Furprise! Us Catahoula Leopard Dogs are almost like ducks; we have webbed feet that extend way farther down our toes than other dogs. These webs came in handy growing up in Louisiana where we regularly had to plod through the swampy southern marshland. Our paws also make us pawesome swimmers that can float furever. We were pretty much built to live here, which is why we’re the state dog of Louisiana. Swamps, lakes, marshes, swimming pools – we can handle any body of water!

My ancestry consists of many, many dogs, so sit tight and allow me to walk you through my family tree. In 1539, Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto came to Florida where he noticed there was only one species of domesticated animal, the Native American’s dogs. These pups were crossbred with Bloodhounds, Mastiffs, and Greyhounds that were brought by other Spanish explorers, and then when the French arrived, they crossbred us again. Our unique ancestry is reflected in our unique appearance, with eye colors and markings on our coats that show our detailed history! We grew up in Louisiana, in the Catahoula Lake area to be exact, which is what we’re named after. Catahoula in Choctaw translates to “sacred lake” – a special name for a special place, and a special doggo! We were sometimes called Catahoula Curs, Catahoula Leopard Curs, or Catahoula Hounds. When we became the official state dog of Louisiana in 1979, Catahoula Leopard Dogs became our official name. We were bred by the settlers of