Catahoula Leopard Dog Information & Dog Breed Facts

There are many claims and theories are made about the history of the Catahoula Leopard Dog, but nothing is known for sure about the true origins. All that is certain is that the breed originated somewhere along the Gulf Coast of the United States, most likely in northern Louisiana, between the 1520s and the mid-1800s. They are sometimes known as Catahoula Curs, Catahoula Leopard Curs, or Catahoula Hounds, but the name was officially changed to Louisiana Catahoula Leopard Dog.

Moreover, the Catahoula Leopard Dog is thought to have been created by combining local Native American dogs with dogs brought in by European explorers and settlers. Although there isn’t enough evidence to confirm this idea, the evidence that does exist appears to strongly support it. The exploration trips of Panfilo de Narvaez in 1528 and Hernando De Soto in 1542 marked the beginning of European colonization in Louisiana. Both parties crossed the Mississippi River and approached Catahoula Parish within a hundred miles. It is well recorded that De Soto’s mission was accompanied by a number of “Spanish war dogs”.

These war dogs were used with great success and extreme brutality against Native American populations, who had never before encountered a dog used for battle. At the time, they were probably the world’s finest dogs and they were divided into three different types; Alaunts, Mastiffs, and Sighthounds. It is widely believed that the Catahoula Leopard Dog was developed by the local Native Americans when they crossed their dogs with the above-mentioned war dogs. This theory could be very possible as historians claim that De Soto is known to have abandoned several of his war dogs after a lost battle in the region. Additionally, many Native American tribes were impressed with the European dogs and acquired them through trade. Furthermore, if we take a closer examination of the Spanish war dogs, both Alaunts and Mastiffs were extensively used for catching bulls and hogs, in fact, they still are. This may explain the hog catching ability of the Catahoula Leopard Dog, which might be a direct result of Alaunt and Mastiff ancestry.

Despite being the first Europeans to arrive in Louisiana, the Spanish were not the first to populate the area significantly. Southern Louisiana was predominantly populated by French Acadian refugees fleeing the British occupation of eastern Canada, whereas northern Louisiana was primarily settled by Americans migrating west across the continent. Both groups are known to have brought their own dog breeds with them, which then crossed with the existing Spanish and native American dogs. According to historians, there is documentation that strongly suggests that the French brought along a dog known at the time as the Berger de Beauce, which is today known as the Beauceron and it is widely believed that the Beauceron first introduced the merle coloration into the Catahoula Leopard Dog.

Moreover, the Catahoula Leopard Dog became nearly legendary across the American South for its ability to catch and cattle and hogs, either domestic or wild. The breed’s ability to work in a pack is one of the main reasons for its success with cattle and hogs. Although the Catahoula Leopard Dog was still in evolution for several centuries, by the early 19th century, it was probably certainly in a form that was near to its modern state. One of the first records of the species can be found in the diary of Jim Bowie, the great American pioneer who lived from 1796 to 1836. Jim and his brother grew up in Louisiana near Catahoula Parish, and both had Catahoula Leopard Dogs as children. Furthermore, the Catahoula Leopard Dog gained a variety of unique characteristics over time that helped it survive in Louisiana. Louisiana is home to some of the world’s largest swamps and marshes, as well as a vast number of rivers and lakes.

The breed developed webbed feet to work on water as well as land. To work and survive in temperatures that frequently reach 100 degrees Fahrenheit, the breed evolved to exceptionally heat tolerant. Commercial dog food did not exist during the time the Catahoula Leopard Dog was being developed, therefore canines were fed table scraps, which were sometimes insufficient to keep them alive. These dogs were expected to supplement their diet by hunting for themselves, and the Catahoula became a highly skilled and intensely dedicated hunter of small game as a result. The breed was also one of the purest dogs in the United States for many decades. This purity was maintained because the working ability and drive of these dogs are so strong that even one cross can seriously compromise it for future generations. Those features for which the dog became most well-known, a merle coat and glass exes, were selected more because they showed the dog’s purity than an actual appearance preference. Although breeders kept their dogs pure, they were more interested still in their working abilities, not in dog shows or pedigrees. As a result, the breed was not registered with the AKC or even the working dog-focused United Kennel Club for many decades.

Throughout the 20th century, the Catahoula Leopard Dog continued to spread throughout the American South. The breed’s developing reputation as a tireless worker, exceptionally talented stock dog, and ardent hunter accounted for much of this increase. The breed became known as the “King of All Stock Dogs” towards the end of the 20th century. Although precise statistics are hard to get, the breed is likely the second most frequent in rural areas of the United States, behind only the American Pit Bull Terrier. Moreover, in 1979, the state of Louisiana officially named the Louisiana Catahoula Leopard Dog the state dog. As the breed’s reputation has grown in recent decades, it has begun to expand outside the U.S., and the breed members have been shipped all over the world, primarily to nations with large hog populations.

Although the breed is still very commonly seen as a working livestock catch dog and hunter, the last few decades have also seen the Catahoula take on a number of new roles. The breed has been used for search and rescue, herding, therapy, and law enforcement. In 1995, the UKC formally granted recognition to the breed as a member of the Herding Dog Group after having them compete in a number of events unrecognized for many years. The following year, a small group of dedicated fanciers also formed the Catahoula Owners, Breeders, and Research Association.