Brutal Attack, there are guys who tree bears regularly with their curs and big cats, too. Look at this... http://www.sqdog.com/forums/index.ph...opic=18292&hl= Take a look for yourself...this Maverick guy used them all the time. A lot of guys use curs from the Striker line of curs, which is a big game bloodline. The big game animals will run when dogs are trailing them, and they will tree or bay up just like a little old squirrel sometimes. You said someone would be buying dogs left and right becuase they'd get killed, but I'd bet that a cougar or bear could kill a hound just as quick as he could a scrappy cur dog if he wanted to. A bear or cougar hunter would be buying hounds as often as he would curs when it comes down to it. There are some bigger strains up to 65 pounds, which is as big as some of the hounds, and they've got the grit of two dogs. Also, you could get a Blackmouth Cur, usually used on big bad hogs, and they grow to 60-75 pounds. However, I took that the original post's author, based on his name and his post and his age (looks to be 14 from his profile) is looking for an "all around dog," not likely a bear dog, but perhaps a squirrel or coon dog. I think, having one of my own, that a cur would be a good "all around dog." Good luck