Meet the Catahoula Leopard Dog

My ancestry consists of many, many dogs, so sit tight and allow me to walk you through my family tree. In 1539, Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto came to Florida where he noticed there was only one species of domesticated animal, the Native American’s dogs. These pups were crossbred with Bloodhounds, Mastiffs, and Greyhounds that were brought by other Spanish explorers, and then when the French arrived, they crossbred us again. Our unique ancestry is reflected in our unique appearance, with eye colors and markings on our coats that show our detailed history!

We grew up in Louisiana, in the Catahoula Lake area to be exact, which is what we’re named after. Catahoula in Choctaw translates to “sacred lake” – a special name for a special place, and a special doggo! We were sometimes called Catahoula Curs, Catahoula Leopard Curs, or Catahoula Hounds. When we became the official state dog of Louisiana in 1979, Catahoula Leopard Dogs became our official name.

We were bred by the settlers of Louisiana to pen and catch wild hogs and cows, and eventually we were in charge of managing entire herds! Unlike other herding dogs, we used a unique method to get the job done. We created a “canine fence” around the herds, and our masters would direct the herd inside the fence. Teamwork makes the dream work! p> The Louisiana Catahoula Cur Association was formed in 1976, and the

The National Association of Louisiana Catahoulas came one year later.

The American Catahoula Association was founded in 1977 to promote and maintain the breed, holding events like Treeing, Hog Bay, Cow Bay, and Cow Trials.

The United Kennel Club was the first registry to recognize our breed in 1995, and we entered the American Kennel Club’s Foundation Stock Service group in 1996. We’re still considered a rare breed, so we’re not fully recognized by the AKC yet.