Black Mouth Cur vs Australian Bulldog - Breed Comparison

The Black Mouth Cur was developed in the southern United States but comes from a long line of Curs and Cur type dogs that date back to pre-Christian times as herding and hunting dogs, protectors and guard dogs. The breed itself is not officially recognized by the AKC (American Kennel Club). No dog with the word Cur in its name is recognized by the AKLC. However, the Black Mouth Cur is absolutely considered a purebred dog expected to be a working dog and protect its family. The Cur is recognized by the United Kennel Club as a scent hound. The spelling of the Cur line might include Curre, Cu, and Kurre. All these dogs were hardworking herders, guard dogs, and hunters. Most of European herding dogs have their roots in the Cur lines. This is true as well for the Australian and American herders as well. Although all these herding dogs have common roots in the Cur, they do not necessarily have common ways of herding. Some harass individuals and others circle the herd and bark, still others like the Border Collie, control the herd with their eyes. The original Curs were responsible for herding a non-docile flock of tough, resilient animals three thousand years ago in Asia and Europe. The Cur would be responsible for rounding up any stray animal and brining it back to the herd.

The ancient Cur line developed into the many different herding breeds we know today, as well as into several different kinds of hunters and guard dogs in different areas of the world, and in different climates. Many different countries and cultures aided in the development of the Curs. Probably the group with the most influence into this breed were the Celts. Just as they were with breeds of livestock, cattle and horses, they were instrumental in the breeding the best dogs to the best dogs to get the best dogs. Needing a dog that would be gentle enough to be around their children and family, yet aggressive and tough enough to dominate semi-feral livestock and assist in hunting, the Celts mix a variety of dogs together to get the earliest Cur. They particularly crossed their dogs with the herding dogs of the Greeks and the Molosssi barbarians. Since the Celts were spread out across Europe each community had their own version of a Cur based on what functions they needed the dog to do. They would breed their best dogs with the best dogs of visitors or during raids. These dogs would then be treated better than the other and the best workers had the best food, the best resting places and more. Their lines were continued and expanded. Eventually the Celtic people and their dogs were confined to Great Britain, Wales and Ireland.

Finally, the Industrial Age began, and the Curs’ numbers diminished. They noticed the success of the dog shows such as Crufts. They set out to save the European Curs and increase their usefulness. Director Prof. Adolphe Reul, Clinical Director of the Club du Chien de Berger Belge developed the Belgium standard for the Cur in the late 1800’s. There were three types of coats allowed in the standard – long, short and rough. They started out with bob tails but soon developed the more protective full, long tail. When the Anglo-Saxons took over England and pushed the Celts into Cornwall and Wales, the Curs were crossed with Spizts and creating a less aggressive, long haired dog that worked well in that climate and controlling sheep with their eyes. These were the Shepard’s Cur. This led to a variety of Irish breeds by 800AD. There were guard dogs known as Archu. The hunting dogs were called Milchu and there were three types of herding dogs, depending upon who they herded. The Irish also had a pet dog that might catch vermin. Thus, the Cur became divided not by ancestry or breeding but by function – hunting, herding and guarding. Pets often fell into the guard dog group.

Cattle dogs were developed into their own special breeds. They had to obey people yet dominate an animal much larger than themselves without injuring the animals. They developed into Herders and Heelers. Heelers had to work alone and drive the herd out of the grain fields, while the Herders clumped the herd into a group and moved it as the shepherd wanted. Heelers were known to nip the heels of the herd without getting hurt themselves because of size. From these groups came dogs like the Welsh Corgis. Next came the Norman influence on the Cur dogs when they conquered England. The Normans had hounds used for hunts. These hounds bayed and howled while hunting while the Curs were silent hunters. The Cur dog did not chase the prey and therefore they really were not “sporting” dogs. The Normans killed off any guard dogs and derided the non-attacking Curs. They began to call all mixed breed dog “Cur”. Thus, the name came to mean a mutt instead of the noble purebred dog the Cur had been. During this time there were additional curs coming in from Ireland that were more aggressive than the short haired English Curs. “Warners” were Curs that would only bark when there was a stranger or intruder. They would not attack. Then there were the toyish curd who were named dancers and were more or less pets that did tricks for money.

With all this mixture of the different kinds and lines of Curs the British Cur declined. By 959 they were being replaced by the Scotch Colley or Border Collie and breeding Curs to Collies became the rage. Soon the British Curs were extinct in the British Isles. Laws were passed that eventually led to thousands of workers and their Curs to leave Britain. Selective breeding also produced more docile breeds of cattle and sheep. Smaller dogs like the Corgi were efficient at herding these animals,. So, in Britain the Curs died out but they continued to live in America. This is where the Black Mouth Cur came into being. Within the American Curs there are a variety of line dependent upon location and function. There were the n Black Mouth Cur, the Foundation Black Mouth Cur, The Lander Yellow Mouth Cur and the Florida Black Mouth Cur. In 1964 the American Kennel Club (AKC) accepted the Black Mouth Cur. They were classified as herders. The Black Mountain Cur got its start in Alabama.

The Australian Bulldog was bred from several breeds: The Bullmastiff, English bulldog, the English Staffordshire Bull Terrier and the Boxer. You will notice that his appearance is quite similar to the English bulldog, but this breed has a less-squished muzzle, fewer wrinkles and longer legs. They have great strength with a good thickness of the bone. They are solid and compact breed with good muscle tone.

The head structure of an Aussie Bulldog is one of its main attributes. It is very strong, square shaped with depth and width of muzzle less than a general bulldog. They have some wrinkle across the nose. Eyes are wide apart, large and clean. The jaw is wide and square, with strong teeth.

The name Australian Bulldog was given by Noel and Tina Green, the founders of the breed. They introduced Australian Bulldog to the public in 1998.

This is a typical larger working dog of the herding and hunting type. The Black Mouth Cur is a rugged, well-muscled dog that has a coat of various colors and mostly fawn or mahogany. According to the UKC (United Kennel Club) standard piebald or white is not accepted. The AKC does not recognize the Black Mouth Cur so they do not have a standard. Any dog with “Cur” in their name should fit the description of a general, drop-eared, short-coated, ranch or farm working dog – herding dog. The Black Mouth Cur fits this description and is a family dog as well. The coat can be fine or coarse, less than 10% of the coat is white and it cannot be spotted, merle, mottled or albino. There eyes can be yellow, green or brown and the they should have black mask. They have a square muzzle with black around the lips and the mouth including inside the mouth, cheeks and gum. Unlike the chow however, they do not have a black tongue. The have medium sized ears, that hang down and can either match the muzzle or the coat in color. Their tail can be docked, bobbed, medium or long. Their feet are compact and the pads tough, large and well-cushioned. They might have webbed toes though not all do.

Australian bulldogs can be very good companions considering their natural loyalty. They just love to interact with humans and they are rarely aggressive.

They can be taught to be excellent watchdogs. The perfect place to raise this breed would be a house with a yard. The Australian Bulldog is usually dominant toward other dogs in its territory but, with proper training and early socialization, you can teach them to get along with other dogs and pets.

No matter if you are an active single, or you plan to bring an Australian bulldog puppy into the big family, as long as you are caring and loving toward him, he will be an amazing pet.

The Australian Bulldog is not recommended for apartment life. But, you can teach him to live in the smaller space if you tend to respect his daily need for activity. This breed is an indoor dog, and should not be left outside all day in a kennel. The best advice is to raise them in temperate climates since they can’t bear the extreme heat or extreme cold.

The Black Mouth Curs are very social and very good family dogs. They are very smart but need to bond with their owner before you can begin training them. They are sensitive and don’t respond well to negative training techniques or even being yelled at. They need humans to spend their time with. They get depressed and anxious if they do not get enough exercise. They are protective of their family and their home, as they are territorial. For hunters this is the dog – there is none better. They can hunt squirrel and deer, or they can hunt bears, racoons and boar. If they catch the prey, they will instantly kill it if it isn’t too large. With very large prey they will corner or tree it and bay at it. They are fearless and loyal and good with children. Training is vital though they will train themselves if you do not. They need a strong person to take charge and they will do anything to please them. The Cur needs to be convinced that the human is the pack leader and is above him in rank. Never allow them to walk ahead of you on a leash. They are very predictable if you understand them, intelligent and even tempered. Do not leave them alone with pets other than dogs. Be careful with young children as these guys play rough.

Around children

Australian Bulldog is a breed that will protect their family. They are great during the playtime with children as well. If you don’t have children, make sure you socialize your dog with children while he is still young.

Special talents

They are extremely intelligent. You can teach you Australian Bulldog almost everything in a very short time.

Adaptability

early socialization is a must with the Australian Bulldog.

Learning ability

you should start to train your Australian Bulldog as soon as possible. Positive reinforcement-based training methods are the ones you need to master in order to raise a good Australian Bulldog. They will be trained easily if there is a firm, consistent hand in training and they need leadership role from their owners. They can be taught very easy to be obedient and they love playing games like Frisbee, catch, water activities (but they swim very rarely because of their big and heavy chests), exploring the nature.

Once again, this is an ancient breed with an extremely good health record. They are prone to ear infections and should be watched and cleaned especially when wet. They might be affected by other issues such as mange, cataracts, epilepsy and hip dysplasia. Though these conditions are possible they are unlikely. Puppies can be tested for hip dysplasia and eye issues.

Australian Bulldog has better health than the English bulldog and its health continues to improve with each generation.

Breathing problems

The pushed-in face causes harder breathing. Be aware that they can’t use the air to cool itself off as quickly as necessary. During the extreme heat, Australian Bulldogs can develop heat stroke and die from it.

Skin problems

Take special care of the wrinkles on their nose. They will require everyday care since wrinkles need to be cleaned and kept dry to prevent the skin infection. Bath the dog only when it is necessary because of too much bathing with soap damages the natural oils in its skin.

Obesity

The Australian Bulldog, on average, is fed two times a day. They have the high risk of obesity, so there is no real need for more than two meals. Make sure to choose a premium quality food and to feed the dog according to the instructions. Also, they need lots of fresh water since they will be super active pet.

Feeding

This is a working dog, so they will need nutritious meals with plenty of good calories. On the other hand, do not overfeed or free feed them Puppies should eat 3 times a day, 6-month olds should eat twice a day and adults once a day. Some adults will prefer to eat twice a day, smaller amounts as well.

Health issues

The biggest concern has to be the ears. If they get wet the Black Mouth Cur can get ear infections very easily. They are open to but not especially prone to hip dysplasia, mange, epilepsy and cataracts.

Exercise and games

These are very energetic and athletic dogs. They are good at every possible athletic event and activity. They obviously like to herd but they also excel at things like weight pulls, coursing events, tracking, agility and Search and Rescue. At the very least they must have long energetic walks once or twice a day and a yard to run in would be best. They are smart and need physical exercise to keep them occupied. They love to run with you if you jog.

Feeding the puppy and adult: high-quality dog food for active dogs is a must. Do not overfeed them. If you are not sure about the amount of food your dog really needs, please consult a vet.

Grooming

The Australian Bulldog needs minimal grooming. They should be brushed at least once a week using a firm bristled brush. They shed a moderate amount on a regular basis so there will be loose hair to deal with. Make sure to clip the nails when necessary. They will need a tooth brushing two times a week and checking and wiping its ears once a week.

Points for Good Health: every day long walks, plenty of exercises, special skin care and regular vet check-ups.