might adopt a catahoula cur

ive never had one but theyre supposed to be fatastic

anyone with any experience?

en.wikipedia.org...

I know they can be very active dogs and need a job to curb any bored destructiveness. I have a dog like that (pit, not a leopard dog) that I taught to pull a wagon to curb the hyper activity. There are many ways you can put him to work.

I work with dogs and will be happy to answer any questions. Another user, named Serdgiam also works with dogs, and seems happy to help with issues.

a reply to: Mugly

Ah! It's a herding dog! No wonder I love it. It's a beautiful dog. It is a puppy or a grown dog you're considering? Be sure to read about the traits and needs of the dog before adopting.

Make sure you're ready to give him plenty of exercise every day.

www.dogbreedinfo.com...

So... when might this happen?

I've read that curs tend to have a strong prey drive, so smaller animals might be in jeopardy if you have them.

Being from Louisiana, I've seen my fair share of these (and variations of the breed). They are typically not aggressive towards humans, especially familiar ones. Nor are they typically aggressive towards other dogs. They will however chase other smaller animals (cats, rabbits, birds), and do so with a great deal of focus.

I would only recommend one if you have the time and commitment to exercising the dog daily. Not trying to sway you away from anything. Just telling you what I know so you can make the best decision.

a reply to: Mugly

They look like neat dogs. You might want to do research on known health problems that the dogs have, as well as temperament.
For example: the people that had my dog before me got her because their kids saw a movie with a husky and wanted one (I'm guessing that's the reason, anyway). They weren't prepared for the husky temperament. They're very smart and strong willed dogs. You have to convince them that it's a good idea to do what you want. They don't suffer fools. Before I adopted her, I did research on the breed and so was prepared for the challenges that might pop up.

originally posted by: Benevolent Heretic
a reply to: Mugly

Ah! It's a herding dog! No wonder I love it. It's a beautiful dog. It is a puppy or a grown dog you're considering? Be sure to read about the traits and needs of the dog before adopting.

Make sure you're ready to give him plenty of exercise every day.

www.dogbreedinfo.com...

So... when might this happen?

im going to call the guy back in a few minutes so hopefully tomorrow if all goes well.
they are 14 weeks old.

he will get plenty of excercise.
we have a big yard and one of us are home all the time

a reply to: Mugly

That is SO exciting! Be sure to flood the forum with pictures so we can all live vicariously through you!

I agree with Skid Mark. Some dogs have special health issues (like hip dysplasia) and if the parents are tested, it can go a long way in telling you if your puppy will be healthy. I made sure to see my dogs' parents' health tests.

My girlfriend and I adopted one from the pound a year ago and she's an amazing dog. She's 4, and yes as stated above they are a very active breed. I'd suggest a Kong toy or similar to keep it busy if you work a lot. We we're worried at first that she might be aggressive towards her younger siblings but the only occurance was while she was eating but anymore they climb and hang all over her and she loves the attention.

From what I've seen they're a very intelligent breed and very loyal to their owner. Definitely go for it!

a reply to: Mugly

Please don't just think the backyard will be sufficient. Our neighbors have a dog that is heavily some kind of hunting breed, and they have a large backyard. They think the backyard is sufficient to exercise it, and that dog drives the whole neighborhood mad with its incessant baying.

We owned a Catahoula.. he was a love and got along fine with our cats.. Now we have OT (off track) greyhounds.. they are awesome but I still miss our La. hound ..reply to: Mugly

I grew up with a leopard dog. Sammy was great around people,kids and other dogs. Was territorial when it came to your own bed though and would kick you off. Or growl if you tried to shoo him off with your feet under the covers. He had a habit of jumping up onto your bed and laying on top of your Iegs and getting irritated if you tried to push him off your legs and bed.

Sammy needed walks everyday off the leash so he could run and expend his energy. He had a pair of whippet friends that another guy down the street owned and walked in the same place. Sammy was almost as fast as they were and kept up with them the whole time. So you will need to make sure he has a way to work off that energy. They like to run....a lot.

Sammy lived to be sixteen and was healthy his entire life. Don't think the breed has many inherent health issues. Although he did like to eat our socks whenever he could. And his farts were awful. But a good dog none the less.

If you have the energy to match this breed or can accommodate the breeds energy you should have no problems.