Catahoulas - the next pit bull?

[Horsegal984]

[QUOTE=mzm farm;7619515]
Who would have thunk?! ACD - dog bred to herd cattle by nipping (nipping cattle = pretty good bite to tender human flesh), should somehow have a tendency to be nippy and active. Just beyond amazing. Don’t people do ANY research prior to buying/adopting them? They are not stuffed animals!
I feel really bad for both dogs and owners as they clearly are so unhappy with each other.[/QUOTE]

Just want to clarify, an ACD is not the same breed as an Catahoula mentioned in the OP. Neither of them should be owned by people who don’t understand the mind of a working dog but they are not the same.

[Casey09]

[QUOTE=CHT;7619127]
I think people need to buy dogs with their lifestyle in mind.[/QUOTE]

I agree completely, but I think that we also need to remember any dog - regardless of breeding, training, socialization, exercise, etc. - requires extreme caution around a 2 week old infant, as dogs sometimes see them as a prey animal. It does sound like the parents were supervising in this case and only condolences can go out to the family. It’s a very sad incident. It just scares me so badly when I see dogs around tiny infants or with kids crawling all over them. Truly I think some people convince themselves that because they don’t have X breed, or because their dog is trained, or for any other reason that the dog is totally, 100% safe around infants or small children. Care needs to be taken with all dogs and small infants and young children.

This vet articulates it better than I can: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-2563469/Never-EVER-trust-dog-child-As-baby-mauled-death-vet-ALL-dogs-capable-killing.html

[independentlyawesome]

[QUOTE=mzm farm;7619515]
Trouble is, there is not a breed of dog that is purposefully bred to do nothing, ie ideal pet. [/QUOTE]

Shih tzu! Bred to be lap dogs, AFAIK.

Buy an appropriate dog. Train your dog. Exercise your dog. Socialize your dog. #done

[Canaqua]

@Mosey_2003;7618208

The cattle dog types seem to be exploding in popularity. Locally I know personally a couple people that have one or more and see quite a few out and about. The problem with these dogs being popular as pets is that they’re working dogs, and on the whole they seem pretty intense. Any time you take a working dog and don’t expect it to work much you hear about problems; a few years ago it was everyone wanting a Border Collie and having stuff in their homes destroyed.

Yes, I’ve noticed that too…I see many more ACDs and ACD mixes around than I used to. Plus there seem to be plenty in shelters :(.

It worries me. We’ve had an ACD mix for 15 years (she’s 17 now!) and she has never been a dog for the faint of heart. Not appropriate for an inexperienced dog owner or someone who only wants to deal with a dog when it’s convenient for them. Best dog I’ve ever had, but definitely the most demanding as far as always staying on top of things and always staying a step ahead of the, very smart, dog. There’s this certain attitude you need to manage her: assertive/confident at all times, but NEVER aggressive or punitive, that’s how you get bit.

[Faith]

I hate catahoulas and cattle dogs. Yes I’ve met a few with owners who worked them and they were decent dogs. Most live with people who have no clue that they need a job. Most end up biting, horse chasing, cat/dog killing, pains in the arse. Yes I get it, it’s the owners fault blah, blah, blah. The dog is still the one chasing, biting, killing.

[OveroHunter]

Faith come meet my houla and ACD and you would change your mind!

Of course my five dogs (Catahoula, ACD/Aussie, Aussie, Terrier/Aussie, and Beagle) all live on a 400 acre farm and get a lot of socialization and take their jobs as “Southern Cross Ranch Welcoming Committee” very seriously

[Kenike]

I have a Catahoula/ACD cross…my 14 1/2 yo old man. The absolute BEST dog I have ever had and I would have another in a heartbeat. My niece has the same cross and the dog is just a love. I have been around plenty of Catahoulas, not a single one has shown aggression and just live to be loved on. But they are very, very smart, independent, and protective.

So are ACDs. Which is one reason I love both breeds.

Red DID work cattle when he was younger (heeled cows, nosed bulls), was my running and hiking partner, and LOVES kids. There were two times he snapped at kids: my husband’s cousin’s oldest thought it would be funny to wake Red from a dead sleep by jumping on him. Cousin was appalled that I yelled at her kid. The other time my son, as a 1yo toddler, rolled his little horse on wheels over Red’s paw. Can’t blame the dog. Oh, and he was 7 when my son was born.

My other dog is a GSD/ACD. I love him, and each day I am so happy he is with us. I hope his siblings stayed with their adopters and are okay. My husband hates him. He is HIGH energy and a PITA, not for the faint of heart. He’s an excellent running and hiking partner for me. After a good 10 mile trail run he still wants to play, run, go nuts, and is just crazy. I am not exaggerating!

Point being that people really do need to take lifestyle and ability into consideration over how attractive a dog is BEFORE they bring one home.

[Kenike]

P.S. Both my dogs are good with and enjoy cats. But then they were raised with my cat and it’s a must around here to be good with cats. Again falls into the “how they are raised/trained/handled” category.

[Clear_sailing]

Saw this thread and was actually quite sad… We are pit bull owners and 6 years ago we adopter the funnies looking 80 pound Katrina dog ever. We are bully savvy and when we found out he was a Catahoula BULLDOG (bred to catch and hold hogs) we did quite a bit of research. I would not recommend them to anyone who is not aware what they are capable of. He was 80 pounds of ornery grumpy stinky dog, but might have been the most loyal special creature we have ever had. He did need a job, and was fiercely protective and would NOT hesitate to bite. Tough to train, but once trained they held fast to them. I hope this photo works:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1034530714869&set=a.1034530674868.2006756.1573485613&type=3&theater
He was somewhere around 7 when we got him and although tough, was a wonderful amazing addition to our lives. Definitely not for everyone, and quite possibly more difficult then our pit bulls, but a generally amazing dog. He was an absolute farm dog and could sit out with chickens/goats/etc, although we did never try him with pigs…

[jen-s]

Interesting info here.

A friend and her Catahoula, Sorcha, lived with me last summer. Sorcha was a puppy mill mama until she was 3-5 (now 8-10ish) and I’ve only known her as a couch dog. She’ll even sit down mid-walk and refuse to move further if one attempts anything too strenuous. Here are pics of her with one of my 3 cats. My tabby is a 14lb pile of love. One of the tuxies beat her up (gently) until she learned to groom him on command. Poor dog has a rough life…

The whole album is public. Holler if you have any problems.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10153263885645029&set=a.139318570028.230999.789305028&type=3&theater
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10153263885505029&set=a.139318570028.230999.789305028&type=3&theater
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10153263884490029&set=a.139318570028.230999.789305028&type=3&theater
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10153263884340029&set=a.139318570028.230999.789305028&type=3&theater
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10153263884100029&set=a.139318570028.230999.789305028&type=3&theater

[Heart_s_Journey]

Back in the 80’s friends of mine got a Catahoula puppy (Maggie Mae) and she loved to sit in your lap. It worked fine until she grew up to be about 120 pounds…

They bred her to another Cat and she had 13 pupplies! Yikes - they got so big quickly, we had to help bottle feed them as they drank her dry.

Maggie and all of her puppies were the sweetest dogs and none of them were aggressive. They kept 2 (Emmy Lou & Arnold). Arnold was white and born deaf, but lived a long life with them.

I’ve always known good Cat’s but none of them were trained to cattle.

[Equibrit]

Anybody can make any dog aggressive.
Any rescue/pound can call any dog, any breed.

Anybody can say anything without any facts.

[cloudyandcallie]

Catahoulas do have the reputation of being aggressive and meaner than some herding dogs. But they don’t have the reputation of killing humans. (And Australian Cattle dogs have the same reputation. I’m an aussie owner since 1967, so I’ve studied the other herding breeds too.)

My father’s friend Justin Wilson (the cajun comic) had some catahoulas, and he shipped one here for some family friends t o use for herding their sheep on their plantation on the Savannah River. Justine told us all that the dogs were more aggressive than aussies or border collies. The dog did well, but he wasn’t a house pet. I once looked at a catahoula rescue that my vet hospital, Briarcliff, in Atlanta had for giveaway. I brought him home, he was about 4 months old, and he did fine for the weekend with my 3 elderly cats and 2 dogs. But he was hyperactive and I sent him back. (He was adopted to someone who moved to FL.) I don’t think catahoulas are “the next pit bull.” But Justin told us they aren’t the big pets as are aussies.

[Chester_s_Mom]

My Catahoula / mix came to our rescue when he found the farm with chickens not far from his adopter’s home… he was placed by a ‘rescue’ that then closed, moved and shut down all their contact information so we were asked to help by taking him as a return.

He has stayed with us as unadoptable as most folks are unwilling to give him the exercise he needs and yet still deal with the side of him that is shy of new people, places and things. He is QUITE the handful!! After living with me over 18 months I refuse to let him be on the ‘adoptable’ page, he’s mine now! LOL

Of course 3 of our 6 were unadoptables who stayed but hey, we luvs 'em and by taking over financial responsibility we help the rescue too

PS. At one home visit he cleared the folk’s 7 foot brick wall and left, but at my house the 4 foot chainlink gate keeps him in. Who can understand the ways of dogbrain??? LOL

[IdahoRider]

@mzm farm;7619515

Trouble is, there is not a breed of dog that is purposefully bred to do nothing, ie ideal pet. Oh, wait, there are Leonbergers, if you are willing to have your place carpeted in orange fur daily. They are pretty much like giant stuffed animals, as a breed.

Most (if not all) of the Toy breeds were bred for just that: to be companions. My Toy Poodle is more than happy to “do nothing”, and will happily nap in my lap while I read or do needlework (or read an internet BB). That was what his breed (variety) was created to do. So there are plenty of breeds who were created to do nothing but be with their people (i.e. laying around and doing nothing).

And Leonbergers actually did have a purpose, other than laying around and shedding!
Sheilah

[SoonieOTTB]

[QUOTE=Megaladon;7619051]
The problem is that people get dogs that are not well suited to their ability and handling skills. Throw in cluelessness and inappropriate environment and you have a recipe for disaster.[/QUOTE]

Also, many people vastly, vastly overestimate their handling abilities.

Worked as an adoptions counselor at a shelter, and there were so many people that had a lab or golden growing up, and they taught it to sit and it didn’t run off with them all the time, so naturally they were expert dog trainers. Most of them would realize that maybe the staff wasn’t kidding when we would hand them the leash of a big, hyperactive dog and then be willing to be counseled to something more appropriate. However, if they were on craigslist instead of at the shelter, they’d probably end up with horribly inappropriate dog and it would totally be the dog’s fault.

The shelter actually got a fair number of catahoulas, and they were usually marked as “marathon runners”. e.g., don’t adopt to anyone without a decent amount of land unless they were a marathon runner.

[Kenike]

[QUOTE=SoonieOTTB;7620632]

The shelter actually got a fair number of catahoulas, and they were usually marked as “marathon runners”. e.g., don’t adopt to anyone without a decent amount of land unless they were a marathon runner.[/QUOTE]

Maybe this is why herding breeds, including Catahoulas, appeal to me and we get along: I AM a marathon runner! LOL!

[Anne_FS]

[QUOTE=OveroHunter;7618151]
From the stories I have been told about my dog’s previous owners, they actually attempted to train him on boars but he was terrified of them. I don’t know much, but he came from a breeder in FL who bred them specifically for hunting and my guy just didn’t pan out. He’s 8 now so that would have been years ago.

It’s just a shame that they are all being painted in this light. Any breed can be aggressive in the wrong hands.[/QUOTE]

So you want them all to be painted in the light of the non-typical for the breed instead of how the breed is truly in temperament and what they are bred for?

[OveroHunter]

[QUOTE=Anne FS;7620737]
So you want them all to be painted in the light of the non-typical for the breed instead of how the breed is truly in temperament and what they are bred for?[/QUOTE]

No, I do not think every Catahoula should be thought of as an aggressive dog. Do you?

[Anne_FS]

I’m merely pointing out that the breed in general and your dog in particular is specifically genetically selected to be a boar hunting dog. And your particular dog was unable to do that because he “failed” at what he was bred to do.

If CLD hunt in packs like foxhounds, which I would think a boar dog would be but I don’t know, then I’d think they’d also be bred for good temperament. It just galls me when people pretend that a dog specifically bred to be an active hunting or working dog, whether it be a CLD, a working line German Shepherd, or a Border Collie, is expected to be just peachy keen fine in a totally different situation.

That’s how dogs end up in pounds, end up abandoned, end up hurting someone, etc. etc. etc. I’m sick of it.