# My Catahoula's :))



## vi-catahoulas (Jul 30, 2012)

I just joined the forum today so I thought I would post a couple pics of my dogs. Jackson is my 1 yr old Catahoula Leopard and the little one is his 7 week old full sister Merida.
I have always loved and have owned Dalmatians but after owning Catahoula I'll never own another breed.
Anyways, I hope these pics post.


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## Slartibartfast (Sep 29, 2011)

Welcome to the forums. Your dogs look great.


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## jersey_gray (Dec 8, 2011)

Good looking dogs.


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## zimandtakandgrrandmimi (May 8, 2008)

I want a houla. I want to name him Hoop. 

seriously pretty dogs.


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## LadyBugAnBuddy (Jul 13, 2012)

Cute! 

~Erica~


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## Tofu_pup (Dec 8, 2008)

On a scale of 1-10 how biddable are they?

I'm considering purebred Catahoulas in my future but biddability will play a big part in whether or not I choose this breed vs another breed.


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## melundie (Aug 2, 2011)

Welcome! Your pups are really cute!!


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## Abbylynn (Jul 7, 2011)

Hello and welcome! Your pups are gorgeous!


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## Loki Love (May 23, 2010)

I can see why young Danes can sometimes be confused with Catahoulas now!  Nice looking dogs


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## Amaryllis (Dec 28, 2011)

They are gorgeous. I'm really thinking about getting a houla or houla mix as my next dog.


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## amosmoses89 (Jun 19, 2011)

Tofu_pup said:


> On a scale of 1-10 how biddable are they?
> 
> I'm considering purebred Catahoulas in my future but biddability will play a big part in whether or not I choose this breed vs another breed.


I'm pretty sure mine is purebred so I'm gonna nose in on this one. 
When I got her all I heard from people was how hard headed they were supposed to be and how once she turned a year or so she would turn into this stranger aggressive extremely difficult dog. Poop on them she's awesome at the ripe age of 2. 

She's not biddable in the same way as my ACD mix who lives to learn tricks and watching us like a hawk to see if we're going to ask her to do something or go somewhere. 
Sydney also does not respond well to touch when asked to do something. I constantly have to tell people not to touch her butt when asking her to sit, you just tell her. If you touch her she pushes back and won't do it for anything. Same thing with the whole get back or off the couch or whatever. Tell her and she hurries to please, try and make her and she drags, no aggression, just stubborn I guess? So I guess thats a point against biddability!

She is suuuper sensitive though. I can't play rough with her like a can my ACD mix it just hurts her feelings. I have to watch when I gasp around her because thats a bad sound and she'll hunch down and start wagging the tip of her tail; its her peace offering. ling you can also just use mad voice on her and its like you've shot her, she's so hurt (not yelling just an oh what have you done now voice). 


To the OP your dogs are amazing!!! I miss seeing Catahoulas everywhere, now that we're in FL they're no where near as common


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## vi-catahoulas (Jul 30, 2012)

Thank you.
From my experience they are very smart, highly trainable dogs. They are fierce protectors of their people. Jackson is very very sensitive like one of the posters said, if I even raise my voice or my 5 yr old daughter is noisy, he slinks downstairs and lays in his crate. He seems to like alot of alone time, lol.
His and his little sisters temperament are unbeatable, super sweet , loveable.
Mine don't bark unless someone is at the door but are super vocal when playing, yup that's my noisy dog at the dog park and I love it.

I reccomend researching the breed, they are used in many different disciplines. They require a strong leader and respect.


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## Tofu_pup (Dec 8, 2008)

I've done a ton of research on Catahoulas as well as looking at breeders. Based on the opinion of every Catahoula owner I've met, my dog is a Houla mix. A couple told me that she could be pure bred but I'm not really buying that. Right now, I'm just looking to hear more about personality traits from the owners themselves.

A lot of what you two said describes Kaki too. She is sooooo sensitive with me. She's quiet most of the time unless she's playing or there's somebody at the door. Also, she's already shown the she will protect the family should the need arise. We started herding recently and I'm pleased to report that she's doing very well with tending, gathering, and driving.


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## amosmoses89 (Jun 19, 2011)

I would love to try both of my girls at herding that sounds amazing!! 

I also wanted to add the she's pretty bombproof when she knows whats happening. She's not afraid of thunder or when we go shooting, and over the 4th of July she was growling and upset at the banging until I took her outside and showed her where the noise was coming from, she was fine after that. They also seem to be generally great with kids, I was worried because I don't have any myself and don't spend time around them, but when we went to my cousins she couldn't get enough of the kids there and she was so gentle!! 

She is also insanely noisy when she's playing, especially with our other dog. Its amazing the number of noises she can make! But she's not a big barker most of the time. 

I'm sorry I'm rambling but I dont get a chance to talk about her much!!


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## Tofu_pup (Dec 8, 2008)

By all means, I will talk Catahoulas until the cows come home. 

You've pretty much described Kaki exactly. She is so noisy when she plays that I once had a co-worker in doggy daycare run into the room thinking there was a fight. Nope, just Kaki wrestling with her BFF. She plays hard and she only wants to play with male dogs that are willing to take a beating.

Herding is a lot of fun but it's also frustraing. It's very new for me and I think Kaki would excel with a more experienced handler. For example, one of the sheep split of from the flock so Kaki chased it back in. My little brain didn't register that she was gathering the stray sheep and I yelled at her thinking she was planning on eating it. But she doesn't respond to our trainer trying to handle her. Kaki is very much a one person kind of dog.


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## Michigan Dad (Aug 13, 2012)

We just got a beautiful catahoula, 5 1/2 months old, about 2 weeks ago. We live in an urban neighborhood, very small fenced (4ft tall) in back yard. We are beginning to see signs of the dog's natural hunting and tracking characteristics (not to mention high energy). We are in an ethical dilemma. It is now obvious to us that maybe a farm or home with lots of property would be a better fit for this dog. We don't want to make the dog be something other than it's supposed to be. 

Anybody out there raising a Catahoula in the city??? How is it going??? If we are to find a new home for this pup, we'd like to do it before we get too attached. Or...should we try to raise this dog in a city environment?

Thanks in advance for the feedback.


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## Michigan Dad (Aug 13, 2012)

Hi it looks you have some experience with Catahoulas. Please read my dilemma below, and give any feedback you have. Thanks.

We just got a beautiful catahoula, 5 1/2 months old, about 2 weeks ago. We live in an urban neighborhood, very small fenced (4ft tall) in back yard. We are beginning to see signs of the dog's natural hunting and tracking characteristics (not to mention high energy). We are in an ethical dilemma. It is now obvious to us that maybe a farm or home with lots of property would be a better fit for this dog. We don't want to make the dog be something other than it's supposed to be.

Anybody out there raising a Catahoula in the city??? How is it going??? If we are to find a new home for this pup, we'd like to do it before we get too attached. Or...should we try to raise this dog in a city environment?

Thanks in advance for the feedback.


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## vi-catahoulas (Jul 30, 2012)

Cat's do need alot of excersise if they don't get enough they can be very destructive. If your hell bent on keeping him you will need to dedicate at least 10 miles of excersize, they need to run and another hour or two walking each day.
Do you have any dog parks near you, or friends with dogs they can have a play date? Socialization at a young age is also extremely important for Cat's. What area are you in?


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## Michigan Dad (Aug 13, 2012)

Thanks for your reply. We actually talked to a friend today who has 20 acres of property, and is always outside working on projects, etc. He and his wife are currently looking for a dog, and they are very interested in meeting our dog. If he takes her, we'll feel really good about it. They are a great family, and they live in a great environment for the dog to explore, hunt, run, etc. We hope it works out for everybody!


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## Damon'sMom (Aug 2, 2011)

Welcome to DF! Great photos.


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## AussieAshley (Jul 12, 2010)

Beautiful dogs you have there! Welcome


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