Petzlover
Both American Foxhound and Catahoula Bulldog are originated from United States. Both American Foxhound and Catahoula Bulldog are having almost same height. American Foxhound may weigh 14 kg / 30 pounds lesser than Catahoula Bulldog. American Foxhound may live 4 years less than Catahoula Bulldog. American Foxhound may have less litter size than Catahoula Bulldog. Both American Foxhound and Catahoula Bulldog requires Low Maintenance.
As a cousin of the English Foxhound, the American Foxhound is a scent hound and bred for hunting. Robert Brooke brought the first hunting dogs to the colonies in 1650. These dogs were the starting point for several American hound breeds including the American Foxhound.
For almost 300 years the Brooke family owned and bred dogs from this bloodline.
At the same time that Brooke was hunting with and breeding his hounds, George Washington was given French Foxhounds. These were crossed with the Brooke’s dogs to create the American Foxhound. This breed is said to have been originally bred in Virginia and Maryland.
They are the state dog of Virginia. After Red Foxes were imported or migrated, Irish Foxhounds were brought to American and added into the line, increasing the stamina and speed that today’s dog’s still display.
The American Foxhound was recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1886. Today’s American Foxhound presents in many different lines but are all considered the same breed even though some ay look very different. These strains include the Trigg, Walker, Penn-Marydel, Goodman, July and Calhoun.
Long ago, ranchers kept the Catahoula Leopard to catch and carry prey, but because it lacked the strength to do so, they would include other stronger dogs in the pack. The American bulldog was more well built, stronger and more aggressive, and the idea was to mix the American Bulldog with the Catahoula Leopard Dog. This brought about the Catahoula Bulldog which has been in existence for some 100 years.
The Catahoula Bulldog became known for its stamina and strength and in 1951 the breed registry started. As a hybrid, the Catahoula Bulldog isn’t officially recognized by the American Kennel Club.
Given the variety of bloodlines and strains mentioned above, there can be many differences in the American Foxhounds. Because of this most American Foxhounds bred to show are Walkers as they most closely fit the AKC Breed Standard.
In general, the American Foxhound has long, straight legs and is taller than the English Foxhound. They have a narrow chest and domed skull with a long muzzle.
They have low, wide set eyes that should be dark – brown or hazel, never blue. They have feet like a fox and laid-back shoulders with a curved tail. Athletic and muscled, the American Foxhound is bred to run. They are one of the rarest breeds in the United States.
The Catahoula Bulldog is a strong-looking, medium- sized dog of 55-66cm in height and weighing in at 34-46kg. He has a short, smooth, water-repellent coat. The coat can be in a number of colors – white, brown, black or grey or he can be bi-colored such as in brown and black or white and black.
The dog appeals to a lot of people because it sheds very little. The ears of the Catahoula Bulldog are somewhat floppy and the long tail is mostly docked. The dog has unusual eyes and these can be brown, but also in shades of blue or green or even a combination of these colors.
This is a relaxed dog breed but having said that, he is also a protective breed, and then his fearless qualities come out. He becomes alert to strange noises. He is loyal and intelligent and loves to spend time with his human family. He is somewhat stubborn and independent, and early training and socialization should be provided. This ensures he is even more amicable around children in the home as well as around pets.
With a reputation as a docile, sweet dog, the American Foxhound is great with kids and animals. They are gentle and often very shy with strangers. They are strong willed and stubborn especially when training them, so they are not a good first dog. They need an owner who has handled dogs before and knows how to be the pack leader without being angry or mean.
The American Foxhound is a scent hound and once he is on the scent it is close to impossible to distract him from it. They have a tendency to ignore commands when they are in this state. A strong owner/leader is needed for this reason. Don’t let him off leash in an unfenced area.
The Catahoula Bulldog is such an all-round dog breed – he loves to work and be active but he also loves to be with his human family. He is smart, active, loving and devoted and makes a splendid working dog or human companion, though he will always need to be kept busy.
He is a healthy dog breed too, and is actually low maintenance which is just one of the many advantages of keeping him as a pet.
For all that he offers you, it is up to you as a responsible dog owner to provide him with a loving and nurturing environment so that he can continue to live up to the high standards this dog breed is known for.
The American Foxhound, like most hunting dogs does not carry a lot of genetic disorders. But they can easily become overweight and this can cause major problems. Dysplasia of any type had been mostly unknown in this breed, but due to obesity it is cropping up on occasion. Breeders have not, and do not usually screed for any genetic diseases.
The most devastating health issue the American Foxhound faces is thrombocytopathy. We will go into more detail on this in the Care for Pet section. This is a disease of the blood system, namely the platelets.
The Catahoula Bulldog is known to be a robust dog breed, full of energy. With good care – healthy diet, clean, fresh water and love and attention – he can live up to be between 10 and 16 years of age.
However, with every dog breed there will be some common dog ailments to watch for and these include hip dysplasia, some eye disorders and congenital heart defects. Some Catahoula Bulldogs can become deaf in one ear, or blind in one eye.
Whether feeding a pup, or an adult American Foxhound, you need to be sure the food is high quality and that you don’t overfeed. The Foxhound is happy to eat as much as you give him. They like to eat. Make sure you measure and don’t free feed. Control what they are eating.
For a puppy feed twice, a day – 2 to 3 cups of high quality puppy food. When he becomes an adult feed him once a day with 2 cups of adult food.
As mentioned previously, the American English Foxhound, like most of the hound breeds is a very healthy dog. They do not have many genetic health issues. They do have a risk for thrombocytopathy. This risk is slight, but all owners of American English Foxhounds should be aware of it.
This disease is a circulatory system disease with poorly or non-functioning platelets. Platelets are designed to assist in the control of bleeding and without functioning ones the dog can bleed excessively from just a minor cut or bleed internally from a minor injury. The disease can be treated but you have to notice it first. Depending on how severe the disease is, the treatment will vary. Some dogs will have to be given platelets.
This is a high energy breed that is very active and needs a lot of exercise. They are not good for the first-time owner as they are stubborn and hard to train. They need room to run and get frustrated and out of sorts if they don’t have it. They can live in the suburbs but only with a large fenced yard, an even larger dog park and regular walks. This dog needs a lot of exercise. The simplest thing to do is take him hunting.
The energy levels of the Catahoula Bulldog are high and he is going to need ongoing mental- and physical stimulation. He wants to be part of all the activities in the family and you will need to take him for walks or take him with you when you go cycling or jogging. He’ll love to join in with all kinds of ball games.
The best kind of environment for the Catahoula Bulldog is a country home with lots of fields to run in, but if you keep him in the city, he can do well provided you make sure to include plenty of daily exercise activities for him.
The short, smooth coat of the Catahoula Bulldog won’t require much grooming, so a good brush twice a week will be excellent for this dog who will just love the interaction this activity brings.
Ensure that your Catahoula and Bulldog mix has food which is full of vitamins and minerals as he is an energetic dog. If you make use of a commercially manufactured product, make sure it is one of the top quality ones guaranteed to ensure good health.
Don’t just put a bowl of dog pellets in front of your dog day after day, but make it interesting and nutritious for your pet by adding in raw meat, rice, vegetables and some cooked meat from time to time. An adult dog can be fed once or twice a day.