[A note from the ARF Genealogist & Registrar, Al Walker: The following article was printed in the Winter Issue, 1970-1971, of the Stodghill’s Animal Research Magazine. Mr. Bertrand, a Louisiana State Licensed Attorney, an associate and friend to the late Louisiana State Governor, Earl K. Long, asks some very important questions; therefore, this article is being reprinted, to share that information with you. Unfortunately, the NALC refuses to give any credit to Mr. Tom D. Stodghill, and his work to be the first to recognize the Catahoula, and to register the breed in November 1951.]

I write the following in an effort to throw some light on the Catahoula Dog. Actually, no one living today can positively give an accurate account of the origin of this great strain of dog. Their beginning will always be shrouded in mystery. If the breed was of no importance, I guess there would be no speculation on the matter. But, the Catahoula is a great strain of many uses, and his usefulness is so varied and great that speculation on their origin continues wherever the strain is found.

From whence did they come? Where did they get the ice-colored glass eye? Their color: the rich spots of many colors and designs? Their ability to hunt, to trail, to drive cattle, to hunt and corral wild hogs? Their extreme ability to dodge, duck, and weave? For certain we shall never know. Their origin shall forever be lost in the dark past of history. But for a fact, they are here, and we can only speculate based on what we know about them from old timers who remember them all of their lives, and heard their parents and grand-parents discuss them, and by further comparison with known breeds that exist or once existed in Europe.

Let us set out the facts that we do know. One, they were first noticed or discovered in a small section of North Louisiana in or about the present Parish of Catahoula, or an area of land once occupied by the great Tribe of Catahoula Indians. The Parish of Catahoula was named for the Tribe of Indians that once occupied this entire section. Two, that the Indians of America had no dogs or horses until they were brought here by the Europeans after the discovery of America. In fact, the great herds of mustangs that once roamed the west were descended from the fine horses brought to Mexico by the Spaniard Cortez, who was searching for gold.

The Indians traveled on foot before the coming of the white man, and did not make use of the horse for many years afterward. However, when the Indians did learn the art of horsemanship, they excelled at it. The Indians bred and used the Appaloosa Horse and were called the greatest Cavalry on Earth. Three, the Catahoula has features and traits about it possessed by no other breed of dog. To name a few: their glass eyes, their color, their ability as hunters, and cattle dogs.

Some claim that in the past the old time cattle bulldog was crossed with some type of hound to create the strain. This explanation falls short for many reasons. First, one such crossing could not create a strain, and, secondly, this could not account for the coloring, the glass eyes, or the many abilities of the Catahoula.

Actually, the only sensible conclusion is that they are a breed unto themselves. And, further, the breed is so strong that it weathered the great span of years when it almost became extinct, and remains strong today. If this be true, where did they come from? How did the breed find itself in one small section of North Louisiana? This is the story that I have oftentimes heard and which I believe. Remember, I cannot offer any proof of its correctness, but none can say it isn’t true, nor can they offer a better explanation.

It has been said, and I believe it, that when the Spaniards landed in St. Augustine, Florida, in the 16^th century, and built the old fort there, they brought along a fierce war dog from their native land. They were fierce and highly valued in battle. When the Spaniards began their task overland from Florida to California, they passed through Louisiana, a fact that is well known and established. The Spaniards passed through the land of the Catahoula Indians, a part of the great Natchez Tribe. They engaged in a great battle with the Catahoula Indians; another fact recorded by history. In this battle, some of the war dogs were either captured or left behind with the Indians. The Spanish War Dog remained with the Catahoula Indians until the coming and settling of the area by the white pioneers. The early settlers, recognizing the true value of the native dog, began acquiring and breeding them. Remember, the life of the early settlers was hard, and their main problem was obtaining enough meat for the table. They found that the native dog fit their purpose. They had no time or feed for a dog that couldn’t pull his own weight.

If this story be true, then one must look to the strains that existed in Europe back in the 16^th century. Somewhere in Europe we could find the true ancestors of the Catahoula Dog. Perhaps he had a common ancestor with the great Bull Mastiff of Europe. Whatever was his ancestor, it must have possessed a great chest and size. And, again, the eye.

How did the Indian tribe keep the breed going for 100 years with so few dogs to start with? Is it possible that the breed then crossed with wolves? I don’t know. At times, the Catahoula shows characteristics and mannerisms of the wolf. Watch them when they are not satisfied with a stranger’s presence. They will slink and slide back and forth out of reach, but never too far away to slip in and strike.

Now, let us look for some proof of the theory, slight as it may be. The strain has been known by many names: The Catahoula, the Cur Dog, the Leopard Dog, the Indian Dog, the Wild Dog, the Hog Dog. But, the name that has persisted down through the ages is the "Catahoula". Why or where did he get this name? One might say from the Parish (County) where he was first found. But, remember this, when the dog first came into prominence, there was no Catahoula Parish, so the first owners could not have named the breed for this Parish. Who or what did they name the breed for? He had to be named for what did exist there at the time, and that was the Catahoula Indian Tribe. This, in itself, lends great proof to this theory that the breed was acquired for many traits and characteristics that set it apart from the other breeds of dogs. To discuss a few:

Contrary to common belief, all Catahoulas are not spotted. I have seen many colored Catahoulas, and I will list their colors:

Contrary to the belief of some, all Catahoulas do not have glass eyes. Some have glass eyes, some have blue eyes, some have brown eyes and some have 1 blue or glass eye and 1 brown or gray eye, all in the same litter.

The size varies. Personally, I like a large male. I have never seen a real large female. I have a male now who weighs 100 pounds. He has a multi-colored coat, glass eyes and a great bull head. There are, in my opinion, two types found in the same litter. This has to do with size of the head. Both types have deep broad powerful chests.

The Catahoula has no equal when it comes to driving cattle. They can make a Brahma Bull go through the eye of a needle. Yet, they do not cut or injure cattle. Rather, they aggravate or tease cattle into following or chasing them, always leading the cattle to the desired destination. It is a pleasure indeed to see several of the dogs working together; some leading and coaxing, and some bringing up the rear.

The sport of wild hog hunting is one of the most dangerous sports. The wild boar possesses the jaw that can cut off the leg of man or horse. A less skilled dog would last but minutes with such an opponent, but the Catahoula has no equal in the game of ducking and dodging. In the days when hog hunting was a serious business in North Louisiana for the purpose of gathering the year’s supply of meat, huge pens would be built in the woods with a large V opening for the hogs to enter. Then the Catahoulas would be set loose for the hunt. When the dogs located the hog herd, one dog would aggravate the hogs, causing then to chase them. As the dog aggravated, he would continue to work his way to the pens, while the remaining dogs would close in the rear. Whenever the lead dog tired, he would drop to the rear and a fresh dog would replace him. This may seem simple, but one slip, one mistake in dodging could cost the life of the dog. It takes great skill and precise timing to stay out of the reach of the tusks of the wild boar. In this skill, the Catahoula excels. It is a skill that cannot be learned or taught. It is a skill that lies deep in the long ago breeding of the strain.

Many deer hunters are now putting Catahoulas in their dog pack. While they are not the best bayers on the trail, they can track and are very swift and enduring and will not give up.

More and more Catahoulas are being used to hunt squirrel. It is a sight to see the dogs scan the tops of trees for the least movement of a squirrel, often missed by the most searching of human eyes.

Coon hunting is a great sport in parts of Louisiana, and, again, the Catahoula shines. It takes a dog with great courage to tackle a coon, and that is exactly what the Catahoula has – great courage and strength.

This great breed almost became extinct, as the country developed and the people began to depend more on super-markets and less on hunting for their meat supplies. In the 1940’s, the breed began to disappear; there were never too many to begin with. At the time, they had not spread too far from the area in North Louisiana where they were originally found. Fortunately, a few men took a great interest in them, and the breed began to make a come-back. One of the best known admirers of the breed was the late Governor Earl K. Long. He was most fond of the Catahoula, or Cur Dog as he called them. By breeding best to best, the Governor did much to revive and up-breed the strain. With his country charm, Governor Long had only to admire an outstanding dog and it was given to him. The Governor could be on a hot campaign trail, but there was always time to stop and admire an outstanding Cur specimen.

I acquired my first Catahoula from Governor Long in the 1950’s, when I served in the Louisiana Legislature. At the time, I was floor leader in the Legislature, for the Governor. I was a great admirer of Governor Long, and I think that one thing that made us friends, aside from politics, was our mutual love of the Catahoula Hog Dog.

Since obtaining Catahoulas from the Governor, I have practiced a careful selection of in-breeding, and, actually, the dogs have increased in size, type and conformation. I have written the above because of my fondness of the strain, and to put in writing my thoughts on their origin, based on what I have heard. I have no dogs for sell, nor do I breed them to sell.

I oftentimes toyed with the thought of contacting the many people interested in the breed to form an association and set of standards for them, and a registry. But, the press of business and other matters always caused me to put the matter off. Fortunately for the breed, however, Mr. Tom D. Stodghill, of Quinlan, Texas, recognized their greatness and began a registry on them. A friend of mine handed me one of the magazines printed by Mr. Stodghill, and, after reading it, I realized that he had accomplished what I always felt needed to be done.

And so, the admirers of the Catahoula, which is as much American as the Indian and apple pie, owe much to the efforts of Mr. Tom D. Stodghill. Some day I hope to visit with him, and you can bet there will be some Catahoula yarns spun!

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EDITOR’S NOTES ON THE CATAHOULA

By Tom D. Stodghill

The Animal Research Foundation put in a lot of time tracing the history of the Catahoula Leopard. The ARF first registered them [Nov. 1951] as Leopard Cowdogs, but Paul Coco, of Marksville, Louisiana, brought the ARF a brindle Catahoula female that I bred to a 4-tone Leopard spotted male, and these pups proved Paul Coco was right. They were all Catahoulas and Catahoula Leopards, colors which clarify the name. From that time on, ARF started registering these famous cowhogdogs as "Catahoula Leopard Stockdogs".

About 12 years ago [prior to 1970], I received a letter from frenchman who thought all the Catahoulas in Louisiana came from a pair of spotted dogs his grandfather brought from Paris, France, to Louisiana, which now would be about 160 years ago.

We know for a fact that these dogs were in Catahoula, Louisiana, in 1550 and 1551. The letter from the frenchman goes to prove the original dogs came from France.

Then a few years back, I received a letter from Mrs. C. Daugherty, wanting to breed a female she had imported from France to one of my Catahoula Leopards. In fact, she wanted semen shipped to her to breed the female artificially, but I couldn’t ship. She told me about these dogs coming in Black-tan, also, black-tan blue spots; I promoted the idea for her to import one of the blue spotted males from France, which she did. In each litter of pups, Mrs. Daugherty gets blue spotted and black-tan pups.

I ordered one of these female pups from her, and she works true Catahoula style. The first thing I worked her on was a litter of pigs. One pig left the others, and this French Catahoula sure brought the pig back Quarter Horse style, and she went round and round the pigs Catahoula style. She did this on her own; a true Catahoula never catches without special training. No other breed of dog works Catahoula style. There isn’t any doubt at all in my mind that these French dogs are the same dogs that a controlling gene came from to make our famous Louisiana Catahoula Leopard.

I plan to breed my 100% French Catahoula to my "Piney Wood Lep", then breed her to Clock-Wise bred "Lonesome", then to "Julius Caesar", owned by Richard J. Bertrand, then blend these three litters together into Clock-Wise mating to hold 50% of the French Catahoula, and also have new blood in every litter.

I believe these French Catahoulas will be a great boost to the dogs we have. I want to always keep 100% Catahoulas pure as they are the best guard dog, as well as stockdog.