About Louisiana Catahoula Leopard Description

Also called the Catahoula Cur, this American breed ranges from medium to large sized.  As these dogs were typically bred for function and not form, their appearance may vary somewhat from dog to dog. Typical traits include a deep chest, solid and sturdy legs, and a broad flat head. The Catahoula’s ears are typically floppy, and the tail is long and straight to help the dog balance when hunting.

Origin: America

Look

As the name suggests, the Catahoula Leopard often has a spotted coat, though multiple colours and patches are also common. The breed carries the Merle gene, which is the reason for these beautiful leopard coats. Common coat patterns include red leopard, black leopard, blue leopard, silver leopard, tri-colour, quad-colour, and patchwork.

The texture of the Catahoula’s coat varies. The most common coat is the slick coat. Slick-coat dogs have very short fur with a sleek texture. Slick-coated dogs are very easy to brush and wash, and their fur dries very quickly. Coarse-coated Catahoulas have longer fur that does not dry as quickly as that of their sleek-coated cousins, but is nonetheless very easy to maintain. Some coarse coated dogs have fluffy feathering on their legs and belly. The rare woolly-coated Catahoula has a thick double coat with a shaggy appearance.

The amount of shedding depends on which type of Catahoula Leopard dog you have. On the whole, this breed is an intermediate shedder.

The Catahoula dog has beautiful eyes that often have a marbled appearance. Heterochromia (odd eyes) is very common in this breed.

Health

While the Catahoula Leopard Dog is generally a healthy dog, they are prone to a few health conditions:

• Hip dysplasia
• Deafness (which is linked to the gene for Merle colouration)

At Newdoggy.com, we recommend that you buy your puppy from reputable breeders, who use genetic testing and good breeding practices to remove genetic conditions from their breeding lines. Newdoggy.com’s Health Guarantee certifies that all promoted puppies are in good health.

Learning

The Catahoula is a highly intelligent dog. They were originally bred for herding, tracking, and hunting, and can learn a huge range of different skills. They are even-tempered and hard-working and seem ready to put themselves to any task. Structure and routine is very important for this breed. With a firm but fair training approach, your Catahoula should learn very quickly what is expected of him or her.

Temperament

The Lousiana Catahoula Leopard Dog is loyal and affectionate to its family. Catahoulas are very good with children, and are very protective of them. They tend to be a little wary of strangers, but not aggressive or shy. On the whole, the Leopard dog is very even-tempered. Although they are very loving towards their family, they do need a firm but fair hand, as they are energetic and intelligent. Without proper training these qualities can easily lead to behavioural problems. Socialisation is important for this breed, as without it they may become skittish.

Living with

The Louisiana Catahoula Leopard breed needs companionship and exercise. Isolation will make your Catahoula miserable: they want to be involved with their family. Expect to give your Catahoula at least an hour of exercise every day.

They make excellent family dogs, but can be aggressive towards other dogs as they are fairly territorial. The Catahoula has a strong instinct to hunt and chase, and will chase small animals as a result.

The Catahoula will need training from day one. If you are patient and consistent, your Catahoula will soon learn what you want from him or her. They are fairly easy to house train, and love to learn. Learning keeps them occupied, which is important, as a bored Catahoula may become destructive.

If you are looking for an athletic, intelligent family dog, the Catahoula could be your perfect pup!