MyDogBreeds
Mountain Cur is originated from United States but Fila Brasileiro is originated from Brazil. Mountain Cur may grow 9 cm / 3 inches shorter than Fila Brasileiro. Mountain Cur may weigh 53 kg / 116 pounds lesser than Fila Brasileiro. Mountain Cur may live 4 years more than Fila Brasileiro. Both Mountain Cur and Fila Brasileiro has almost same litter size. Mountain Cur requires Low maintenance. But Fila Brasileiro requires Moderate maintenance
From The United States in the hound group comes the Mountain Cur. This breed was developed especially to “tree” their prey and to trail other smaller game. They treed and bayed larger prey like the wild boar and bears in the mountains and they trailed the smaller ones like the raccoon and squirrel. There are many types of curs and this breed is just one. Curs can be water dogs, farm dogs, hunting dogs and guard dogs. However, they are not great family dogs because they were born to hunt.
The Mountain Cur comes out of Kentucky, Tennessee, Ohio and Virginia. The ancestors of the American Mountain Cur came with European settlers almost 200 years ago. They worked with the settlers to hunt for animals that would provide them with pelts and meat in order to survive on the frontier. The breed became rare when the descendants of the settlers moved to the factories after the second world war.
The breed was brought back by four ambitious men who saved the Mountain Cur. They form the Original Mountain Cur Breeder’s Association of OMCBA in 1956. But they argued over the standard and 2 of the 4 left to form their own association: The Stephen Stock Mountain Cur Association. By 1957 the Mountain Cur Breeder’s Association formed but it took until 1998 for the Mountain Cur to be registered with the United Kennel Club.
The Mountain Cur is a tough, courageous dog as are all the Curs. They are willing to face large and ferocious prey. They are fearless watch dogs, using their trait of being quiet on the hunt to their advantage. The Mountain Cur wants nothing more than making you happy. They have been known to corner bears and even bulls. Given the independence and intelligence of the Mountain Cur it is important that the human be the pack leader, or the Cur will assume the role. If angry the Cur will growl and bite, so being the pack leader is vital for humans.
The novel “Old Yeller” was written about a Mountain Cur – a yellow shorthaired dog with a bobbed tail and terrier blood. Like all Mountain Curs “Old Yeller” hunted and treed prey, fought a bear and held onto the nose of a charging bull. The Cur was the first American purebred dog. Other early lines come from the Appalachian Mountains and near them in southern states. Mixing hounds and terriers created this tough, courageous dog whose tenacity and grit are second to none. Today the Mountain Cur has been split into four distinct breeds: the Mountain Cur, The Mountain View Cur, the Stephens Stock, and the Treeing Tennessee Brindle.
Hailing from Brazil, and known also as the Brazilian Mastiff, nobody seems to be too sure of the exact origins of the large Fila Brasileiro but it is believed to be a cross between the English Mastiff, the Bulldog and the Bloodhound.
Other theories are that the dog comes from a mix of Portuguese and Spanish dogs and that they were bred to guard livestock from predators. Breeds that have no doubt contributed to the modern Fila are the Bullenbeisser, the Bloodhound, Mastiff and Rafeiro do Alentejo. All these dogs have characteristics such as excellent working dog skills, herding instincts as well as courage and tenacity.
The official Brazilian breed standard of the Fila was developed in the 1960s and the Fila Brasileiro Club of America was formed in 1984.
Bred to be a hard working hunter and protector, the Mountain Cur is rugged and stocky. They are muscular with strong neck, wide head and expressive dark brown eyes. Some may have blue or green eyes, but they will be darker instead of light. They have a heavy muzzle, high set short ears and feet that are catlike, muscular and strong. The Cur has straight legs, deep chests and 50% are born with the tail bobbed.
Their coat is short and heavy. The colors could be yellow, red, blue, brindle, black and brindle, yellow with white points, dark brown and red.
With his huge head covered in loose skin much like that of a Blooohound, and a body resembling that of a Mastiff, the large heavily built Fila Brasileiro is a mastiff breed from Brazil. He stands at 60 to 75cm in height and he weighs roughly 55 to 80kg.
The ears of the Fila are large and droop down or are folded back, depending on his mood. The tail is long and slim. The coat of the dog is short and dense with the texture being quite smooth and soft. Colours of the coat can vary from solid fawn or black to red to brindle.
Perhaps the huge Fila wouldn’t be a good choice as a pet for the first-time inexperienced dog owner as he is a powerful, intelligent, self-assured, headstrong animal that will certainly need to have training and socialization if you want him as an obedient pet in your home.
He is a dog known for his courage and bravery. The Fila is loving and affectionate with his human family, being protective of them and not being too friendly with strangers. He isn't a particularly good pet choice with children in the home.
Some people, after buying a cute Fila puppy, put him out in the yard when he becomes large, and then they pretty much neglect him. This is cruel and irresponsible as he is a social, playful dog who wants to be part of his human family.
These dogs have some aggression in them and this makes them good watchdogs. They generally don’t show aggression towards their family but may snap at a stranger who tries to touch as he feels threatened.
They are friendly with kids but don’t make good house pets.
Tree climbing
They need space and they do not make good indoor pets
He is very intelligent and learns quickly.
The Fila Brasileiro or Brazilian Mastiff is a powerful dog and it is believed that a large dog like this can be a danger to people if he isn’t trained and socialized.
He is therefore not recommended for first time dog owners or homes with small children. He is a dog that is particularly wary of strangers too.
When he has been properly socialized he can be loving, loyal and obedient because it is essentially how a dog is brought up as to how he turns out.
If you bring one of these big, beautiful dogs into your home, have him socialized as a puppy, treat him firmly, but kindly and you could have yourself an extraordinary pet.
There are a few health issues that the Mountain Cur is susceptible to. They include:
Filas are a dog breed who have a high rate of hip- and elbow dysplasia. This is a serious disease which can lead to lameness with your pet. Other orthopedic diseases with the breed include osteochondritis and luxating patella.
Also, as a deep-chested dog breed, your Fila also is at risk of getting the very serious gastrointestinal syndrome known as bloat. This is a common condition that can prove deadly for your pet. The Fila’s stomach will fill with gas, putting pressure on other organs and stopping blood flow to the heart and difficulty with breathing. Sometimes the stomach will twist. Get him to the vet immediately if you notice a swollen stomach, drooling or restless behaviour.
Mountain Cure puppies should eat four bowls of high quality dog food in four separate meals each day until 3 months old. From three months to six months feed them 3 times per day and from six months to a year just twice a day.
The adult Mountain Cur would eat 3 cups of high quality dog food in one or two meals per day. Don’t overfeed them as they have a tendency toward obesity.
Athleticism
This breed is an active dog and he needs to get plenty of exercise. He needs daily exercise – daily walks – and enjoys canine sports like barn hunt and agility. They do well in field trials.
The Filas size makes it important that he have a good amount of exercise if you want to maintain his health and happiness. He isn’t a dog suited to city life as he is too large and will irritate his owners when cooped up in a tiny space with them. He isn’t demanding when it comes to exercise and activities all the time, but he should still be exercised regularly as he is inclined to become lazy .
Moderate shedding. Regular brushing twice a week will be required. Check ears for infection and brush his teeth 2 or 3 times a week.
Nothing is set in stone as to what to feed your Fila Brasileiro, but a large dog will require quality food with a good amount of protein and fat according to size, age and activity levels.
Because a large breed dog is prone to hip dysplasia, look out for ingredients such as chondroitin and gludosamine which are specifically good for joint health. Try and avoid commercially manufactured food with common allergens such as soy, corn and wheat, artifical flavors and fillers.
A source of cooked rice, chicken and vegetables as well as some raw meat will be excellent for your big pet. Make sure he is never deprived of fresh, cool drinking water.