Catahoula Leopard Dog

Pastoral

Coat

Merle variety:
Merle: Blue, red, slate, isabella, sable, brindle merle (relaxed). may be used as an additional dilute spot colour in Classic/Bold Harlequin merles, as patches on the body and/or creating jagged/mingled edges between coloured areas and white spotting areas, but more than 70 % white in total is faulted.
Tan: Merle dogz may have or brindled (matching pigment type) markings in the traditional, creeping pattern or saddle pattern. On creeping or saddle pattern, merle may blend into tan.
Masking: All of the above may be masked (standard mask). The mask can be - it matches the main body colour. Solid cream/red dogz can have any of the mask colours.
White Markings: Any of the above colours may have white as trim, irish spotting, blanket or piebald pattern. No more than 65 % white is preferred, 70 % white is a heavy fault. More than 90 % white is a DQ, as is a solid white head.
In this breed, the patches can appear unusually torn and vary greatly in size, from very small to very large. Light to medium ticking is allowed.

Any Other Variety (AOV):
Solid: - the last can represent either liver (should have liver pigment) or sable (should have black pigment). When used in other patterns rather than as solid, it always represents liver.
Sable: Any sable combination in any of the patterns.
Brindle: brindled with or brindled with .
The ears may be a solid version of the striping colour, ears also accepted in black-based brindles.
Tan: may have or brindled (matching pigment type) markings in the traditional, creeping pattern or saddle pattern.
Masking: All of the above may be masked (standard mask). The mask can be - it matches the main body colour. Solid cream/red dogz can have any of the mask colours.
White Markings: Any of the above colours may have white as trim, irish spotting, blanket or piebald pattern. No more than 65 % white is preferred, 70 % white is a heavy fault. More than 90 % white is a DQ, as is a solid white head.
In this breed, the patches can appear unusually torn and vary greatly in size, from very small to very large. Light to medium ticking is allowed.

Eyes

in black, brindle and blue merle dogz.
in liver, red merle, blue and slate merle dogz.
in isabellas Golden/red dogz have any of the above.
All may have either or both eyes or

Nose

in black, brindle, brindle merle and blue merles.
in livers, liver brindles, liver brindle merles and red merles.
in blue and slate merles.
in isabella and isabella merles.
Solid golden/red (45, 105, 65) dogz can have any of the above colours. If masked, their nose colour follows the mask colour.
All merles may have noses patched with , if the entire surrounding area is white, the entire nose may be flesh.

Faults

Wrong eye colour. More than 70 % white.

Disqualifications

Solid white head. More than 90 % white.

Varieties

Merle, AOV

Notes

The catahoula leopard dog originally comes from Catahoula, which lies in the north-east of Louisiana, USA. It has also been known under the name 'hog dog', as it has been kept as a pig herding dog, among other things. The male pigs can be very aggressive, and the dog lures them to hunt it, which lets it lead them back into their pens.
The catahoula leopard dog originates from old hunting mastiffs and tracking hounds, most likely crossed to shepherd dogs. It is usually blue merle or black and tan in colour.

The catahoula, often known simply as 'houla', should appear well muscled and powerful but not bulky, giving the impression of agility and endurance. It is a multi purpose dog and should not have exaggerations that would interfere with the dog's ability to work.
The head should be powerful without being exaggerated, with the skull and muzzle being about the same length. The ears are short to medium in length, tapering to slightly rounded tips and triangular in shape.
The neck is muscular and long without being extreme, with a broad and well muscled back and slightly arched loins. The tuck up should be visible but not exaggerated. The tail should be a natural extension of the topline.

Breed Files

Filename: Catahoula Leopard Dog
Offset: FEAC
Base: Dalmatian
SCP: Dalmatian
Accepted: February 25, 2011
Notes: 4 different tail variations (moving tails).

Filename: Catahoula Leopard
Offset: 0022
Base: Great Dane
SCP: Great Dane
Accepted: May 23, 2008
Notes: Addballz ears and tail (7 carriage variations). Optional liplines, variations in body and muzzle heaviness, topline shape and ear length.

Filename: Catahoula Leopard Dog
Offset: FEAC
Base: Dalmatian
SCP: Dalmatian
Accepted: September 23, 2006
Notes: New colours in the Abnormality file. No other changes.

Filename: Catahoula Leopard Dog
Offset: FEAC
Base: Dalmatian
SCP: Dalmatian
Accepted: January 11, 2004
Notes: The bobtail variation is allowed but not preferred. 2nd gens are slightly fuzzier on the legs and part of the body, they are equally accepted.

Filename: Catahoula Dog
Offset: 8903
Base: Dalmatian
SCP: Dalmatian
Accepted: January 1, 1998
Notes: Note that the original colour variations in this file aren't accepted - you will have to hex the file to fit into an accepted pattern.