Irish Doodles vs Catahoula Cur - Breed Comparison

The Catahoula Cur is also known as the Catahoula Leopard Dog or the Louisiana Catahoula. The dog hails from Louisiana, United States.

It is thought that the Catahoula Cur or Catahoula Hound as it is also known, used to be a hunting dog. The first settlers in Louisiana needed a strong dog to help them with hunting wild hogs and they bred their dogs with other dogs belonging to the locals. This gave them a strong, resilient dog that could take on the wild hogs and also protect their livestock.

Dogs who have no doubt been brought into the mix to produce the Catahoula Cur are mastiffs, Beaucerons, sighthounds and wolves.They are today more commonly referred to as Catahoula Leopard Dogs.

Known also as the Irish Doodle Setter or the Irish Setterdoodle, the Irish Doodle is a crossbreed – a mix of Irish Setter and Poodle.

This designer crossbreed comes from the United States. There isn't much of a history with the Irish Doodle, though both breeds used to create this dog breed have their own long histories.

Because the Irish Doodle is a hybrid breed, it isn’t recognized by the American Kennel Club. It is however recognized by the American Canine Hybrid Club.

There are varying sizes for Catahoulas and a typical height is 51–66cm and weighing anything from 18 – 51kg. These Cathoula Cur’s come in different colors too, but the leopard-like coat is a dominant feature with this dog.

While there are solid colors, you can expect red- and blue merle, grey-, black, patchwork and brindle too.

The length of the coat varies somewhat too and while the coat is essentially short and smooth, there are Catahoulas where the coat is a little longer and more coarse.

The eyes of the Catahoula Cur are another interesting feature and both eyes can be the same color, but in some instances the one eye can be brown while the other could be blue, green or gray.   The ears of the Catahoula Cur are medium in size and are floppy, dropping down close to the head.

Temperament:

The Catahoula Cur is an intelligent dog and also active and full of sports. You can’t call this dog aggressive, but merely assertive, being strong-willed. He is also affectionate and loyal, loving to spend time with his human family.

He makes a wonderful family pet, complete with children as well as other pets in the home, more so when he has been trained and socialized. These dogs are bright and alert and they also make excellent watch dogs. People who have owned a Catahoula Cur will tell you that these are wonderful pets, full of life and personality.

The Irish Doodle is a medium sized dog, standing at roughly 33cm to 38cm and weighing roughly 18kg to 31kg.

Pet owners appreciate that a dog like this is considered to be hypoallergenic and this attractive aspect of this dog comes from the Poodle side. The Irish Doodle's coat is long, soft and fairly wavy with apricot being the most common coat color but other colors include white, cream, brown and black. The head and muzzle is longish, the eyes brown, the ears floppy and the tail long.

Temperament:

The Poodle and the Irish Setter combine to ensure that the Irish Doodle is an intelligent dog and that he has an amicable disposition so that he is good with kids and pets in the home.

He has a host of excellent characteristics that make him a superb family pet and these are friendliness, intelligence, devotion and loyalty. He is easy to train and training and socialization will make him obedient so that he responds well to simple instructions such as come, stay, lie down, sit etc.

Catahoula dogs are the kind of dogs that make perfect family pets as they are all rounders. They’ve got characteristics that everybody wants in a dog. They are naturally protective, even they are not described as aggressive dogs. With training and socialization they get on well with children as well as other pets in the home. He is alert and territorial, which makes him a good watchdog, more so because he doesn’t particularly like strangers.

Intelligent and independent, training makes him wonderfully obedient and relaxed. However, give him the chance for ball games and a walk, and he is more than ready.

He is used to being a guard- and hunting dog, and this makes him an active, energetic dog. You will need to give him plenty of activities if you don’t want this amicable dog becoming anxious, frustrated and destructive.

Exercise him well, provide him with nourishing, top quality food together with fresh water and shower him with the love and attention he deserves as a family member. You’ll also join the ranks of Catahoula Cur owners who want to tell others about what an awesome pet he makes.

The Irish Doodle is guaranteed to make you a great pet. Every dog becomes better when they have been trained and socialized as they require having interactions with other dogs and people to know how to behave around them later on.

The Irish Doodle is a playful, active, attractive, loyal, fun loving pet who will learn easily.

The most important thing to remember with your Irish Doodle is to get involved in his life. He didn’t ask to come to you, but if you do your part and treat him like a much loved family member, you’ll soon see that your life isn’t complete without a wonderful 4-legged friend like the Irish Doodle.

When you buy a Catahoula Cur, you can know that your pet is going to be fairly healthy, however there will be some common health issues to look out for, and by knowing about these health concerns, you can be better prepared.

Typical Infections:

Your Catahoula Cur will be susceptible to some bacterial and viral infections which can be life threatening for him if he gets them. Some of these are parvo, distemper and rabies. That is why it is important to have your pet vaccinated, which can start at about 8 weeks of age for a puppy.

Obesity:

Obesity is a world-wide problem with humans and with their pets and it can open up a whole lot of problems with your pet’s health that he otherwise might not have got. It can play havoc with your pet’s digestion, and it can cause joint problems too.

It can be so tempting to pop a sweet treat into your pet’s mouth because you love him so much, but get to know what foods can actually be hazardous for him.

Irish Doodles are a robust, resilient breed, and with good care they can live to be 11, 12, 13 or 14 years. Nonetheless you need to know about the more common dog illnesses that any dog can develop.

These are hip dysplasia, eye problems, ear infections, bloat and Von Willebrand's Disease.You can improve your dog’s health by making sure he gets the very best food there is to eat, a warm, dry place to sleep and that he is treated with lots of love and care.

Von Willebrand's Disease:

Von Willebrand's disease is an inherited bleeding disorder. The disorder comes about because of a deficiency of von Willebrand Factor. This is an adhesive glyco-protein in the blood which is necessary for platelet binding or clotting. The condition can lead to excessive bleeding after an injury because the blood can’t clot.

Grooming:

Your Catahoula Cur isn’t a high maintenance dog and a good brushing 2 times a week will keep his leopard coat looking shiny and free of loose hairs.

Catahoula’s have good teeth, and you want to keep them that way by brushing them at least 2 or 3 times a week to prevent dental decay and a host of other medical issues.

Even though the Irish Doodle's coat is long, this is a dog with just about no shedding, so a brush once a week will ensure his coat stays in tip-top condition. Some Irish Doodle owners like to take their pet to have the coat professionally trimmed.

Exercise:

The Irish Doodle isn’t one of these dogs where you need to ensure a good dose of exercise every day. He doesn’t particularly need a lot of exercise, so include him in your daily walks and give him a ball game now and then to keep him happy and fit.

Diet:

As a medium sized dog, your Irish Doodle will require a high quality diet that will ensure he is getting all the right minerals and vitamins he needs for his activities.

If you choose one of the wet or dry commercially manufactured foods, make sure it is one of the best quality ones free from fillers, colorants and preservatives. It is to your pet’s benefit to add in some homemade food to his kibble such as cooked chicken, brown rice, pasta and vegetables.

Raw meat is expensive, but if you can, give him some raw meat occasionally too as this promotes bright eyes, a wet nose and a healthy skin and fur.

Fresh, cool water must be provided every day non-stop.