and differences when it comes to behavior and appearance. The lines are broken up as guarding curs, treeing curs, hunting curs, and herding curs. This can be misleading as all of the major kennels try to breed Black Mouth Curs that can be taken in any direction. To clarify- a guarding cur will hunt and herd, and a treeing cur can hog hunt. A cow dog can also tree!
Another often misunderstood topic is “pure blood”. All dogs have traces of other lines. Purity of blood to one side or another is based on the time that an infusion or cross was made with the lines. This will determine the purity to one side or another. In our experience with the BMC’s any dog with 62.5% to one side would be considered pure blood.
Black Mouth Cur Rescue and Adopt a Pet Black Mouth Curs
Mass media and large scale rescue outfits will use the title of the Black Mouth Cur and provide a generic description of the BMC . Trying to find someone to speak to at one of these outfits or buying a BMC puppy can be another challenge all together. If you are looking for a rescue dog or mixed breed then these services may be an option; however if you are looking for a well bred Black Mouth cur Puppy then look for a breeder or kennel. Here are some of the names of some of the pure blood BMC lines and a brief description of each:
J.D. Howard Black Mouth Cur- A large bone BMC ranging in weight from 70-90 lbs. for males and 55-70 lbs. for females. Colors come in cream to yellow and red. Big game hunters used for bears, deer, coons, and coyotes. Great for tracking and guarding, family dogs. Black muzzle, black ears and a big block head. Originated in Washington County, Alabama back in the 1800s.
L.H. Ladner Original Yellow Black Mouth Curs- The Ladner family dogs also date back to the 1800s as outstanding tree dogs. Well bred male Ladner BMC’s weigh 45-60 lbs. while females with 35- 50 lbs. Yellow BMC tree dogs are used for lions as well as coon and hogs. Family colors come in buckskin, cream, yellow, black and brindle. Black muzzle and black ears with a narrower head than the Howard BMC. Ladner BMC’s have a flag tail and some do not come with black muzzle.
Wrights Curs- Mr. Randy Wright from Dryden, Texas and the Original Weatherford’s Ben Line. Versatile BMC’s with reputation as a stock dog champion for hogs but also well known and champion cow dogs. These dogs are built to run and find cattle with a long body and legs. Females run 45-55 lbs. and males from 50-65 lbs. Wright’s Black Mouth Curs follow a different standard than the previously mentioned dogs with a separate registry- OBMCA (Original Black Mouth Cur Association). The color of these dogs come in cream, buck skin, yellow and with low tail or natural bob tails. They are highly intelligent, great family dogs and very protective of children. Some common names you may hear when reading about Mr. Wright’s Curs include “Wright’s Bounty Hunter” , “Wright’s Western Hell Kat“, Weatherford’s Ben, and “Wright’s Western Jaguar”.
If you have questions about the Black Mouth Cur or would like to inquire about a BMC puppy give us a call or visit the CONTACT page.
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