BigGameHoundsmen.com

nmplott wrote:if that was the case black mouthed Curs would be better trackers than blood hounds.

they call um black mouth curs because there muzzle being black

You fellers covered a few. Here's a few more old time beliefs mainly for pups-check their whiskers. And if you really look some will be pointed toward their eyes, some will have them pointed toward their nose and some will have a mix of both. Had an old timer give me his take on the whole litter over their whiskers. Supposedly pointed toward nose makes a good locating tree dog. Straight back ain't got much tree if any! The mix well you probably already see they are hit or miss. Dark eyes. They need dark eyes to be real go getters. Game crazy w/ dark eyes. Might be trashy but they'll stick! Supposedly those though w/ straight back whiskers are your track speed. Need to get them treeing in the ground first and they'll come around on treeing up at night. I've heard some real $hit though. Big bung holes is a constant. Longer ears help cold trailing too don't they?

Something I have picked up on and do sort of look for or try to develop in a dog is a staring problem. I don't know why but I prefer a dog that looks deep into my eyes. I do know why but its something I've found in common in all my short time around decent and what I think to be good/great dogs. Not always staring might be licking but some type of a sign of submission to their handler. They have an overwhelming desire to please you. They turn out to be very enjoyable to hunt. I like going to feed and you get there and their each trying to make eye contact for just a little glimpse of satisfaction in your eyes or smile or voice even. Your starting to communicate and work together as a team. They won't even be hard to trash break if they can understand its not what you want. Kind of the one thing an old timer told me once that I've always hung on to was "when you've seen a good/great one don't ever forget it. Nothing about it because thats what their all supposed to do."

a longtime houndsman who is now dead told me years ago that you can usually measure the heart in a good hound by looking at the heart of the hunter who trained it.

Thats so very very true. I agree w/ ya on that Ike. Thats a blanket statement.

This past spring I was visitng with two different houndsmen about walker or english dogs. Each of those guys have been running and training hounds for forty or more years, so I listened as they spoke.

The first one told me the best dogs that ever comes from his crosses are black and white colored dogs with black heads. He explained those dogs have been better trail dogs and had feet tougher than any........

The second guy starting talking walker dogs, then made the claim the ticks and english are all walkers. Anyways, he ask me if I ever had a good black headed walker dog then went on to say he'd never seen one. He commented that all the really good walker dogs he'd ever owned or hunted around were red or brown headed..........

A guy just has to laugh at that one...........

I have had two BMC's in my life and each one had a distinct black roof in their moth.

Per Ukc Breed standards:


MUZZLE - The muzzle is moderately broad with a well-defined underjaw. Lips are tight. Except in the case of dogs with dilute coat color, lip pigment and the inside of the mouth, excluding the tongue, are darkly pigmented.

NOSE - Nose is broad and slightly protruding with well-opened nostrils. Black pigment is preferred, but red or brown are allowed in dogs with dilute coat color.

Hence: BLACK MOUTH

According to the book "The Ben Lily Legend" Ole Ben prefered intelligence over all else. Personally, I select for extreme intelligence combined with a natural ability to please. If you pick a pup with these two traits you will be way ahead of the game. Throw in great conformation and a good amount of natural hunting ability and you have the ingredients for a top biggame hound.

liontracker wrote:According to the book "The Ben Lily Legend" Ole Ben prefered intelligence over all else. Personally, I select for extreme intelligence combined with a natural ability to please. If you pick a pup with these two traits you will be way ahead of the game. Throw in great conformation and a good amount of natural hunting ability and you have the ingredients for a top biggame hound.

I have to agree. Intelligence is the key to easy handling hounds. I bred my collie/lab/german shepard to my b&t just for the smarts. If I come home and my wife tells me there was a bear hanging around I just tell buffy find the bear. I follow her until she comes back and gives me a little talking to, and then I tell her go get the bear and the chase is on and then I let 1 or more hounds into the race. The hounds make sure the bear stays up the tree as Buffy will come find me if I circle up wind of the tree before coming in. I hope this litter has picked up Buffys smarts. She is no hound but does have a black mouth.

Haha Ryan you know how "DAD" is gonna feel about this one LOL.