History
American Leopard Hounds are one of the oldest of the tree dog breeds in the Americas. The exact origins of the American Leopard are unknown. Those who have researched the history of the breed maintain that dogs brought to the New World by Spanish conquistadors played a role in their evolution.
Opinions vary as to what other dogs were involved in the breed’s development. Some researchers suggest that the conquistadors’ dogs were mixed with dogs native to Mexico and were later brought to the United States by settlers, where they continued to develop into the breed known today. Others contend that the breed’s entire development took place within the southern United States from a mixture of Spanish, French, English, Irish, and Scottish hound and herding breeds.
By the early 18th century, American Leopard Hounds had become established in eastern North Carolina. From there, it made its way west into Tennessee and Kentucky and, later, south into Texas and Oklahoma.
During the early 20th century, the breed began to decline and was allowed to cross with other breeds, so much so that by the 1950s, few purebred examples could be found. Realizing this, three individuals, J. Richard McDuffie, Leroy E. Smith, and A.W. Carter, began to independently search for any examples of the breed. Meeting in 1960, these three men established the American Leopard Cur Breeders Association (ALCBA) to establish and promote the breed.
The American Leopard Hound has been bred as an all-purpose tree dog. They are unique in the tree dog world because of their intense desire to please their master; no breed is more easily trained. They are also unsurpassed in their ability to fight and hold game at bay without getting hurt. They stay in close on the quarry, but have the unique ability to “duck and dodge” to avoid injury. In the home, they are extremely affectionate and protective with children.
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