Just curious…
Catahoulas are wonderful dogs and look so neat, do they.
As a breed, I would not expect breed characteristics in temperament to be too set.
They were bred to be hunting and gathering dogs, of any temperament otherwise, so anything goes.
Some have wonderful, love sponge traits, some are more aloof, some territorial, others just possessive, I would say rarely you find a shy one.
The lady here that had the postal route had one blueish female that everyone here adored and many asked her where to get another one like that one.
Since she found that dog on the highway, we will never know what she was, but she looked 100% catahoula.
As working dogs, they are the kind that get the stock in a bunch for you, so you then drive them where you want them to go.
They are not true herding dogs that will work the stock, they just chase and round them up and keep them there.
As hunting dogs, in the SW they are used for treeing mostly, for mountain lions.
I think that in the SE they are more of a general hunting dog.
I’ve only met one, in my dog’s obedience class. He was a super friendly dog, but very large and very high energy. Like most breeds developed for hunting or working, they (or at least this one) needed a LOT of exercise with things to focus on. He was very sweet and enthusiastic, but was at the bottom of the class in terms of obedience. (Which could have been entirely on his owners; I have no idea if they practiced at home, etc.)
We have a catahouly…an abandoned pup left over from a renter’s “breeding” program…
She is VERY VERY protective of the house and her family…she LOVES her family and is very snuggley…but does not like strange people…at all.
I had a fabulous one years ago - a bit quirky, but fabulous. Terrified of brooms and bare feet, very snuggly, loved to go running with and hang out with her people, could be inappropriately protective of me around other dogs when she was on leash.
Would growl at snowplows, man with beards, and people wearing backpacks, fwiw…
We have 2 Catahoula/Aussi crosses from the same litter. They look nothing alike. What they have in common is they are the smartest, most energetic, and athletic dogs we have ever owned. What one doesn’t think of, the other does, and it’s all at high speed. They are very devoted to their humans. I would recommend they only go to homes that can provide an adequate exercise and training program for them. They like to have fun and if not properly supervised they make their own (sometimes bad) choices.
I suspect that 99% of dogs stated to be “catahoula” or “catahoula mix” dogs haven’t a drop of catahoula blood in them, they are just carriers of merle coloring from more common breeds like aussies, or even great danes. So if you’re asking because some rescue is listing a “catahoula-” needing a home, well, odds are it’s some other breed.
My uncle had a purebred Catahoula from Louisiana, gotten for him by my Cajun cousins. Dog had blue eyes, and an interesting coat pattern. He looked to me much like an unusually colored pit bull. I always think of Catahoulas as hog hunting dogs and think they probably have a lot of pit bull in their background.
My uncle’s dog had a very sweet disposition and got along well with humans.
[QUOTE=wendy;5995127]
I suspect that 99% of dogs stated to be “catahoula” or “catahoula mix” dogs haven’t a drop of catahoula blood in them, they are just carriers of merle coloring from more common breeds like aussies, or even great danes. So if you’re asking because some rescue is listing a “catahoula-” needing a home, well, odds are it’s some other breed.[/QUOTE]
Lab/Aussie crosses! :lol:
Catahoula’s are a very diverse breed. The breed originated from a combination of about 6 different working breed dogs. There is no standard appearance or color to the breed. The original pool of dogs were tested for their working ability and not a standard look. In a litter of Catahoula pups you can easily not recognize litter mates.
[QUOTE=wendy;5995127]
I suspect that 99% of dogs stated to be “catahoula” or “catahoula mix” dogs haven’t a drop of catahoula blood in them, they are just carriers of merle coloring from more common breeds like aussies, or even great danes. So if you’re asking because some rescue is listing a “catahoula-” needing a home, well, odds are it’s some other breed.[/QUOTE]
We have an aussie mix (mother was full bred, father was someone who got on the property :lol:). I have always suspected his other side was some sort of lab mix. EVERYONE thinks he is a catahoula! It’s possible that his other side could be a catahoula (I live in Louisiana), but lab and/or pit mixes are more common as strays down here.
A bit more on topic… The catahoulas that I have met were all very nice… but I don’t have any extensive experience with them.
one of my friends has a catahoula cross (accidentally bred to a collie). Super cute, sweet dog. Loads of personality. Protective, but not in a super aggressive way. Very good with kids, and not an over abundance of energy.
A good friend of mine is fostering a phenomenal catahoula (http://cofas.org/category/dogs-large/). He is the first and only catahoula I’ve met in person. I actually hadn’t heard of the breed until she found him.
Since he was found wandering she could never “prove” it but in the surrounding area are several breeders and it is an area with a lot of hunters.
Her guy was severely emaciated when she found him but he is now back at a healthy weight and is the most affectionate, calm, docile puppy I have ever met. He also has a silky almost reflective coat.
Since he is the only one I have had the pleasure of meeting I can’t really speak to my overall impression of the breed but if they are anything like this guy, sign me up.
Like the big hound breeds and working collie breeds they area LIFESTYLE and not a pet. I would not recommend one unless you have a lot of land and can really let a hound be a hound.
My “step-dog” is a Catahoula/ACD cross. He was a very shy puppy, so shy my friend almost took him back, but he has morphed into one of the most lovable great dogs I know. Catahoulas, as a breed remind me a lot of ACD’s, in that they are great with people the trust/know, but often pretty iffy with strangers.
Overall, as a breed, I would reccomend them like any other breed. Do your research, and know what you’re getting. Almost anybody who takes the time to research the breed and the breeder will get a puppy they love!
Katherine
Vet Tech
My trainer has a CLD. She rescued it after Katerina. Sweet, dog, does the typical barn dog stunt of dropping a slobbery tennis ball on your foot and staring at you with those adorable baby blue eyes. Sweetest dog ever. Great with all the barn kids. I thought he was a giant marshmellow dog until I saw the other side of him once.
We have a wild pig problem in Hawaii, and our barn has a crazy feed the cute animals lady who stops by on occasion. She took to feeding the baby pigs, which she was strictly forbidden to do. Well as you probably know baby pigs grow up to be boars and they are nasty nasty creatures. Because crazy pig lady fed them they had zero fear of people. One of those nasty boars actually charged one of the barn kids. That dog was out of the back of the pick up truck in a flash. He turned into a snarling, barking ball `o piggy nightmare and sent the pig running.
Soon as the pig was gone he was back to his regular happy will you please throw a ball for me self.
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Catahoulas remind me of the curs more than any other type of dog. It’s a little different than a hound or herding dog, it’s protective and owner oriented, tough and smart, generally healthy.
I grew up with them. Catahoulas and dachshunds are the two breeds that I have had almost continuously since I was a child. They are first and foremost a working and hunting breed. In the old days when cattle and hogs were free ranged by ranchers in the Louisiana swamps, catahoulas were developed to locate and bay up the cattle and hogs until the drovers could get there and and drive the stock to where ever. Or they might just hold the herd together while the cowboys branded/castrated and earmarked the stock. They are not a breed for a surburban yard or a wimpy owner. They are tough, not body sensitive, and extremely smart. They are usually very territorial and can be fanatically devoted/protective of their owners. They are also, usually, not good with strangers. They are excellent watchdogs which is why I have always had one as a yard dog. I have a ton of catahoula stories. Here’s a couple.
When my mom and dad were first married, my dad was still in college so mom was alone at their house. My dad bought a pair of catahoulas, Betsy and Sissy, to stay at the house with her. With them on the porch, no one could get in the house. Betsy was a blue merle or leopard as the Catahoula folk call it. She had the white collar and blaze and two glass eyes. She was very unusual looking. She was extremely devoted to my dad and went everywhere with him. One day, my dad was pulled over for speeding. Betsy was sitting beside him in the cab of the truck. The cop asked for Dad’s driver’s license and commented about the “funny looking dog, what was she good for”. About that time he reached quickly into the truck cab to take Dad’s license. Betsy grabbed his arm and held it. Didn’t bite, just held it. Dad, who is kind of a smart ass, told the cop, “That’s what she’s good for.”
Years later, my daughter and I “stole” Hank, a brindle catahoula from a neglectful situation. Hank was named for the character in the Hank the Cowdog books. My daughter, then 5, adored Hank and called him her brother. Hank loved my daughter and went everywhere with her. One day my daughter was playing outside and I was sitting on the porch reading. Hank was laying around in the sun. One of our skanky neighbors’ car had broken down and this really nasty looking guy was walking down the road. Hank jumped up, ran to our property line and shadowed the guy. He never approached him and never went out in the road but stayed on our side of the ditch. His voice and body language made it clear that he had drawn his line in the sand and the guy better not cross it. Hank kept this up until the guy was past our house then he stood in the road and watched until he was satisfied that all was well. Then he came back, flopped down and resumed his nap. Sadly we lost Hank to cancer a few years later.
PUREBRED Catahoulas are smart, driven, can be very quirky at times, ‘intense’, and sometimes remind me mentally of a cross between a hound and a driven Shepherd dog with spots. Love their family FIERCELY, happy to chase a cat, not so keen with strangers.
However, DITTO x100000 to wendy. If you’re looking at a ‘catahoula’ cross from a rescue…they just are calling it by the merle spots. Any litter of puppies that comes in merle is going to be listed as a catahoula/aussie shepherd/cattle dog or some conglomerate of the three depending on the day they come in and the staff member who identifies them.
[QUOTE=irkenequine;5998363]
PUREBRED Catahoulas are smart, driven, can be very quirky at times, ‘intense’, and sometimes remind me mentally of a cross between a hound and a driven Shepherd dog with spots. Love their family FIERCELY, happy to chase a cat, not so keen with strangers.
QUOTE]
That describes ours perfectly. He is very intense and loves the cat chase. Smart beyond his years.
