You're interested in a 'houla? :yikes: *sprinkles colliewog with Holy Water, mutters blessings*
My Voodoo is a catahoula. A drivey one, probably since almost all the catahoulas in this area are either working dogs or from working parents. If you're looking for horror stories, I can give them to you, LOL! You can just search the forum for "Voodoo."
But here are a few of his best moments:
-The time he went through the living room window while it was closed. Vet bill plus money for a new window.
-He figured out how to open all the doors in the house.
-Then there was the fencing debacle. He went over our 4-foot gate as a pup. We built a 6 foot gate. He then started going through a decorative "swoop" in our stucco wall. We covered it with wood. Then he literally cannonballed straight through the wood. Replaced it with rod iron. Then he decided to jump the 6-foot gate. We purchased a tie-out.
-He ate the drywall in our newly-repainted bathroom.
-Got into fights with Zeus. Probably cost us nearly $1,000 in vet bills.
I'm sure there's a lot more I'm forgetting, but it's kind of a blur!
I love their coloring, but they're rather difficult to own!
In my experience, yes! At least until you figure out how to manage them. I don't think they are that much like collies (granted, I don't know too much about collies!). Catahoulas are hunters as well as herders. I don't know if they even fit into the herding group per se. They are more drivey and of harder temperament than collies--at least the ones of working lines are. It would be closer to compare them to Australian cattle dogs than collies.
Here are their quirks:
--Intelligent, yet independent-minded. As you can imagine, they are a terror when bored. It makes them an interesting challenge to train. They learn quickly, but only if you convince them that a) it's in their best interest to learn it, b) training is amusing, and c) training is something they really want to do. It's impossible to force these dogs to do anything. They are physically strong and don't tolerate being bullied.
--Territorial. They are highly conscious of "their" space, especially as they get older. And depending on the dog, they will actively protect it. With teeth. Voodoo will let people in the house, but only after I tell him it's okay. I wouldn't recommend getting one of these dogs unless you think you can handle it if your dog develops that trait.
--Can be aloof with strangers. Not necessarily mean, just not especially clingy or interested, and possibly even a bit wary of them. But that also varies. Voodoo likes strangers well enough once they've been introduced.
--Tend to be alpha with other dogs, and can be dog-aggressive (Voodoo has some same sex DA issues). They don't usually tolerate stupidity from strange dogs. Voodoo and Zeus have gotten into some bad tangles in the past, even though Voodoo grew up with Zeus.
--The adolescent phase. Good GAWD. I have raised several breeds of dog from puppies, and 'houlas have the most horrendous teenage years of any breed I've ever own. Destructive, hyperactive, selective hearing...the works. Voodoo literally drove me to tears on a regular basis. BTW, they also seem to be slow-maturing. Like larger breed dogs, their adolescence can last until they're 2-3 years old.
--They are stout dogs. They aren't as hefty-looking as bullies, but they are physically strong and very agile. Voodoo can jump to a 6-foot height from a standstill. That needs to be taken account with everything from their crate to your fence to their leash. I bet they would be awesome on agility if trained for it.
But if you can survive all their quirks and learn how to work with them, catahoulas really do mature into wonderful dogs. They're very loyal, have a lot of personality, are fun to own, and really want nothing more than to be with their people. Cuddling on the couch is one of Voodoo's greatest pleasures.
Despite all the trouble he caused...I even debated about rehoming him several times....I don't regret keeping Voodoo. It took a lot of work to get him to where he is, but he really is a wonderful dog. If you can deal with their quirks, I'd say that they are a breed worth having. But be sure to be prepared if you get one.