All about the Catahoula Leopard Dog

I thought it'd be fun to write about one of my favorite dog breeds! Check out these gorgeous pups. They have a couple different name variations such as: Catahoula Curs, Catahoula Hog Dogs, and Catahoula Hounds, but the name was officially changed to Louisiana Catahoula Leopard Dog when they became that state's dog in 1979.

 

 Little is known as to what dogs were used to create this breed. There's some speculation, but all we know for sure is that they are in part bred from wild dogs kept by the Choctaw people native to the area.





There are three distinct breed lines of Catahoula Leopard Dogs... Read below and check out the photos to see the different variations. 



Line#1(the largest)is the Prestone Wright Catahoula Dogs. They average at about 100 pounds.

Line#2 is the Lovie Fairbanks Catahoulas averaging at about 70 pounds each, and they're more yellow or brindle in color.

Line #3 is the McMillan Catahoulas and they are the breeds smallest line. They weigh around 55 pounds and carry a blue leaopard coloring, and usually have multi-colored eyes that this breed is known for.

Over the years, each line has been frequently interbred to create an even wider variety of appearances in this breed.

 The reason Catahoulas are sometimes called Hog Dogs is because they were originally bred to hunt hogs. When Louisiana was first explored, rumor has it that hogs had that land overridden. To deal with the problem, settlers used wild canines to develop a new breed and that's how this breed came about!

 As if you didn't think Catahoulas are unique enough, guess what? They even have webbed feet! This trait pops up in other breeds every now and then, but Catahoula toes have a lot more webbing. The reason being, it helped them in the past with exploring the marshy and soggy grounds of Louisiana.

Before I started working at Fort Fido, I didn't even know this breed was a thing until I met a couple Catahoulas that come here. I knew the moment I saw them that I wanted to have one for myself someday. Check them out below!


 

 This is Blu,







 

               
And this is Stella!

As you can see, this is a pretty cool breed and I am looking forward to the day when I'll be able to have one all my own! 

Have a marvelous Monday night,
~Shaunte'