Breed library

Catahoula

Also known as Catahoula Cur, Louisiana Catahoula Leopard Dog.

Catahoula photograph.
02. Coahoma Arkansas Logan.jpg - Nagygabornet. CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:02._Coahoma_Arkansas_Logan.jpg. License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0. License: CC BY-SA 4.0.

Breed overview

The Catahoula Leopard Dog is an American dog breed named after Catahoula Parish, Louisiana. It became the state dog of Louisiana in 1979. It is recognized by the United Kennel Club under the name Louisiana Catahoula Leopard Dog, while the American Kennel Club Foundation Stock Service calls it Catahoula Leopard Dog. Both registries have assigned the breed a herding designation, although it has traditionally been used in hunting feral boars.

  • Breed type: dog breedBreed reference breed kind.
  • Country of origin: United StatesBreed reference country of origin.

Breed facts

  • The Catahoula lineage was started in the mid-1700s, when French settlers crossbred local dogs with Beauceron dogs.
  • On July 9, 1979, in recognition of the historic significance of the Catahoula cur to the state of Louisiana, Governor Edwin Edwards signed House Bill #75 officially naming the Louisiana Catahoula Leopard Dog as the state dog.
  • On January 1, 1995, the Louisiana Catahoula Leopard Dog was recognized by the United Kennel Club.
  • In 1996, the AKC added the Catahoula Leopard Dog into their Foundation Stock Service.
  • The Catahoula Leopard Dog is an American dog breed named after Catahoula Parish, Louisiana.

Size and appearance

Though physical characteristics are varied, Catahoulas are usually muscular dogs with a rectangular-shaped body. They tend to have a large head with drop ears and a strong, slightly tapered muzzle. They tend to have a thick muscular neck and a long, curved tail. They come in many colors and have medium/short hair. Catahoulas come in many different colors, including blue merle, red merle, brindle, and solid colors. Often, solid coat Catahoulas have small splashes of other colors such as white on their face, legs or chest. The leopard-like coat of most Catahoulas is the result of the merle gene. The merle gene does not normally affect the entire coat of the dog, but dilutes the color only in areas that randomly present the characteristic of the gene. Deeper colors are preferred; predominantly white coats are discouraged. Since the Catahoula is a working dog, coat color is not a primary consideration.

  • Body mass reference: 18.144 - 43.091 kgAdult breed reference quantity from the article infobox. Original value 40 - 95 lb. Unit conversion where applicable: 1 inch = 2.54 cm; 1 pound = 0.45359237 kg. Original field and references are retained in the revision-pinned article evidence.
  • Height reference: 50.8 - 60.96 cmAdult breed reference quantity from the article infobox. Original value 20 - 24 in. Unit conversion where applicable: 1 inch = 2.54 cm; 1 pound = 0.45359237 kg. Original field and references are retained in the revision-pinned article evidence.
  • Height reference: 55.88 - 66.04 cmAdult breed reference quantity from the article infobox. Original value 22 - 26 in. Unit conversion where applicable: 1 inch = 2.54 cm; 1 pound = 0.45359237 kg. Original field and references are retained in the revision-pinned article evidence.
  • Coat length: short
  • Coat length: medium
  • Coat texture: smooth
  • Height category: tall
  • Height category: medium
  • Weight category: medium
  • Weight category: large

Personality and behavior

Care planning: record what your dog enjoys, how they greet visitors, and how they respond to new places. Add notes after walks and training so you can see their habits over time. Where this profile includes behavior research, use the same named measures when comparing your shortlist.

  • Attachment and attention seeking (C-BARQ mean): 2.11 / 4Owner-reported attachment and attention seeking factor mean for US reference population Catahoula Leopard Dog.
  • Chasing (C-BARQ mean): 2.20 / 4Owner-reported chasing factor mean for US reference population Catahoula Leopard Dog.
  • Dog-directed aggression (C-BARQ mean): 1.18 / 4Owner-reported dog-directed aggression factor mean for US reference population Catahoula Leopard Dog.
  • Dog-directed fear (C-BARQ mean): 0.67 / 4Owner-reported dog-directed fear factor mean for US reference population Catahoula Leopard Dog.
  • Energy (C-BARQ mean): 2.35 / 4Owner-reported energy factor mean for US reference population Catahoula Leopard Dog.
  • Excitability (C-BARQ mean): 2.20 / 4Owner-reported excitability factor mean for US reference population Catahoula Leopard Dog.
  • Familiar-dog aggression (C-BARQ mean): 0.74 / 4Owner-reported familiar-dog aggression factor mean for US reference population Catahoula Leopard Dog.
  • Non-social fear (C-BARQ mean): 0.80 / 4Owner-reported non-social fear factor mean for US reference population Catahoula Leopard Dog.
  • Owner-directed aggression (C-BARQ mean): 0.11 / 4Owner-reported owner-directed aggression factor mean for US reference population Catahoula Leopard Dog.
  • Separation-related problems (C-BARQ mean): 0.75 / 4Owner-reported separation-related problems factor mean for US reference population Catahoula Leopard Dog.
  • Stranger-directed aggression (C-BARQ mean): 0.84 / 4Owner-reported stranger-directed aggression factor mean for US reference population Catahoula Leopard Dog.
  • Stranger-directed fear (C-BARQ mean): 0.75 / 4Owner-reported stranger-directed fear factor mean for US reference population Catahoula Leopard Dog.
  • Touch sensitivity (C-BARQ mean): 0.80 / 4Owner-reported touch sensitivity factor mean for US reference population Catahoula Leopard Dog.
  • Trainability (C-BARQ mean): 2.62 / 4Owner-reported trainability factor mean for US reference population Catahoula Leopard Dog.

Exercise and activities

Care planning: build a weekly routine with walks, play and time to explore. Enter the minutes and sessions that work for your dog, then compare the weekly total with your available time. Keep notes about the activities your dog enjoys and adjust the routine together.

Training and enrichment

Care planning: choose one everyday skill to practice and keep a record of each session. Note the cue, the reward your dog enjoys and what went well. Rotate familiar games and new activities, and use your notes to choose the next small step.

Coat and grooming

Care planning: use the coat details above to discuss a grooming routine with your groomer. Record brushing sessions, baths and appointments in the app. Add the tools you use and your preferred schedule so the whole household can follow the same routine.

  • Coat length: short
  • Coat length: medium
  • Coat texture: smooth

Health and lifespan

Care planning: keep your dog's veterinary records, health-check dates and agreed care plan together. Add reminders for appointments and record changes you want to discuss at the next visit. Use the linked breed organizations and original references to explore their current health resources.

Living with this breed

Care planning: compare this profile's adult dimensions, coat care and available activity information with your household's routine. Make a shortlist, plan who will handle daily care and save the questions you want to ask a breed club, rescue or breeder.

Compare breeds

Compare supported adult height and weight ranges, matching research measures and sourced coat and care categories.

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Breed history

The Catahoula lineage was started in the mid-1700s, when French settlers crossbred local dogs with Beauceron dogs. On July 9, 1979, in recognition of the historic significance of the Catahoula cur to the state of Louisiana, Governor Edwin Edwards signed House Bill #75 officially naming the Louisiana Catahoula Leopard Dog as the state dog. On January 1, 1995, the Louisiana Catahoula Leopard Dog was recognized by the United Kennel Club. In 1996, the AKC added the Catahoula Leopard Dog into their Foundation Stock Service.

Clubs and further reading

Sources

  1. Catahoula Leopard Dog - WikipediaWikipedia contributors Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: CC BY-SA 4.0. Adapted excerpts from Wikipedia contributors, Catahoula Leopard Dog, revision 1373835838. CC BY-SA 4.0. Formatting, citations and selection changed. Source history: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Catahoula_Leopard_Dog&action=history
  2. Wikidata structured breed dataWikimedia contributors Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: CC0 1.0. Wikidata contributors (CC0).
  3. National C-BARQ breed and all-breed means from USA.PLOS ONE / Figshare Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: CC BY 4.0. Bohland, Kyle R.; Lilly, Meghan Leanne; Herron, Meghan E.; Arruda, Andréia G.; O’Quin, Jeanette M. (2023). National C-BARQ breed and all-breed means from USA.. PLOS ONE. Dataset. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0289356.s003 CC BY 4.0. Selected rows and field names adapted; values unchanged.
  4. File:02. Coahoma Arkansas Logan.jpgWikimedia Commons Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: CC BY-SA 4.0. 02. Coahoma Arkansas Logan.jpg - Nagygabornet. CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:02._Coahoma_Arkansas_Logan.jpg. License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
  5. Palipaws everyday care planningPalipaws Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: Palipaws original factual summaries. Palipaws. Original care-planning text, separate from breed measurements and licensed article summaries.