Wisconsin Family Breeds Mountain Cur Dogs

Wisconsin Family Breeds Mountain Cur Dogs AG WORLD Ag World 21-1-21 "They make great hunting dogs and are also fun to have around the house," say Sally and Mike Pfund, Mondovi, Wis., about the "Mountain Cur" dogs they breed. Common in the southern U.S., Mountain Curs are seldom found as far north as Wisconsin. The Pfunds, who operate the only Wisconsin kennel that breeds Mountain Curs, started raising the dogs about five years ago. The Cur is a short-haired, long-legged dog that stands 18 to 20 in. high and weighs 30 to 35 lbs. They come in black, brindle, or yellow, and sometimes have splashes of white. However, if more than 30 percent of its body is white, a dog cannot be registered. They usually have four to eight puppies per litter. Mountain Curs came from Europe with pioneers. They guarded families against wild animals and specialized in "treeing" small game. "They are twice as fast as a coon hound and will hunt whatever game their master wants," says Sally. "A lot of people are intimidated by them because they think that they're strictly working animals and any-thing but personable. But we've found that they make as nice a dog for children as you can buy. Our 5-year-old stud dog lives in our house and rides with us in the front seat of our pickup. As many people buy Curs for companion dogs as for hunting dogs. They're real short haired so shedding isn't a problem." The Pfunds have three females, two males, and a litter of 7 pups. They hope to eventually sell six litters per year. They had been using hound dogs for hunting and were first sold on Curs in 1991 when Pfund's uncle Ardene bought his first dog, Ardene's Jay. His sire, Smith's Streak, is a recognized world champion, and Ardene Jay has already proved himself in pleasure hunting with more than 300 squirrels and 100 raccoons in one year. "Good bloodlines are important with Curs," says Sally, "but they're hard to come by because there are relatively few dogs. Raising Curs is a risky business, too, as a dog is either born with or without promise. A dog is given until it's 1 1/2 years old - with about 75 woods outings - to develop its natural instinct for hunting. Pups also go through gunshot training up to five times a day until they're comfortable with the sound." Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Sally and Mike Pfund, Simple Pleasure Kennel, W64 Cty. Rd. HH, Mondovi, Wis. 54755 (ph 715 287-4530). The Original Mountain Cur Association can provide more information. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Evelyn Allred, Rt. 1, Box 436 E, Crossville, Tenn. 38555 (ph 615 484-7869) or Patty Hoover, Rt. 1, Box 94, Clarkrange, Tenn. 38553 (ph 615 863-8366).

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