Celebrating the Catahoula - September 2010 -

Catahoula Leopard Dog

Weight: 60-75 lbs
Height: 20-26 inches
Coat: short
Litter Size: 8-12
Life Span: 10-14 years

Description

Often called the most versatile of all working dog breeds, the Catahoula Leopard dog is certainly an active canine. From being able to herd cattle and hunt many species of game-deer, bear, boar, raccoon, and squirrel-to being an excellent candidate for Search and Rescue as well as drug detection, needless to say, the Catahoula Leopard dog is a protective breed that is intelligent and adaptable to nearly every situation.

Also known as a Louisiana Catahoula Leopard dog, this dog breed likes to be as active as possible and requires a fair amount of mental stimulation to keep occupied. Often growing to 20 to 26 inches long and 45 to 95 pounds, this moderate breed stays in shape by being put to work in the fields or in various law enforcement situations.

The Louisiana Catahoula can be a number of different colors, so it can be difficult to identify them just from their coats. Ranging in color from red, blue, yellow, and even tan or white colors, this breed's short coat is easy to maintain and suited perfectly for their active lifestyle.

Coat Colors and Patterns

 

Blue Leopard - Refers to the blue merle color pattern. Blue leopards are black dogs with the merle pattern. Blue leopards are some shade of grey with black patches scattered throughout the coat. Blue leopards may range from mostly grey to mostly black. Sometimes the terms "grey leopard" or "black leopard" are used.
Glass eyes - Refers to eyes which are blue or blue-white in color. Dogs with two glass eyes are often referred to as having "double glass eyes". Sometimes a glass eye will have darker colored sections in it and vice versa. When both colored and glass portions are present in the same eye, the eye is usually called "cracked glass" or "marbled glass".
Leopard - Refers to the merle color pattern. The merle pattern breaks up the dog's color, so that some hairs lack pigment. The overall effect is a dilution of color, with some unaffected patches of dense color scattered throughout the coat.
Patchwork - Refers to leopards with patches of several different shades in their coats. The background color may be white or very light, and the patches are usually large and scattered in such a way as to give a more torn or blotchy appearance than that of a typical leopard. This pattern is similar to the harlequin pattern seen in Great Danes. Patchworks may be blue/black based or red based.
Red Leopard - Refers to the red merle color pattern. Red leopards are red/liver/chocolate dogs with the merle pattern. Red leopards are some shade of light reddish-brown with darker red or brown patches scattered throughout the coat. Sometimes the terms "brown leopard" or "chocolate leopard" are used.
White - Usually, when a Catahoula is referred to as being "white", it means that the dog is primarily white with some areas of leopard coloration. White dogs are generally the result of being "double merle" (carrying two copies of the merle gene). White dogs often have hearing or vision problems.


History

There is some speculation that the Catahoula Leopard dog is a descendant of the greyhounds and mastiffs that were brought into Louisiana by Hernando de Soto in the sixteenth century. These original dogs were also known as war dogs and are thought to have interbred with the local red wolves.

In the next century, the French began to arrive in Louisiana as well, bringing the Beauceron dog breed, which then mixed with the interbred dogs that were now in the area, producing the breed as it is seen today.

Governor Edwin Edwards made the Catahoula Leopard dog the official state dog of Louisiana in 1979.

The Catahoula originated in North Central Louisiana in the geographic area around the Catahoula Lake from which it got its name. The word Catahoula is of Choctaw Indian origin and is translated into English as "sacred lake", just as the Choctaw word Choekahoula means "sacred home."


The early settlers around the Catahoula lake region of North Louisiana began to use these Indian dogs and/or crosses of them to pen and catch wild hogs and cows. This practice was soon developed into a method of managing herds of wild cattle and wild hogs. The peculiar way these dogs work stock is what separates them from the rest of dogdom. Their style of working stock is to effectively provide a "canine fence" around wild cows or hogs and hold them for their master. Their masters then provide direction to the movement of these wild cows or hogs while inside this "canine fence."
Catahoulas have been bred by working-oriented breeders since their instincts to work wild hogs and cattle became evident. The ability to handle wild herds is instinct and cannot be taught. A single outcross or crossbreeding so affects the instinct that it eliminates those pups from ever becoming breeding stock. This self governing instinct could easily be lost if bred for pets or show without the trial by fire working aspect being tantamount. Regardless of size, color, or color of eyes, the working instinct is the true acid test of purity in the Catahoula.


Temperament

As with most smart dog breeds, the Louisiana Catahoula Leopard needs to have a fair amount of stimulation in order to stay energized and happy. These dogs are highly intelligent and quick to assess situations, making them perfect helpers in law enforcement. But at the same time, this energy they have can also match perfectly with young children. The Catahoula is gentle and loving with younger children, so unlike other sporting dogs, this breed can be a good addition to a home setting.

Because of their high intelligence, the Catahoula Leopard is often trying to learn new things and will be curious about their environment. This creates a sort of independent manner about them, and they will go off to wander and explore alone if they are compelled to do so.

Spending a lot of time with this dog is imperative for its health and happiness. This is a dog that craves interaction with others and wants to be a part of the family that it belongs to. If you do not have time to interact with this type of dog breed, it may not be a good fit for your home.

What may not work for every family is the Catahoula Leopard's tendency to be very overprotective of their family and of their territory. This can cause problems in some situations.

The Catahoula can also become fierce when they are around other dogs, especially when the dogs are the same sex as they are.

Though the initial protectiveness may not be seen in the first few years of a Catahoula's life, it's at the age of two that this breed begins to feel it has a responsibility to protect its owners.

What's interesting too is that the Catahoula can become mild-mannered and timid around strangers, not from intimidation, but from hesitation. These dogs are intolerant of strangers and that's what makes them seem fearful in the presence of someone they don't know.

With all of these personality features in mind, some more mild-mannered dog owners may not be a good fit for the Catahoula Leopard. The owner needs to be someone that is ready to demonstrate leadership for the dog, as this breed wants to be lead and trained by an authority.

This dog breed is often encouraged in homes that have a lot of room for the dog to roam, but in city or suburbs, they might feel too caged in.

When trying to control your Catahoula Leopard, you will want to make sure they attend obedience classes as well as have a place where they can be locked up when you're not around to monitor their actions.





Health Issues

While generally a healthy dog overall, the Catahoula Leopard can encounter some problems during their active life.

This particular dog breed is prone to hip dysplasia, which can cause pain and problems with mobility as the condition progresses. Those Catahoulas with a white coat or with a white face are also prone to issues with glass eyes. These particular colored dogs can often have an 80% chance of developing Deafness in one or both ears.

Occasionally, this dog breed will have troubles with their eyes, leading to tunnel vision, abnormal pupil dilation, and sometimes problems with the eye opening. This is often seen in particular breeds, like the McMillin line.

Some of the Catahoula Leopard Dog breed can also develop cancer in their older years.


Exercise

The high activity level of the Catahoula Leopard lends itself well to the farm or country setting, but may not work as well in the suburbs or a city dwelling.

The workaholic personality of this dog breed needs to be constantly satisfied, or the dog may become unnecessarily aggressive.

If at all possible, the Catahoula Leopard needs to be working during the day as a herder or in some other capacity. They enjoy being outdoors and playing, rather than sitting around.

This particular dog breed should be allowed to run for a full hour daily, at least to help maintain their health as well as placate their energetic demeanor.

The Catahoula Leopard might be an excellent companion on a jog or a hike, as they can keep up the pace quite easily.

Though they are noisy and playful when they are active, Catahoula Leopards that don't get enough activity can begin to chew, bark, or dig excessively in order to deal with excess energy.