Catahoula Bulldog

[Amy Hendrickson]

I know, he "looks like a pit" and I rescued him as one but he's not a pit. He doesn't look like one or act like one when you get down to the nitty gritty and compare one against the other. He's all "bulldog". His body is muscular and athletic but not pit bull athletic, he's taller and leaner but muscular and has good bone. He's guardy, aloof with strangers until given the OK. He's a tough dog, happy and eager to please, extremely food motivated. He's got a big bulldoggy head, round like a basketball with a really round back part of the skull. I don't know where the hell he got these ears but they are shorter than typical and stand up like a radar. He's got a fine, soft velvety coat, it's very fine soft hair with a fluff of an under coat. For such a short haired dog, it's amazing where the undercoat comes from. Seems like just seasonal shedding and not terrible.

He needs a home that understands a guardy dog and wants that type. He is really good with other dogs. Great with puppies, wonderful at playing gently and teaching bite inhibition, hates - and I mean HATES cats. He's all hunter when it comes to small fluffy game animals. Alert barker and has a HUGE and I mean HUGE scary bark.



http://ascpbr.com/Dog_Month.html

[Amy Hendrickson]

And Gunny, I would consider transferring to another rescue that had a cat free foster home. I love this dog and think he's a great boy but I have cats (one being a siamese mix). It's really hard to get him to relax and settle when you have a cat that screams his entrance into a room and is just generally a loud as hell pain in the butt. He has to stay locked in the laundry room. He does great there but it's not what I would like for him to have. If I didn't have two cats things would be a lot easier.

[merriterrier]

Aww, good luck special boy!

He sure is a looker. We just placed 2 8mo Catahoula/Am Bull pups. They looked like merle Pit Bulls, but they were much more dog. Awesome guys, definitely not for the first time owner.

[Amy Hendrickson]

Yes! Gunny is much more D.O.G. , he is much harder than a pit but at the same time, easier. That sounds pretty confusing I know but those of you who have experienced one of these know what I mean. He's a hunting dog with a guarding side. No amount of training and desensitization is going to change his hunt small game attitude and no amount of socialization is going to turn him into a wiggly slutmonster pitbull. He just is what he is. He's a tough dog, a lot of dog in a medium sized package. Not really high energy, actually pretty laid back but there's a simmering intensity that is ready to go when it's time to work.

He's got great focus and eye contact.

[Amy Hendrickson]

* Bumping for Gunny *

Personality PLUS!! Gunny is a great dog, he’s super smart, eager to please and easy to train. Since being in foster care he’s learned “Sit, Come, Down, Stay, Bed, Kennel, Drop it, & Speak”. When some of the questions you ask him dictate an answer like “are you hungry?” or “do you want to go in?” He will talk to you and let you know exactly how he feels with squeals, grunts, growls and woo woos. He’s certainly one of the most interesting dogs I have ever met or seen with his unique looks. He’s a great fetching partner too. He still pulls on leash but loves to ride, never gets car sick and happily jumps right into the back.

If I have one complaint, it's that he's a cat killing machine. It is making it very difficult to house him here safely as I have two cats (one a vocal siamese). Gunny knows they are here and tries to slip through doors when he can. I have doors and baby gates in front of doors for this reason so everyone is safe but I can't do this much longer. I feel horrible about giving up on him because he is a really great dog. He's a lot of dog, but a great dog. He tested "cat safe" at the shelter and I honestly feel it was because he was just walked by the cages and there was other stuff going on and he didn't see the cats.

We both are miserable. We make up for it on nice days in the yard and he's an awesome dog but the evenings/nights/days when I'm not home he is alone in a small laundry room or in his crate.

[turtle]

He's a good looking fellow.

I remember years ago when I was living in Florida in the 1970s there used to be ads in the paper for "Catahoula Bulldog pups" and they were a cross between a Catahoula and a pit bull. They were used as farm dogs and hog hunters. I went to see some of the pups and they were all colors with many of them merle. No one paid much attention to them as a breed but they were good working dogs.

I hope your boy finds a home or a good spot, he's a nice looking dog.

[nsbullylover]

Any luck finding a home for this guy?

[Amy Hendrickson]

Took about 5 months but I found him a home. Cat free for sure

[nsbullylover]

Took about 5 months but I found him a home. Cat free for sure

That is amazing news!