Appearance
Description
The
Catahoula Leopard Hound is thought to have a genetic heritage linked
with the
Greyhound
and
Mastiff.
As you can see from the picture above their coat is highly distinctive
and is normally a Merle, grey, white or black and tan color. The
Leopard name refers to the fact that the 'Merle' gene can cause the
patchy appearance. Their paws are quite big and are webbed between the
toes (this makes them excellent swimmers, they have a skull that is
quite wide but also reasonably flat in comparison.
The eye color of this breed can vary greatly with no particular color
the same from dog to dog. Colors vary from blue, blue and white, grey,
blue and green, brown and even amber.
The ears lie flat to their head - consequently they are more prone to
yeast
infections (because of the
warmth and perfect temperature for bacteria).
This
breed will normally grow to a height ranging from twenty up to twenty
six inches. They can also grow to a weight of fifty up to ninety pounds
but males average about sixty to seventy pounds.
The coat of the Catahoula Leopard Hound can vary greatly - including a
coarse coat, slick coat or woolly coat. The coarse coat is easy to
maintain but can become rather full when it gets wet or damp. The slick
coat has very short hairs and is very different to the appearance of
the coarse coat. The woolly coat is deemed by some owners as the least
desirable of the three as it is a double coat and can appear rather
shaggy and unkempt.
Temperament
The Catahoula leopard Hound is very intelligent and will need lots and
lots of exercise. You need to remain top dog and alpha male otherwise
you will lose the respect of your pooch. This breed need to be well
socialized and do not respond to being left on their own for long
periods.They are quite assertive and are not known to display
aggressive behavior. This breed are considered good with children and
will incorporate the children into their pack. However, it is always
good to raise this breed with children rather than purchasing one and
bringing it into an established family.
If you do not exercise your dog regularly then you can expect problems
including
digging,
chewing and other destructive behavior. Although this breed love to
play you need to remember that they are large and could cause injury
through accidental bumping or over zealous behavior.
Herding
Group
This breed were initially used to hunt and herd animals such as Cattle
- where they would work in a pack of three. They are sometimes referred
to as the Catahoula Hog Dog as they were often used to hunt and kill
Wild Boar.
Health
Problems
Deafness
- The Catahoula Leopard Hound are more prone to deafness than some
breeds. Interestingly dogs that are more white in color are more prone
to experiencing deafness (this is due to a lack of Melanocytes). A dog
that is more white in color has an eighty percent chance of being deaf.
Hip
Dysplasia - This is another
condition that the breed are more prone to which can lead to lameness
and Arthritis.
