presenting aster, the louisiana catahoula leopard dog! she is smart. she is nuts, she is awesome! random people i meet often want to know what is up with catahoulas, where are they from, and how to find one to adopt.
smart dogs need a little something extra. if you are looking for a dog who will hang out at home all day….no.
i never would have gotten a catahoula leopard dog if i’d had any idea what their deal was. i thought i was getting an australian sheperd mix. (thanks, petfinder.) however, she has pushed me to be a better person, to be a better ally to her and to all dogs. i now believe, after a very difficult teenage-hood, that she is the most amazing dog in the universe.
aster is wonderful with children, cats, and other dogs. but not automatically! i socialized the crap out of her. she is walked every day, often twice, taken to run in the woods, swim, and play. she meets pretty much every dog that i see. i would never recommend a catahoula to stay at home all day. they are good at escaping and destroying. as pack animals, staying home for extended days is depressing for most dogs. in general catahoulas are good at swimming, climbing up stuff, jumping very high, herding, hunting, fetching, agility, and getting muddy. aster is a dog of action but knows how to relax and snuggle too.
the point of all this is that lots of catahoulas are in shelters, it sucks, don’t get one-or any dog-if you’re not prepared to be their ally and work your ass off to help them be awesome. dogs aren’t putting themselves in shelters, people.
if you are ready to commit to the most beautiful dog ever check out http://www.catahoularescue.com or search petfinder.
don’t forget to spay and neuter!
