MyDogBreeds
Mountain Cur is originated from United States but Kuvasz is originated from Hungary. Mountain Cur may grow 10 cm / 3 inches shorter than Kuvasz. Mountain Cur may weigh 25 kg / 55 pounds lesser than Kuvasz. Mountain Cur may live 4 years more than Kuvasz. Both Mountain Cur and Kuvasz has same litter size. Mountain Cur requires Low maintenance. But Kuvasz 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.
The Kuvasz is an ancient dog breed from Hungary. It is believed that the dog is the oldest of the ancient Hungarian dog breeds, and in fact a fossilized skeleton dating back to the 9th century, and almost identical to the modern Kuvasz, was found near Keszthely.
During the 15th century the Kuvasz became very sought after, being found in royal courts. Puppies were given as royal gifts. Later the popularity of the breed waned and then it was found in its traditional role of guarding livestock.
As Kuvasz numbers dwindled, breeding efforts were started but it is believed that other large dogs such as the Great Pyrenees were used with the Kuvasz to continue with the breeding programs.
In 1884, the first Hungarian standard for the breed was written. It was in 1966 that the Kuvasz Club of America was established.
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.
The beautiful Kuvasz is a large, muscled dog standing at 65 – 76cm in height and weighing 35 – 52kg. He has a double coat of dense white hair which can be straight or wavy.
It is natural for the dog to lose most of the long coat during the Summer months. In other words this dog has a seasonal coat.
The nose is black, the eyes brown and alert, the ears are of medium length and floppy and the tail is carried long and low.
The Kuvasz is an intelligent dog who will benefit from training and socialization. It is always wise to have large dogs like this trained because just his size can cause problems if he isn’t obedient.
He is also described as a clownish type of dog which means he’ll entertain and amuse you. Certainly he is playful as a puppy but he calms down quite a bit as he grows into maturity. He is independent, and those who have owned such a dog report that he can be loving and loyal with his human family, wanting to guard and protect them. Others will say that he tended to be aloof, even with his human family.
Used as working dogs, the Kuvasz has learned to be independent and they will need a firm, strong owner who is also fair with them, otherwise they just do their own thing. They’re active dogs and because of their size they won’t suit city living where there is a tiny garden.
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.
Kuvasz are guarding dogs, they’re intelligent and loyal, making them excellent family dogs with the right training and socialization.
They’re able to get on well with other pets in the home as well as children. He is a beautiful dog and another bonus is that he isn’t particularly high maintenance.
As is common with many other large-breed dogs, he will have a shorter lifespan than what you’d get with a smaller dog breed, but if you feed him high quality food, exercise him and involve him in your activities, this large dog can become a wonderful friend and protector for you.
There are a few health issues that the Mountain Cur is susceptible to. They include:
The large Kuvasz is a healthy dog breed that with good care can reach 12–14 years of age. Being the large dog that he is, he may well be prone to bone and joint problems. It is why good nutrition is so important for this dog - feeding him the best food with vitamins and minerals.
You know the saying ...you are what you eat... and this applies to dogs too. Good food can help to ward off serious illnesses. Big dogs like this often have to contend with hip dysplasia which can be both painful and debilitating as well as eye diseases.
This is where the eyelid of the dog rolls inwards, causing irritation and pain for the dog. There is also Ectropion, where the eyelid rolls outwards.If you see your pet has a red eye which is watery and which has pus, visit your vet. Entropion surgery will correct and repair and condition.
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 coat may be fairly long and thick but it doesn’t require any special kind of grooming. A good brush twice a week will be adequate and will help with getting rid of stubborn knots and matting.
He is a seasonal shedder and this frequent brushing will make sure the coat remains groomed and shiny.
The Kuvasz is a hardy breed who just loves the outdoors. He is a dog that doesn’t do well in the heat. Make absolutely sure that he has a cool, sheltered spot where he can lie down. Ensure that there is always a bowl of fresh, cool water available to him.
There is quite a bit of conflict and controversy regarding nutrition in dogs. The idea is to keep it simple. If you buy a commercially manufactured dog food, check the ingredients on the packaging.
You want to be sure your pet is getting vitamins and minerals in instead of preservatives, fillers and colorants. Try and give him some home made food too such as some chicken, brown rice or pasta and some vegetables. You can mix this into his dry kibble occasionally with a little bit of raw meat too when you have.
Avoid feeding your dog things such as chocolates, nuts, onions, sweets and chips.