Catahoula Leopard Dog vs American Leopard Hound

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Catahoula Leopard Dog vs American Leopard Hound – how do you tell them apart? How do you decide which one is more suitable for your household and will enjoy your companionship more? 

Check out this article we’ve prepared to help you out with this! We’ve compared their size, weight, coat, and energy levels – some of the most important things to consider when choosing a dog breed. 

Comparing Catahoula Leopard Dogs vs American Leopard Hounds

The Key Differences Between Catahoula Leopard Dogs and American Leopard Hounds

The key differences between Catahoula Leopard Dogs and American Leopard Hounds are appearance, temperament, training, and lifespan.

Let’s explore these differences in detail!

Catahoula Leopard Dog vs American Leopard Hound: Appearance

Size and weight

The Catahoula Leopard Dog and the American Leopard Hound have approximately the same size, between 20 and 27 inches. 

The numbers are slightly different regarding weight, depending on the dog’s age and sex. Catahoula Leopard Dogs can weigh up to 110 pounds if they are males and up to 90 pounds if they are females. The American Leopard Hound is slightly lighter, with both males and females weighing up to 75 pounds. 

Coat

The Catahoula Leopard Dog’s coat is short and smooth and varies in color. The most common patterns are blue merle, red merle, or brindle. Some of them have a solid color coat with some small portions of other colors here and there. For example, some dogs can have white spots on their faces. Catahoula dogs’ eyes can be brown, green, blue, or a combination of the three.

The American Leopard Hound has a short but dense double coat. It has a rough outer layer and a fine wooly underlayer. The coat can be blue, black, brown, gray, yellow, or merle. Compared to Catahoula Leopard Dogs, which tend to have a combination of colors, 60% of the American Leopard Hounds are solid in color, while the other 40% are brindled or leopard-spotted.

Catahoula Leopard Dog vs American Leopard Hound: Temperament

When talking about Catahoula Leopard Dogs, we should use words like strong, energetic, agile, intelligent, and loyal to describe them. Moreover, they are very protective, independent, and adventurous. We’re sure you’ll never get bored with a Catahoula Leopard Dog! On the other hand, the fact that the Catahoula Leopard Dog is very protective and independent has a negative side. It might become aggressive towards people from outside the household – either because it wants to protect you or because it hasn’t been used to socializing with other animals or people. 

Just like the Catahoula Leopard Dog, the American Leopard Hound is very intelligent, loyal, and protective. It’s very friendly and affectionate towards humans, kids, adults, or seniors. American Leopard Hounds are specifically friendly with kids, who will never get bored with them in the house because their energy levels are extremely high. They need constant exercise and all kinds of activities to get busy with; otherwise, they will become destructive.

Catahoula Leopard Dog vs American Leopard Hound: Training and exercise

When it comes to training, you should take into consideration that it will be more difficult to train a Catahoula Leopard Dog. This is because it’s a very independent breed. You’ll need to start the training when they are puppies. The first step is getting them used to socializing with people in the household and strangers. Then, we recommend you schedule short training sessions; otherwise, the dog will get bored and won’t follow any instructions. 

Catahoula Leopard Dogs will never say no to a good run around the house when it comes to exercising. They need to live in a large household with enough space for regular exercise. If they don’t exercise as much as they need, they will become destructive.

The American Leopard Hound is easier to train. It’s intelligent, agile, and always eager to please its owner. The crucial things with this breed are consistency and clarity. You should never neglect any training sessions. We also advise you to get your pet used to eye contact; this will help prevent them from getting distracted by their strong prey drive, making the dog follow their nose everywhere.

Besides training sessions, you’ll need to spend at least one hour a day with your pet doing exercises and various activities. They like walking, hiding, and running. Ball games are also an amazing idea to keep your dog active. Just make sure you keep an eye on your furry friend because its strong prey drive can get it far away from the house.

Catahoula Leopard Dog vs American Leopard Hound: Health Issues and Lifespan

Both dog breeds are generally healthy if taken good care of and periodically checked at the veterinarian. However, there are some health issues and dietary specifics you need to consider. 

The Catahoula Leopard Dog requires a high-quality diet to prevent future health issues. For instance, you’ll have to feed your dog with puppy food up until it’s two years old. This food needs to be rich in calcium as the breed is highly likely to develop hip dysplasia. Once it’s two years old, you have to make sure the dog food is rich in nutrients that protect the bones and the joints since this is a pretty large breed. The Catahoula Leopard Dogs may develop other health issues, including eye issues, deafness, and skin cancer.

The American Leopard Hound can also suffer from deafness, cancer, or hip dysplasia. When two merle-colored parents have puppies, the puppies are more likely to have more serious health problems, like being deaf or blind.

If you’re planning to adopt or buy a Catahoula Leopard Dog or an American Leopard Hound, ensure your puppy is tested for common genetic health issues. If you already have one as a pet, schedule regular appointments with the vet so that they can catch any health problems early. 

The Catahoula Leopard Dog has a lifespan of 10-14 years, while the American Leopard Hound has a lifespan of 12-15 years.