catahoula

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PHOTOS OF REGISTRY
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CATAHOULA LEOPARD DOG

A CATA WHAT A?
HISTORY/DESCRIPTION
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     The name Catahoula comes from an Indian word meaning "clear water". They originated in a region of the Catahoula Lakes in central Louisiana and are the official dog of Louisiana. In the early days this area was the homeland of the "Catahoula Indians", a branch of the Natchez tribe.
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     The earliest history of the Catahoula can be linked to a Spanish explorer named DeSoto. When he came to the USA in the 1540"s he brought with him his fierce Spanish Mastiff type war dogs to use against the Indian Tribes that he encountered. Evidentially the Indians cared for some of the wounded and sick war dogs, which is assumed to have bred with the Red Wolf at some point. Research has showed that the only dog like animal in the area of the Mississippi River Valley were the Red Wolf. Because only the fittest survived and surely interbreeding must have taken place, it would account for the strange and potent set of genes the Catahoula still carries today. Later the French arrived with their leopard spotted dogs known today as the Beauceron. To strengthen this theory, a letter in 1958 was sent to the Animal Research Foundation by a man in Louisiana with French ancestry. He claimed that his grandfather had brought a pair of leopard spotted dogs to the Catahoula area of Louisiana 150 years earlier. Given the muscular shoulders, powerful jaws, silent trailing, the ability to trail by wind, keen eyesight and wariness of strangers, would lend itself to this theory because all these traits are associated with wolf like behaviors. As they started to thrive in America, hound was also introduced to the breed.
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     In 1686, it is recorded that Tonti The Iron Hand told of seeing dogs with strange white eyes and patches and spots of color. In the middle 1800's The Bowie brothers owned a pair of Catahoula and in the early 1900"s President Teddy Roosevelt hunted with Catahoula Leopard Dogs and famous others.
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     The appearance of today's Catahoula is quite unique and striking. They are a medium to large size dog weighing from 55-80 pounds standing 21-25" at the shoulder. His stature is muscular and lean with a very short smooth coat that comes in an outrageous variety of colors and patterns and some times solid. Leopard refers to the most typical color which is a distinctive mottled pattern of blue and black patches with or with out tan trim and white markings. He also come in shades of red, yellow and liver either solid or patched with darker and lighter shades. Solid black and tan or black with white markings is also common. How striking the dog that is black with double glass eyes!
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     The Catahoula has button or rose type ears and a long expressive tail. The eyes are like no other. Ice blue or "glass" eyes are commonly seen, green, gold, brown, or in any combination. Sometimes there is what is called a "crack" in the eye which shows a different color in the same eye. He has a wedge shaped head with a moderate muzzle, a moderate stop and a strong neck sloping downward to a straight back. They should stand high up on their toes with moderate angulation on the hocks. An official standard has yet to be written but their conformation is remarkably consistent.
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     The general character of the breed is very intelligent and versatile, a multi-purpose breed par excellence. He can be used as a working dog herding farm animals, protecting livestock and also for hunting large or small game. He has a lot of stamina and perseverance making him ideal for the jobs.
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     As a family pet he is extremely loyal and as a home guardian, nothing will get by his keen hearing and will certainly alert you to an intruder. Being weary of strangers, he will assess the situation at hand and act appropriately. Catahoula's make great family and children's companions because they seem to enjoy obedience training and pleasing their owners. Catahoula owners affectionately call them "Cats".