Cur Dog - Puppy Training. Venus Ranch.

What is a cur dog? https://patriotcane.com/

As it’s currently used, cur refers to any of several North American “working” hounds that have been bred to hunt, herd, or protect their owners’ farms and ranches. But today many of these tough and affectionate dogs are kept purely as pets.

Experts refer to this collection of breeds as “treeing hounds” because they excel at tracking prey, scaring them into trees, and barking until owners can hunt the targets. Curs are larger breeds (usually ranging from 50 to 90 pounds) with shorter hair and “drop ears,” meaning ears that fall over, compared to ears point upwards.

Cur dogs are believed to have descended from various combinations of Native American dogs that, over centuries, mixed with domesticated dogs brought to the continent by French and Spanish settlers.

The term “cur” is believed to have derived from the 13th century Middle English word “curdogge” (possibly Germanic or Norse), which comes from the word “curren,” which means “to growl.” These dogs often rely on their vocalizations to herd cattle, fend off bears or cougars, and alert their owners to the location of prey.