Catahoula Leopard Dog or Rhodesian Ridgeback?

[Brindlebtch]

Down here you really have to be careful of some of the Danes at conformation shows. I've had one go after my dog and the lady couldn't control it because of the tiny show lead. I also saw a Dane ringside grab a sheltie, pick it up and shake it and drop it. The sheltie didn't get up.

But then I've had Danes in class that were sweet big goobers.

Last week a new Dane in class threatened ME. The lady said 'she knows you 're afraid of her' and didn't correct her for it. Trouble was I wasn't afraid and had made eye contact.

Danes are like any breed. You need to screen them and do your research on the breeder. They also have a lot of health problems.

 

[IcarusSomnio]

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Hazel stands about (these are kinda rough) 26" at the shoulder. Her neck is 19 1/2" and her waist 22". She doesn't have a speck of extra fat on her. She's about the size of a large Catahoula male (according to the interwebs) and a good 10-15lbs heavier than the breed standard.

Her eyes are solid brown...not a speck of blue!
My main reason for considering a third dog is because Duke doesn't really fit into Hazel's lifestyle. They get along and play regular games (like tug-o-war, chase occasionally) fine, but Duke doesn't like water all that much, can't clear a fence, doesn't understand hunting, and prefers being a couch potato. He's a really adorable pooch and I love him dearly, but rather then taking up Hazel's offer to play, he gets irritable and wants to go back inside. It always seems like she wants a dog that she can REALLY play with, since I'm human and have my limitations when it comes to, say, bounding across the neighbors field (it's a blast watching her, when the grass is high she literally BOUNDS across the field).

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Excellent dogs, I know a lady with around 7 of 'em. I can never keep them straight, I know Bear, Choca, and Barny (there stud dog, all the girls are spayed now). The rest...oi! They're just too chunky for my taste. I like the leaner build with big muscles (like Cats)

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It would have been exploding, BUT, she's not to that point in her training yet (I am specifically working her as a hunter). Once she has better control over her instincts (when I say "No" she no's), will move up to fast killing once the animal is caught. She tries...but she needs further education.

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I wish our last Dane was like that. She was a really POOR bred pup (my mom insisted on a Dane-didn't care were it came from). Complete nut case, she would snap randomly at KIDS, attack other dogs, etc. Utterly untrainable, couldn't bond with her. Ran away and wouldn't come back when called. She went to a she's-the-only-dog home. I HATED that dog and my mother dumped her with me because she for a lab that she liked more instead. Wanted to take Lani (the Dane) to the pound and I refused. Better to keep her for a few more weeks and find her a home then take her to the pound and complete fry her brain.

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I had a SMALL Dane that I could hardly control on a harness PLUS a spiked walking collar. It was trying to safely walk a psychotic bull past a pasture full of cows in heat. But, the dog had to be walked, so walk we did. I don't even want to imagine trying to control one on those teeny tiny show collars and leashes. I usually had to straddle my girl and get a big fist of scruff when another dog or someone passed.
But, also like you said. I've met some that we're such big lovable oafs they wouldn't swat a horsefly if it landed on their eyeball.

Hip issues seem really common (along with 'I Am A Psychopath' syndrome apparently). I had the HARDEST time keeping weight on ours. She always had that ribby look to her like she was underfed. I shoveled as much food as I could into her, plus eggs and a dash of oil. Bad bad breeding. Her parents we're really small and as a pup she was just weird.

I like my Hazel, she just thrives

I processed a deer last night and sorted the scrap pieces out. One bowl for the dogs, one bowl for sausage making. Her and Duke sat next to me for three odd hours with big gobs of drool hanging out of their mouths and giant "OH PLEEEEAAAASSSEEEE" eyes. They got plenty of fresh scrap bits and then spent the rest of the night gnawing on the upper leg bones and vacuuming out the marrow. I still gotta go through the scrap meat and divide it up into packages to freeze.

 

[Brindlebtch]

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It would have been exploding, BUT, she's not to that point in her training yet (I am specifically working her as a hunter). Once she has better control over her instincts (when I say "No" she no's), will move up to fast killing once the animal is caught. She tries...but she needs further education.

What I meant was, that once you have 2 dogs going after one of your rabbits, they will be much harder to control. That is when you are going to have an exploding rabbit. You will have a pack and that sort of mentality may take over.

Hazel took after the Harlequin Dane side of the family. She really looks pretty much like a H. Dane.

 

[IcarusSomnio]

Quote:
It would have been exploding, BUT, she's not to that point in her training yet (I am specifically working her as a hunter). Once she has better control over her instincts (when I say "No" she no's), will move up to fast killing once the animal is caught. She tries...but she needs further education.

What I meant was, that once you have 2 dogs going after one of your rabbits, they will be much harder to control. That is when you are going to have an exploding rabbit. You will have a pack and that sort of mentality may take over.

Hazel took after the Harlequin Dane side of the family. She really looks pretty much like a H. Dane.

I see. Hazel had a small 'weird period' where she was mostly fixated on Duke in the beginning before she got used to having him around. I suppose I don't have pack mentality with these two since Dukey here is more of a couch potato. They have me surrounded, both are sprawled around my chair at the moment

Yep, she really has a lot of the Dane look with 'Boxer trimmings'. You can tell in the ears, a bit in the head, and in her bit smaller stature. I don't know who's to blame on the bulky shoulders/hindquarters/neck/waist...but I like it!

 

[Brindlebtch]

I have an 18 mo old weimaraner in beginning agility class, and he is the nicest, sanest, calmest and willing to work weim I have met. Really a pleasant dog. And HUGE!

edited to add: usually when you hear you are going to have a weim in class you cringe a little bit. I was so pleasantly surprised!

 

[patandchickens]

Excellent dogs, I know a lady with around 7 of 'em. I can never keep them straight, I know Bear, Choca, and Barny (there stud dog, all the girls are spayed now). The rest...oi! They're just too chunky for my taste. I like the leaner build with big muscles (like Cats)

What about hunting-style Labs, which are much leaner and leggier; or a Lab crossed with something leggier. I have known a lot of GREAT LabX's that are pretty much what you're looking for.

FWIW the four Rhodesian Ridgebacks (three different owners) that I have known have all been very growly, snappy and excessivly owner-protective, and one was real bad for catching and eating all the cats in the neighborhood. I am quite sure there ARE good ones in the world but it seems to me like the breed tends to run in that direction...

Good luck, have fun,

Pat​

 

[Liamm_1]

Are there certain dogs that coexist well with chickens? I'd like to have the dog and chickens roaming the yard together, with the dog acting as protector. Is that possible?

 

[2cool4you]

I have a Catahoula. He's 4 months old. He came from a good breeder and her dogs are awesome. So I ended up with an awesome pup but he takes a lot of work. We started in puppy class when he was 8 weeks old and we go once a week every week. It's constant to get him to behave but it's worth it. Especially when we go into class and just pass all the other pups by. Even ones older than he is and have been in the classes longer. We have 30 min of training twice a day. We have an hour walk a day plus a visit to the dog park. He's a high energy pup. But at the same time he's learning to be gentle with the cats and my rabbit and he's learning not to chase them or to stop when I give the command "Stop!".

It's a work in progress but I would't give him up for the world.

 

[gunnerklein]

It's been mentioned, but a black mouth cur is a great choice for what you're looking for.
They are still headstrong and you need to make sure you both understand you are the boss, but they are an ancient Celtic dog that would herd, hunt, and guard. As a result you have a very old breed (not a mutt at all) that is the most Loyal I've ever worked with (I'm a trainer at paws & stripes) BMC'S WILL GUARD YOUR CHICKENS! I have a half acre in Albuquerque with a blue healer, a 125 lbs BMC, two- 6 lbs Pomeranians, 25 chickens, 6 giant meat rabbits, and a pigmy goat.

I introduced them to Rocky dog and told him they were mine and he's never hurt them.
On the contrary, I trained him to chase off or kill the mast pigeons that have infested the city in recent years and can spread diseases like parvovirus that will wipe out all of your animals with their droppings.
So, this black mouth cur not only doesn't hurt the chickens, but he guards them, and knows the difference between chickens and pigeons.

When I first got Rocky at 9 months old, he would run for miles each time the door opened!
I would chase him forever in my truck, and when he was done he would stop, I'd open the door and he'd jump in and we would go home.
I got tired of it and spent a few hours one afternoon teaching him not to approach the door until the person has gone through, then turned to face him and invite him in or out.
I did use a shock collar on vibrate once after all that when he tried one last time.
I had just bought the collar and he had it on.
I hit it (vibrate only) and he acted like he'd been shoot.
He ran back inside ASAP and never ran away again.

They're extremely loyal to not only the pack leader, but the whole pack (family, kids, etc.) And herding is something you have to teach them just like pig hunting is taught.

They have a lot of raw instinct so they're not the most trainable outside of hunting, but if you can manipulate those traits into another "job" they will do that new job obsessively ie. Therapy and service dogs.
They are one of the toughest breeds of there, but they handle themselves like they are cool with anyone, and they will ignore dogs outside the pack unless they are me with the new dog.

Overall I think the black mouth cur is the best all around dog you can get for a pet, and you already have a job waiting for him in playing with your dog!

Best of luck you you and you might look into the Texas blue Lacey dog too.
Basically a blue cur rumored to be part coyote.

 

[Giraffechops]

We have both a Catahoula and a Rhodesian Ridge Back. Both are wonderful dogs. Zeus our Rhodesian is much more high strong and energetic than Odin our Cata.
Both are great with children, and other animals. Including hamsters!
We have three pet chickens (indoor/outdoor, were animal lovers) and both do extremely well. I can actually leave the chickens out with Odin the Cata if I leave the house and he won't do a thing. His natural instincts kick in with birds and such when we are outside though....he is just too smart. The Rhodesian will chase anything that runs. We had a rabbit in the yard...for a few minutes. There's no stopping him once he starts the chase. He loves to follow squirrels on the fence to.
Overall Odin the Catahoula has an overall better demeanor.