Catahoula Leopard Dog

The Catahoula Leopard Dog originated in Louisiana and is said to date back as far as the early 1500s. It is believed that Native Americans living in the area at that time created this breed through crossing their own dogs with large lowland dog breeds, such as Mastiffs and Greyhounds, which had been brought over by Spanish explorers.  The breed's name comes from Catahoula Parish in Louisiana, where it was first recognized. This type of working dog has traditionally been used by farmers and ranchers for tasks including herding hogs and cattle, treeing raccoons, tracking wild hogs, hunting deer or bear and even bird-dogging quail.  The Catahoula Leopard Dog was officially recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC) in 1995 under its Herding Group classification. Today they are still used on ranches or farms but they have quickly become popular family companion pets due to their playful nature and intelligent personalities.