Official Breed Standards

OFFICIAL STANDARDS FOR THE LOUISIANA CATAHOULA

GENERAL APPEARANCE:      The Louisiana Catahoula is a medium to medium-large dog that is well muscled yet trim and powerful.  Its build denotes agility and great endurance.

SIZE:     Males should measure 22-26 inches.  Females should measure 20-24 inches.  The average weight is 50-90 pounds.

HEAD:    The head should be powerfully built with well developed cheeks. 

SKULL:     The dog should have a broad top-skull with well defined stop being moderate in length.

EYES:    Glass eyes are preferred although the eyes may be of any color or combination of colors.  The eyes do not have to be the same color and may have partial glass in one or both eyes, commonly called "cracks".       

SERIOUS FAULT:     Any malformed or acentric pupil formation of the eyes.

EARS:    The ears should be short to medium in length with the top of the ear being set level or slightly below the top of the head.  Properly hung ears with the inner edge of the ear lying close to the          cheek are preferred.  "Laid-back" ears are acceptable.          

FAULT:    Fly away or houndish ears.

DISQUALIFICATION:     Cropped ears.

MUZZLE:     The muzzle should be strong, deep and approximately equal in length to the top skull as measured from the stop to the occiput bone.  The muzzle should be broad at the base and taper           toward the nose as viewed from the front.

BITE:        The bite should be a strong scissor bite with a level bite being acceptable.  Complete dentition is greatly desired; however, broken teeth are not to be faulted.

SERIOUS FAULT:     Dogs having either undershot or overshot bites.

NECK AND BODY:    The neck should be muscular and of good length.  The back should be strong and well muscled, level and of medium length.  The chest should be deep reaching below the elbow.  The chest should be fairly broad with well sprung ribs.  The underline should have tuck-up in the loin area to a moderate degree.

FAULT:     Dogs that are either undersize or oversize.

FOREQUARTERS:     The length of the foreleg should be 50-60% of the total height of the dog as measured from the ground to the top of the withers.  The shoulders should be well laid back with an     upper arm bone of ample length.  The forelegs should be set moderately far apart and the front feet should toe neither in nor out.

FEET:     The feet should strong and moderate in length.  Good webbing between the toes should be evident.  Dew claws may be present or removed but if present should be uniform.

FAULT:    Cat-footed or coon-footed dogs.

HINDQUARTERS:     The croup should be medium to long in length and slightly sloping with the tail having a medium to high set.  The stifles should be well angulated and the hocks should be set low to the ground.  The hocks should turn neither in nor out when viewed from the rear.

SERIOUS FAULT:     Dogs being either natural bobtail or having the tail docked.

GAIT:     The gait should be smooth and effortless denoting agility.  Single tracking at a trot is acceptable.

COAT AND COLOR:     The coat length should be short to medium in length.  Leopards are preferred and may come in blue, gray, black, liver, red, white, and patched.  Trim may be black, white, tan, red, or buff.  Solid colors acceptable are black, yellow, red, and chocolate.

DISQUALIFICATION:     Long or fuzzy coated dogs.

TEMPERAMENT:     The Louisiana Catahoula is independent, protective, territorial, and may show aggressive behavior.  Signs of timidity on a leash should not be taken as cowardice but as an intolerance for strangers.

ORIGIN AND PURPOSE:     The Louisiana Catahoula originated in the Louisiana Territory, USA.  The dog is used as a stock dog, tree dog, hog dog, watch and guard dog, and also as a companion.