Content
- Origin of catahoula cur
- Characteristics of catahoula cur
- Colors of the catahoula cur
- the cub of the catahoula cur
- Character of the catahoula cur
- care of the catahoula cur
- catahoula education cur
- catahoula health cur
- Where to adopt a catahoula cur?
The catahoula leopard dog, also known as catahoula cur, does not receive this name by chance, because without a doubt, when looking at a picture of him, you can see the similarities between him and wild leopards. But it doesn't stand out just for that, as it is a unique breed, source of a melting pot of canine breeds that arrived in America from different parts of Europe and Native American breeds.
Furthermore, the catahoula cur is a breed with many mysteries as to its history and origins, constituting an enigma in itself. Likewise, there is so much variety among catahoula leopard specimens that each is practically unique. Do you want to know why this happens? Read on to find out in PeritoAnimal all the characteristics of catahoula cur, or catahoula leopard, and much more.
Source
- America
- U.S
- Rustic
- muscular
- Extended
- short ears
- toy
- Small
- Medium
- Great
- Giant
- 15-35
- 35-45
- 45-55
- 55-70
- 70-80
- more than 80
- 1-3
- 3-10
- 10-25
- 25-45
- 45-100
- 8-10
- 10-12
- 12-14
- 15-20
- Low
- Average
- High
- Strong
- very faithful
- Intelligent
- Active
- Dominant
- Houses
- Hunting
- Surveillance
- Cold
- Warm
- Moderate
- Short
- Medium
- Smooth
- thick
Origin of catahoula cur
the catahoula cur is a dog from the United States, more specifically from the state of Louisiana, so it is also known as Catahoula Louisiana. The timing of the breed's emergence is unknown, although the most powerful theory seems to be that they are descended from a cross between mastiffs and European breed dogs brought to America by settlers in the 16th century. Other theories support the establishment of the origin of the catahoula leopard dog at a more recent point in our history, but the lack of concrete evidence is a major obstacle that has not yet been overcome to know the exact moment when the breed made its first appearance.
The catahoula cur performed hunting dog functions, participating in hunting prey such as wild boar, bear or reindeer. Its name is said to come from an Indian word "choctaw", which was the name given to a tribe of Native Americans that evolved to become "catahoula".
Despite the many enigmas surrounding the catahoula leopard breed, the undoubted fact is that over time it has become the quintessential Louisiana breed, being decreed as the official dog of the state of Louisiana in 1979. Furthermore, the UKC developed its first official standard, or what is the same, the official breed recognition, in the year 1994.
Characteristics of catahoula cur
The catahoula cur is a large breed dog, which has a weight that varies between 20 and 34 kilograms in males and 16 and 29 in the case of females. There are also height differences according to sex, as males have a withers height between 56 and 58 centimeters, while females are between 53 and 63 centimeters.
The body of these dogs is elongated, as well as their limbs, which have a good length. This, combined with your muscle development, makes them extremely agile dogs, in addition to being flexible and resistant. Its tail, set low, has different lengths in each specimen. Continuing with the characteristics of the catahoula cur, this dog has a proportionally larger head than the body, but without seeming disproportionate. It has a flattened skull, with a muzzle apparently equal in length, the nose may have different colors or combinations. The ears are variable in that in some they appear bent, while in others they are much more erect or projected back. Their size also changes, as in some they are shorter and in others a little longer. The eyes are medium in size, rounded and in just about any color or shade possible.
The coat of these dogs is fine, as it is what makes them receive the name leopard. The coat is unicoated, with a variable length between short and medium, always smooth and close to the body. It can also have different textures, softer or rougher.
Colors of the catahoula cur
The colors of the catahoula cur dog comprise a wide range of colors, blends and shades. Most of the specimens have a spotted or mottled coat, which gives them the name of leopard, due to its similarity to this wild feline. However, there are also solid color monocolors. Any combination or monochromatic coat is accepted in all shades of: black, white, brown, blue and cinnamon.
the cub of the catahoula cur
One of the characteristics of these dogs is that the catahoula leopard puppies usually keep the coat they are born with throughout their lives, and often do not change in terms of pattern, in the case of spotted ones, nor in terms of color and tone they present.
They also stand out for the immense range of variants that occur even within the same litter, as the assortment is incredible in terms of factors such as color, coat length, ear shape or tail length. For this reason, the breed has not yet been recognized by some international cynological organizations such as the FCI.
Character of the catahoula cur
Despite the differences in appearance between some copies of the catahoula leopard and others, they generally do not differ much in character. In general, the catahoula cur is a dog with a strong, energetic and defiant temperament.
It is a very protective dog, so it is an excellent guard dog, successfully safeguarding everything you want or consider yours, such as your family or your territory. This makes them suspicious of strangers, and may present aggressive behavior in front of them on many occasions, especially if they associate with or see some kind of threat or danger.
are extremely loyal and smart, learn very fast, although their character is as strong as we mentioned, it's nothing that can't be trained. However, it should be taken into account that this strong temperament can cause problems with living together, especially in homes with more animals.
care of the catahoula cur
In the case of catahoula cur, one of the fundamental cares is to provide them with quality food, as in all puppies, but some experts point out that in this species specifically, a food based on homemade food can be highly recommended. Of course, whatever the type of food, it must be accompanied by good hydration, ensuring that the animal always has fresh water at its disposal. For more details, don't miss this article on the benefits of natural dog food.
The coat of these dogs requires frequent brushing. In addition, during moulting, your coat should be brushed at least once a day, although it may even be necessary to brush twice a day to eliminate excess loose and accumulated hair. In relation to baths, it is recommended to perform them at most once a month, limited to when necessary.
As mentioned, it is a very energetic dog, which needs perform daily exercises, requiring long walks and exercises such as running or playing ball. It is also often recommended that they be taught how to pick up a puck or do agility circuits. In this breed, canine sports and intelligence games at home are fully recommended, so don't hesitate and take the opportunity to exercise with your dog.
catahoula education cur
The strong character of catahoula cur means that its training has to be quite exhausting to get the desired results. In the case of catahoula, the early socialization it is even more relevant than other breeds due to its temperament and because it is generally a very territorial breed. In this other article, you'll find great tips on how to socialize them when they're young: how to properly socialize a puppy.
It is also very important to teach him to react in different ways to avoid aggressive responses, something that doesn't usually happen with his family, but with other people or animals, often with other dogs. Likewise, being a very possessive dog, it is possible that it develops resource protection, so it is also convenient to pay attention to this point to avoid it or know how to treat it. Of course, in case you adopt an adult catahoula cur and don't know how to solve certain behavior problems, we recommend going to a professional educator or ethologist.
Finally, it should be noted that, as with all dogs, the positive reinforcement it is the most effective method of education and training, so avoid punishments, screams and never use physical violence.
catahoula health cur
Due to its large size, the catahoula cur can suffer from conditions such as the hip dysplasia. This change affects the hip joint, as the patellar head gradually wears out, causing a high level of pain and discomfort in the animal, even preventing its mobility completely. To prevent hip dysplasia there are certain measures, such as taking frequent x-rays to act on the slightest sign that something is wrong. Some recommendations in dogs with hip dysplasia are to perform special exercises or provide nutritional supplements and medications such as chondroprotectors, which help the joints to function properly.
In addition to the aforementioned dysplasia, there is a high risk of a gastric torsion, which, if not reacting quickly, can be lethal to the animal. Some tips to avoid it is to be careful that they do not ingest large amounts of food in a single meal and that they do not exercise or run after eating.
Where to adopt a catahoula cur?
The catahoula cur is a very rare dog outside the southern region of the United States, but even there it can be difficult to find a specimen. However, here we do not only want to mention the difficulties when adopting one of these dogs, but also the importance of knowing its specific characteristics and needs before adopting it.
It must be taken into account that they are a very strong character breed, which can lead to complications in living with them if they are not properly educated and trained. This is something very important, because if the needs of an animal are not evaluated before adopting it, unfortunately it is common for them to end up being abandoned, another form of animal abuse. If after evaluating all this you are determined to adopt a catahoula cur, then we recommend that you go to protectors, refuges and animal associations.