# Are my dogs Black Mouth Curs?



## mbheus (Dec 5, 2010)

I've seen a few of these posts already after my gf said she thinks my dogs are Black Mouth Curs. Been doing research, and I find the appearance and temperment to be very similar.

Originally, there were four stray female pups (maybe around 3 to 5 months old) that wandered to our office. We began feeding them as the were scrawny and malnurished. Over that time, I bonded with two of them, which I brought home with me. Ripley and Ginny. They are now 2 years old. My third is a male born from one of Ripley and Ginny's two sisters' litters. His name is Bishop. He is just over a year old.

They exhibit the same temperment as described various sites about BMC's (wary to strangers, territorial, extremely loyal, treeing/corning). Whilst I have instilled a social behavior with other dogs, there are exceptions that they will put another dog 'in it's place' if that dog displays a disliking or a threatening manor.

I am uploading a couple of pictures. What do you think?


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## Xeph (May 7, 2007)

Honestly, none of those things you described really seem to be breed specific...they're just things dogs do. I'd say they're 100% pure Labradogs


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## zimandtakandgrrandmimi (May 8, 2008)

they could be BMC Xeph. Check out where the Op lives.


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## Xeph (May 7, 2007)

Yeah, I saw, it just still didn't seem very likely to me. Though they are pretty varied, maybe. I guess I'm a skeptic with most things (like dogs in this country being likely to be a Jindo mix).


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## mbheus (Dec 5, 2010)

Xeph said:


> Honestly, none of those things you described really seem to be breed specific...they're just things dogs do. I'd say they're 100% pure Labradogs


I know. That is what has me wondering IF they are. It is hard to find any adequate behavior that other breeds cannot or do not also display. I guess I left out describing the black pigmentation that extends into the interior of the mouth and most of the gums, which has us pointing in the BMC direction. I am pretty sure Bishop is mixed since his mother bred with other stray dogs loose in the town and surrounding rural area.


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## mitzi (Aug 3, 2010)

mbheus said:


> I've seen a few of these posts already after my gf said she thinks my dogs are Black Mouth Curs. Been doing research, and I find the appearance and temperment to be very similar.
> 
> Originally, there were four stray female pups (maybe around 3 to 5 months old) that wandered to our office. We began feeding them as the were scrawny and malnurished. Over that time, I bonded with two of them, which I brought home with me. Ripley and Ginny. They are now 2 years old. My third is a male born from one of Ripley and Ginny's two sisters' litters. His name is Bishop. He is just over a year old.
> 
> ...


I found this picture of a black mouth cur







. I think your dogs jowls are not as heavy, the head not as wide and the body not quite as heavy in the chest and forepaws. Also the ears, they just look different somehow. I don't think pigment in the mouth is very telling, my little gold and white shih tzu has a lot of black pigment in his mouth also. It extends across the roof of his mouth and down his throat, and his gums are all black. I do think your dogs might have some in the mix.


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## l2andom (Aug 30, 2010)

Yes, I believe your dogs do have some BMC in them, but maybe not completely. Some of the BMC's I have hunted with look very similar to yours. Everything mitzi said is how I feel as well. The ears on a BMC seem to droop more or appear lower.


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## mbheus (Dec 5, 2010)

mitzi said:


> I found this picture of a black mouth cur
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Yup. Curs come in various shapes and sizes up to 100lbs. Again, more pictures of other Blackmouth Curs posted on breeder sites and such, some very similar to my eldest two. Like this one:







This breeders site shows some of the various types of Blackmouth Curs. http://keagyn.webs.com/blackmouthcurs.htm The picture you found looks to be a Ladner Yellow Blackmouth Cur. Yet I can't seem to find pictures that flat out specify the Florida BMC and the Red Alabama BMC, which would be the most likely to be found here.

Makes it difficult to determine the breed, since "most cur breeds have extremely flexible appearance standards; enough so that a complete breed appearance standard is difficult to create. The resultant diversity in appearance and selection for physical ability result in breeds that tend to be genetically sound and healthy." <-- Comes from wikipedia.

I guess it really doesn't matter if they are BMCs or not. Would be nice to know, though. Maybe I'll just keep refering to them as my beloved mutts.


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## Horseshoe (Nov 10, 2010)

Get a DNA test done. My friend took a rescue from us and had her tested and she was a husky crossed with English bull mastiff. Not very expensive either.


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## Xeph (May 7, 2007)

Those tests really aren't very accurate, just for the record


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## hanksimon (Mar 18, 2009)

I still vote for GSD, Lab, boxer mix. I've got a Lab/GSD/??? and he has purple gums, purple belly, rings around his eyes, and a pink tongue... and a curly tail. 

As far as temperament, it sounds typical of unsocialized dogs. Although the dogs are a little older, you might still be able to socialize them with lots of people and lots of dogs, which may make them a little calmer.


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