How to Identify a Louisiana Catahoula Leopard Dog

The Louisiana Catahoula Leopard dog is, as the name suggests, a native breed of Louisiana as well as the state dog. Its exact origins are unknown, though it is believed to be the result of crossbreeding between native American dogs and the Nordic Wolfhound some 3 to 5 hundred years ago. The breed is very rare and makes a decent watchdog. The Catahoula is named after a parish in Northeastern Louisiana and excels in rounding up wild and feral boars and hogs in swampy march conditions. This is an extremely dangerous function and must be performed in concert with several other dogs to have a hope of success. A boar that knows it is being hunted has a nasty habit of turning and attacking those who would hunt it. Such an animal is quite capable of killing the dogs as well as goring the hunter in a matter of minutes. To avoid this the dogs must instinctively work as a team to harry the animal until it can be restrained.

Instructions

    • 1

      First examine the dog’s body, paying attention to its dimensions and weight. It should stand roughly 2 feet high at the shoulder and weigh about 60 pounds. Some males can weigh significantly more due to an increase in muscle mass upon maturing, reaching almost 95 pounds, but this is very uncommon. In any case the dog will always look well-proportioned, not gaining or losing weight easily. It should be long-bodied, not quite one and a half times long as it is tall. The tail should be short and thin, long enough to reach to the hocks, but is always held up or over the back. The legs should be thick and sturdy. The body should be athletic and tubular, with a wide chest to provide room for a good sized pair of lungs.

    • 2

      Look at the dog’s head. It should be very unprepossessing, and people often get the impression that it’s just a little too small for the size of the body. This is mainly due to the very thick and long neck upon which the skull sits. The skull should be short, wide and flat along the top of the head. Ears should be small and triangular, hanging low and well to the rear. The nose should be slightly upturned at the end of a muzzle that is of equal length to the skull.

    • 3

      Finish by looking at the dog’s fur. It should have a single coat of short, water-resistant hair over tight skin. The dog’s coloring is partly what contributes to its name. Often the dog will have a mixof black, gray, red and tan fur that would serve well to break up its outline in the marshy backwoods of Louisiana. The breed also occasionally displays an interesting recessive trait. A Catahoula with a light grey or tan coat will have spotting almost identical to that of the leopard. It’s theorized that this was the result of natural selection in that it is particularly effective camouflage in low-light, overcast conditions. If the dog matches this description then it’s a Louisiana Catahoula Leopard Dog.