The New 7th Coonhound Breed:

[Dan McDonough]

American Leopard Hound Becomes UKC's 7th Coonhound Breed
Posted on 04/22/2008
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What’s In A Name?
Todd Kellam

Sometimes a dog’s breed name just doesn’t fit its type. A classic example is the Brittany. For years and years the breed was registered as Brittany Spaniel. More recently the word spaniel was dropped from the official breed name and the breed simply became the Brittany. It was an appropriate change. Spaniels are flushing dogs, the Brittany is a pointing dog. Its type didn’t fit its breed name. And look how many years it took for anyone to do anything about it? Amazing really.

Enter the Leopard Cur. Another great breed of hunting dog whose name didn’t fit its type. There are several reasons for that. In judging body type alone, the Leopard more closely resembles the hound breeds than the remainder of the cur breeds. In function, they are more of a coon and big game specialist than the remainder of the cur breeds. By virtue of the fact that they are open trailers and often cold nosed, they much more closely resemble the coonhound breeds. Either they have always been or have evolved to the point that they are more typical of a coonhound breed than any of the cur breeds. To lump them into the cur category just doesn’t seem like an accurate description of their type.

Some might think, “What’s in a name?” Often times I would agree but in this situation, that isn’t the case. UKC coonhound events are open only to the coonhound breeds. Cur dog events, though technically open to all breeds, do exclude coonhound participation. The Leopards were basically prohibited from competing along side the very breeds they were most closely related to in conformation, ability and type. It was this passion of Leopard hunters to test their dogs in competition against the coonhound breeds that first started the ball rolling in what has become another one of the most logical re-categorizations the dog world has ever seen.

Working closely with ALCBA (American Leopard Cur Breeders Association) we discussed the possibility of the Leopard becoming the seventh coonhound breed at UKC. We felt in order to do this, two things needed to happen. The name should be changed to reflect the fact that it was a hound and the breed standard should be changed to prohibit the longer coat variety that exists in a very small percentage of the breed. The vote among the membership to make both changes was passed by an overwhelming majority. So with the blessing of our six existing chartered coonhound breed associations, the decision was made.

Effective May 1, 2008, the Leopard Cur will become the American Leopard Hound. They will be eligible to compete in all UKC licensed coonhound events provided they have American Leopard Hound papers or Easy Entry Card. All previously earned points and titles will transfer with the dog. There are just a handful of them that have titles and out of respect for those hunters and the dogs that earned them, they will remain with the dog. There will likely be a set period of time for Leopards not currently registered with UKC to be brought into the registry as American Leopard Hounds under the rules and fee structure previously used for Leopard Curs.

The new coonhound rulebook that comes out in December of this year will contain all American Leopard Hound information including the breed standard. Between now and then, Bench Show Judges will be required to download the American Leopard Hound breed standard from the UKC website at www.ukcdogs.com or contact the UKC office and request to be sent an American Leopard Hound breed standard.

[nmplott]

I think its great that we have a new breed to the hound category.
Welcome!

[Buddyw]

Dan, Hope you don't mind I moved this posts to the Cur section.

However to Celebrate the years of repression the Cur dog has had to deal with.. I'll move the Cur Section up with them High Powered Hounds.. And I'll make this topic a Sticky so it will stay on top! ( I guess it was on the bottom of the list.. So watch out.. The Cur dog is moving up!) .

Anyways Sounds like a Good Deal.

[Dan McDonough]

Thank you.

Dan

[Nora Cook]

Dan,

I sent you a PM.......

[Travis Stirek]

Just so you leapord guys know,UKC's Todd Kellam and Allan Gingrich will personally be at the Walker Sectional in California on May 30& 31 to answer any questions.

[coondogger80]

hey, that's great news! I've quite often heard that a leopard dog is very different from any other breed of cur. After reading these several post's I now understand why!

I talked to a lepard man just the other week down in georgia, he offered me one of his pups just $200. Never had a lepard. Don't have one just yet either, but their definitly in my future plans

[1hogwild]

Any Breeders or pups in California?

[Machias]

Two of the best IMO, Grey Fox and Sow Flat Slim.

[Mike Leonard]

I am happy about this and I have always felt this line of dogs should be classified with the hounds . The style of hunting they posess is more in line with hound traits that that of the bulk of the cur breeds. I think they all have their place but I am happy to see this but I want them to hang on to the traits that made this BREED registerable thru numbers, and not slip intot he competition model so many others have.

Keep the cold nosed leopards for bobcat and big game hunters.

[sow flat slim]

The leopards that I run are always being evaluated for their nose from the time that they are started. These dogs are run on bobcat, bear, grey fox and lion. Here where I hunt, you have to take the tracks as they come, and if you dont have a dog with a decent nose, well you just arent going to do much. Dont run coon with them as there are hardly any coon what so ever. I try to start my pups on bobcat as this will tell me alot about their style and their determination and nose. Randy and I have the same line of dogs and we do some breeding between our dogs always looking for the nose, grit, smarts, determination, and the way they handle a track whether it be hot or cold, and I also look for a dog that wants to please me, which makes handling so much easier. I guess everybody tho is looking for the same things I also believe that there is going to be two very differant types of Leopards as time goes by,( and I wont go into that discussion at this time) We hunt all extremes of the weather, dry baked ground to frozen snow and everyting in between. These dogs suit me well and I dont feel under gunned with these dogs(being called curs and some thinking that they are inferior to hounds) Well I have rambled enough. This line of McDuffie breeding that we are hunting and breeding have what it takes for big game and bobcat dogs, and no they are not perfect and all dont make it, but like most everyone we are breeding for better dogs for the game we hunt.

[Doogie]

oh come on sow flat why not, its been awhile since we've had that discussion lol

[lepcur]

Good post Nick, I'd say that (without bragging too much on these Leps.) this strain of dogs we hunt here in Ca. are the best suited for me and a pleasure to hunt.

Mike L. I think you know a good friend of mine out here Steve G. I remember back when he was about 18 and lived about 5-6 hours south of here every friday night he would head up to bear hunt and try to leave on sunday to make it back home, he did that for a couple years then moved up here and finished collage staying with myself and another good friend, man we had some good times. After he got his job as a trapper he quit bear and just started cat hunting. We usuall still try to get together once in a while and b.s. and brand dogs. Have a good1 guys, Mike

[Machias]

I know this is an OLD post, but would love to have a civil discussion, if possible. So it's been 2.5 years or so since the UKC elected to open registration up for the Leopard Cur to become the 7th coonhound breed. What has been the positives to the owners and to the breed if any and what have been the negatives? Have they competed as well as folks had hoped in the UKC night hunts? Have they truely been accepted by the hound community as hounds? 2.5 years into it was it good for UKC? For the Breed? For the Breeders? For the average joe? What's everyones thoughts? Thanks!!

[Doogie]