Stephens Cur Dog Breed: Pictures, Info, Origin & More

The Stephens Cur or the Stephens Stock Cur is a medium-sized scent hound. They have been developed in Kentucky by the Stephens household to be agile hunters. They are very smart and adaptable canine that make nice working canine. However, additionally they make loyal canine companions for energetic households that may cater to the breed’s excessive power ranges. Despite the title “Cur” that means mongrel, Stephens Curs are certainly purebred canine.

This article will talk about all of the fascinating data, details, and traits of Stephens Cur.

Breed Overview

Stephens Cur descended from a line of Mountain Cur, a kind of working canine that hunted small recreation within the United States. They grew to become a separate breed of Cur within the late 1900s due to distinctive traits that set them aside from the others.

Stephens Cur are characterised by their muscular, rectangular our bodies with outlined heads and ears that cling. Their athletic our bodies make them agile hunters, whereas their energetic and constant temperament makes them nice household pets. They normally stand between 16 to 23 inches tall and may weigh as much as 55 kilos. This breed has quick, black coats with white on the extremities.

Stephens Cur Characteristics

Stephens Cur Puppies

Stephens Curs aren’t a quite common canine breed exterior of the United States. If you might be in search of a purebred Stephens Cur pet, then an moral breeder is the most effective path to undergo. It’s unusual to search out purebred Stephens Cur puppies up for adoption or rehoming. However, you must nonetheless contact native shelters and rescue organizations to see in the event that they presumably have one up for adoption.

When you convey house your Stephens Cur pet, you’ll rapidly discover how playful and energetic they’re. This breed has excessive power ranges as puppies and enjoys exploring and taking part in. Stephens Cur puppies begin to present their looking instincts from a younger age. They can typically be seen chasing smaller animals or objects that resemble them, equivalent to sticks and leaves blowing within the wind.

It is necessary to begin coaching and socializing with this breed from a younger age, as they rapidly be taught new issues whereas they’re nonetheless younger. It could be tough for this breed to interrupt unhealthy habits they’ve grown up doing when they’re older. Early coaching helps forestall these unhealthy habits from forming.

Stephens Cur Origin & History

Stephens Cur are scent hounds and one of many a number of styles of Curs. This breed began as a line of Mountain Cur earlier than changing into a definite breed in 1970. The Stephens household was chargeable for this breed’s growth, therefore their title.

The Stephens Cur was initially developed in Southeast Kentucky to be working canine. They have been used to hunt small recreation equivalent to raccoons and squirrels. However, Stephens Curs can hunt bigger recreation too. They have been recognized to come across bears and mountain lions that they tackle in packs moderately than alone.

Temperament & Intelligence of the Stephens Cur

Stephens Curs are rugged, adaptable, and energetic canine. They do their work with enthusiasm and are all the time comfortable to please their homeowners. Stephens Curs are very smart which makes them straightforward to coach and studying new issues is rarely a difficulty for this breed. They are energetic when open air, consistently sniffing the bottom seeking small animals they might hunt. When inside with their households, Stephens Curs are laid-back and affectionate.

This breed can deal with lots and isn’t simply phased by a lot. Stephens Curs can deal with a wide range of environments and has tailored to farm life, noisy households, and energetic households with busy schedules.

Are These Dogs Good for Families? 👪

Stephens Curs could be superb household canine for these with each younger and older kids. They can simply mix into most households and simply grow to be a part of the every day routine. Stephens Curs doesn’t thoughts being a part of households that ceaselessly have friends over. They are likely to socialize effectively with different folks though they are often cautious of them at first.

Stephens Curs are desirous to accommodate their households on a stroll within the wilderness or open land the place they will run and discover.

Does This Breed Get Along with Other Pets? 🐶 😽 

Stephens Curs socialize effectively with different canine and cats if they’ve been socialized from an early age. They get together with canine a lot simpler than with cats. Small pets and Stephens Curs don’t go effectively collectively. This breed was bred to be a hunter and see small pets as prey. If you have got a Stephens Cur and small pets in the identical house, you wish to be sure that they’re refrained from one another for the small pet’s security.

Things to Know When Owning a Stephens Cur:

Food & Diet Requirements 🦴

Stephens Curs require a whole and balanced eating regimen that meets all of their dietary necessities. They get pleasure from an omnivorous eating regimen with animal-based meat as a major ingredient. This breed ought to be consuming AAFCO-approved pet food to make sure they obtain all of the important vitamins they want.

There will not be one particular eating regimen that works finest for this breed. The eating regimen you feed them will rely upon components equivalent to their age, weight, way of life, and well being standing. If you might be not sure about the fitting eating regimen to your Stephens Cur, a veterinarian or registered canine nutritionist might help you resolve.

This breed isn’t choosy about what they eat and readily accepts most kibbles, moist, uncooked, or freeze-dried diets.

Exercise 🐕

Stephens Curs are energetic canine that require a minimal of two hours of train per day. They have a pure want to roam open air and observe scents that intrigue them. They don’t wish to be stored inside all day and like to have entry to the outside. You can train this breed by taking them on common walks or hikes. They can journey far distances if the climate is favorable and can eagerly sniff round and warn you to fascinating issues they discover throughout walks.

Stephens Curs desire workouts that have interaction their instincts to hunt and observe. Interactive toys could be helpful when exercising this breed each indoors and open air.

Training 🎾

It is comparatively straightforward to coach Stephens Curs because of their excessive intelligence. This breed appears ahead to coaching periods if they’re quick and constant. It’s higher to divide the coaching periods all through the day moderately than cramming all the pieces into one session. Once educated, Stephens Curs could be well-mannered and social canine. They eagerly observe instructions and new burglary guidelines.

Training will come in useful when permitting these canine to roam open air and a very good recall might help get them again inside once more.

Grooming ✂️

Stephens Curs are straightforward to groom due to their quick, glossy coats. They principally require brushing two to 3 instances every week to take away unfastened hair and their nails trimmed. You ought to recurrently clean this breed’s ear to stop gunk from build up between the folds. Stephens Curs usually solely want a shower when they’re soiled and bathing them too typically with harsh shampoos could dry out their skin and coat.

It’s straightforward to groom this breed from house, and so they don’t normally require skilled grooming.

Health and Conditions🏥

Stephens Curs are a reasonably wholesome breed with a formidable lifespan of 12 to 16 years. As with most canine, Stephens Curs can undergo from a number of well being circumstances.

Male vs Female

Both sexes share the identical temperaments and wonderful working traits. One of the slight variations between female and male Stephens Curs is that males are bigger than females. Both sexes can weigh an analogous quantity of as much as 55 kilos, though males are usually heavier.

Female Stephens Curs mature sooner and go into warmth once they begin having estrous cycles. You will discover that each sexes have completely different hormonal behaviors, equivalent to an elevated urge to roam or escape.

3 Little-Known Facts About the Stephens Cur

1. Their our bodies are effectively tailored to sprinting and treeing

Stephens Curs have lithe, muscular our bodies that make them quick sprinters and agile jumpers. This breed was bred to hunt small animals that will cover inside bushes. Treeing is a kind of looking approach this breed makes use of to observe and alert their homeowners to the prey in bushes.

2. Stephens Curs have been established as a separate breed in 1970

Stephens Curs have been established as a separate breed in 1970 after beginning as a pressure of Mountain Cur. The Stephens household maintained a pressure of Mountain Curs for 100 years earlier than their line of canine was so distinctive and have become a separate breed.

3. Their ancestors practically went extinct

Mountain Curs have been utilized by settlers within the United States for looking and guarding functions. However, their numbers began reducing and so they virtually grew to become extinct within the Nineteen Forties. Four breeders have been chargeable for saving the breed, together with Hugh Stephens who categorized the Stephens Cur pressure.

Final Thoughts

Stephens Curs are medium-sized canine from the United States. They have been bred to be treeing canine that hunted small recreation. Stephens Curs are extremely energetic and thrive with loads of train. This breed enjoys exploring and occurring lengthy walks and hikes with their households. They are an adaptable breed that may make nice pets or working canine for households and farmers alike.

If you select to maintain this breed as a pet, you have to to make sure you deal with their excessive power ranges and demanding train necessities. Stephens Curs don’t get alongside effectively with small pets like rabbits, however they do get together with equally sized canine.

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