Cur

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For the Swiss city and canton named Cur in German, see
ICO (icon image file format). For other uses, see CUR (disambiguation)
.

Cur
Painting by Sydenham Edwards, 1800
Engraving by Thomas Bewick, 1791
Other namesCur dog, drover's dog
OriginEngland
Breed statusExtinct
Traits
Coat Short and rough, feathered on legs
Colour Generally black, brindled or grizzled with white neck, legs and occasionally face
Dog (
domestic dog
)

A cur was a dog breed used by cattle drovers in England. The breed is now extinct. In the United States a short-haired dog used in hunting and herding is called "cur-tailed", or "cur" for short.

In modern speech, the term cur is usually used to describe a

mongrel dog, particularly if its temperament is unfriendly or aggressive.[1][2][3] The term is believed to be derived from the Old Norse kurra, meaning 'to grumble or growl'.[1][2][3] In victorian speech cur could be used as an insult.[4]

English cur

In

North of England, but were virtually unknown in the rest of the United Kingdom.[5][7][8]

The cur was described as being larger, stronger and longer legged than shepherds'

English mastiff, or Great Dane.[8] Their character was described as cunning, clever, ever busy and restless; it was said they could differentiate their master's cattle from those of strangers, and they would separate the strange cattle from their master's herds.[5][7][8]

Although it is uncertain when or why the breed became extinct, it likely disappeared in the mid-19th century.

Australian stumpy tail cattle dog, the latter inheriting the cur's bobtail.[9][10]

American curs

The Catahoula Leopard Dog, a recognized cur breed

In the

Stephens Cur, the Treeing Cur, and the Treeing Tennessee Brindle.[11]

These versatile dogs are used in a number of roles: for herding livestock, as well as trailing and locating lost livestock in thick scrubland; and in hunting a variety of game, including squirrels, opossums, raccoons, feral pigs, cougars, and American black bears, locating game both by sight and scent.[11][12] While distinctive, American curs vary greatly in size; the various breeds and strains can be from 12 to 25 inches (30 to 64 cm) in height, and 40 to 95 pounds (18 to 43 kg) in weight.[11]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Oxford University Press (2019). "Cur". Oxford Dictionary. Lexico.com. Archived from the original on 9 June 2020. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
  2. ^ a b HarperCollins (2020). "Cur". Collins Dictionary. HarperCollins Publishers L.L.C. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
  3. ^ a b c Merriam-Webster (2020). "Cur". Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster, Inc. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
  4. ^ Conrad, Joeseph (November 1900). Lord Jim. Blackwood's Magazine. pp. Chapter 6.
  5. ^
    ISBN 1-57076-219-8
    .
  6. ISBN 0852636784
    .
  7. ^ a b c d e Beilby, Ralph; Bewick, Thomas (1790). A general history of quadrupeds. Newcastle upon Tyne: S. Hodgson, R. Beilby & T. Berwick. pp. 301–302.
  8. ^
    C. Whittingham
    .
  9. ^ Hörter, Rea (October 2014). "Australian Stumpy Tailed Cattle Dog" (PDF). Canine Chronicle. Ocala, FL: Endeavor Publications. pp. 276–283. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
  10. ^ Lee, Tim (25 October 2018). "The true blue: Book reveals the real origins of Australia's famous cattle dog". ABC Online. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
  11. ^
    ISBN 1-85310-912-6
    .
  12. ISBN 978-1-84797-601-7
    .

External links

Look up cur in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Curs.
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