Life with a Catahoula Dog

What is a Catahoula Leopard Dog?

Catahoula dogs are different from other dogs. They are more independent, loyal and stubborn. Catahoulas are a multi-purpose working dog that is well-muscled and powerful, but with a sense of agility and endurance. This breed is tall and lean, with a short coat. They typically have drop ears, a long tail, and webbed feet.

The name comes from Choctaw and translates to mean “Sacred Lake”. Catahoulas originated in Louisiana, and were bred to hunt and pen wild boars and cows through the swamp lands. They are now used as stock dogs, bay dogs, tree dogs, watchdogs, guard dogs, and of course as loyal companions.

Catahoula dogs are independent, loyal and stubborn. They are also territorial and very protective. In temperament, they are serious and focused while working, yet energetic and clownish at home.

The Negative aspects of owning a Catahoula Leopard dog are:

• Vigorous exercise requirements
• Potential rowdiness and exuberant jumping, especially when young
• Potential destructiveness when bored or not exercised enough
• Suspiciousness or shyness when not extensively socialized
• Potential aggression toward other animals – also strong chasing instincts
• Strong-willed mind of his own, requiring a confident owner who can take charge.

Life with Sheba

My dog, Sheba, fits the breed profile pretty closely. She is definitely independent, loyal and Stubborn!

I adopted Sheba when she was about 3 years old, in Sept 2021. See Meet Sheba. This beautiful Catahoula Leopard dog has worked her way into all our hearts and we can’t imagine life without her.

She loves people – maybe a bit too much. She needs some work on not jumping on people to greet them. We did take some obedience classes, but more work is required. Everyone loves her, even when she jumps on top of them…

However, she will not stand for strangers on wild animals on the property. She goes nuts barking and running from window to window. I have to let her out in the middle of the night if there are coyotes around, so that she can chase them off. Then she comes back to the door and goes back to bed.

My Alarm Clock

Sheba has an unerring sense of timing, and insists on chores being completed on Schedule. No matter how much I would like to sleep in, Sheba will make sure I get out of bed just before sun up. She jumps on top of me and paws my face until I either give her 100% attention and loving, or get up and get dressed.

This morning wake up is fine in December, at 7:45 am, but I am dreading the the earlier sunrises of summer.

She accompanies me out to the pasture while I feed the livestock and clean out their sheds. Sheba has learned that she is not to go through the gates into the goat paddocks. She doesn’t even try to come through the gates any more. She isn’t quite as trustworthy around the chickens. I think she would enter their area in a flash if I let her – she can’t resist the chickens.

In early afternoon, she reminds me to check the animals and gather eggs. I usually take them some fresh fodder for a snack. Again, this entails her getting excited and jumping all over me until we head outside.

I get jumped on again just before sunset, when it is time to put the livestock to bed for the night. Our goats and chickens are locked up at night in their sheds, to keep them warm, and safe from Coyotes and other predators.

Farm Guardian

Sheba takes her job as watch dog very seriously. No wild animals are allowed onto out 80 acres. She will sometimes sneak under the barbed wire into the neighbour’s bushes to chase an animal, but for the most part she stays on out property.

Between our three trips per day to care for the livestock, and Sheba’s nighttime guard duties, she gets lots of exercise. Sheba regularly patrols the entire property. She does a great job in keeping predators away from our other animals.

I once watched her deal with a group of 3 coyotes. She dazzled them with her speed, running right between them, while barking up a storm. Sheba didn’t try to fight them, she just made it clear to them that she was way too big and way too fast for them to ignore.

I am so glad that I chose Sheba to be my companion and farm dog!