Catahoulas
Height: 20-26"
Weight: 50-90 lbs
Average Price: $200 - $600
Living with 3 Catahoulas by member Houladdict
I have 3 Catahoulas at the moment, 2 females, one red leopard and one silver leopard, and 1 solid red male.
Also known as the Catahoula Cur, Catahoula Hog-Dog, and Catahoula Stock-Dog, just to name a few. The Catahoula is a Cur type dog developed in the Southern United States. They are a versatile working dog excelling at just about any task including hunting, herding, tracking and scenting, search and rescue, agility, fly-ball and obedience.
History
The history of the breed isn’t exactly clear, but the following is the most accepted theory of where today’s Catahoula started.
“The Louisiana Catahoula Leopard Dog evolved in the swamps of central Louisiana, around the Catahoula Lakes. Legend says their ancestors were the results of the Indian dogs, or red wolf found in the area at that time, mating with the surviving "war dogs" or mastiff used by the Spaniards in battle and then left behind, either wounded or captured by the Indians. The first settlers to the Catahoula Lakes area found this strange breed of dog with mottled spots and blue eyes, and called them Catahoula, meaning "beautiful clear water". The dogs were used for hunting deer, bobcat, and wild hogs, and the settlers appreciated their technique in trailing or winding, baying, herding and soon had the dogs working their cattle.” – National Association of Louisiana Catahoulas
Appearance
The Louisiana Catahoula is a medium to tall "rangy" dog, with broad chest, strong legs, and a wide head that’s not too broad. It has a slick, short, single coat and the average adult size ranges between 20-26 inches at the withers, and the average weight between 50 - 90 pounds. They are lean and athletically built. Most Catahoulas are spotted up, with 2 to 5 different colors in their coat, having a base color of black, blue, brown, liver or white, with contrasting spots of any, or all, of these colors. There are also solid colored dogs that can be black, brown, red, grey and yellow and may have white and/or tan trim. Catahoulas have the most astonishing eyes. They can be brown, amber, blue, green, yellow or any combination of these colors. An eye containing 2 different colors is known as a “cracked” or “marbled” eye. There are two types of ears: a drop ear that is folded over and gradually tapers to form a triangle, which is preferred, or the crinkled or laid back ear. The webbed toes of these dogs help them walk easily in swampland as well as over snow, and make them excellent swimmers. The Catahoula keeps growing until about 2 years old, but work likes an adult at 8 or 9 months. Females come in heat between 8 1/2 months to a year and wean their pups at 4 weeks.
Temperament, Training and Exercise
The Catahoula is a working dog and as such has high energy levels and drive. This breed is not recommended for first time dog owners. They are strong and gritty working dogs, but playful and almost clownish with their families. Catahoulas are fiercely loyal and tend to attach themselves to one person or family. They can be very territorial and need to be properly socialized at a young age and need solid, consistent guidance from there owners or they can become dominant.
Catahoulas are extremely intelligent and learn quickly. They need a firm, but gentle hand when training and do not respond well to force. They are bred as a bay dog, so they tend to be very vocal making a wide range of noises when playing or working. Barks, squeaks, moans, growls and grunts are all a part of living with a Catahoula. When they rough house it tends to be very noisy and rough and often mistaken for fighting, but it is very obvious when play gets to serious.
Catahoulas require both mental and physical outlets. They require at least an hour of running each day to wear them out, and usually need more. They are traditionally used to hunt wild hog, herd cattle, and are even used as treeing dogs. They are becoming a popular option among dog sport enthusiasts as their drive and energy help them excell at all kinds of activities. Generally speaking Catahoulas do not do well in city or apartment living, but with the right owner who takes the time to exercise and stimulate them, they can make an excellent companion. A Catahoula needs a job, not everyone needs a Catahoula.
Health
Cathoulas are fairly free of disease, but older dogs can succomb to the usual degenerative diseases. Like most large breeds Catahoulas are afflicted with hip dysplasia. Most common ailments suffered by Catahoulas are directly related to “excessive whites”. Catahoulas carry a few different color diluting genes , including the merle, pie-bald , and irish spotting genes. Interactions of these genes can lead to what is called excessive whites. The most common side effects of excessive whites are deafness and blindness, but there are internal problems that can arise from lack of pigmentation as well.
These guys are a lot of work, but they're worth it!
Carlye and the Cross Check Crew