|
Currant
Catahoulas
Australia’s leading breeder
of quality purebred Catahoula Leopard Dogs in Queensland, Australia.
Certified breeders with the National Association of Louisiana
Catahoulas (NALC).
We don’t just talk about breeding proven hunting dogs and improving
the quality of the bloodlines in Australia……..WE'VE
ALREADY DONE IT!
About us
Hi! I’m Andrew from Currant Catahoulas. My wife, Natasha, and I live
on nearly 200 acres of sugar cane fields in the Gold Coast,
Queensland, Australia. I have been hunting for more years than I
care to remember but when I discovered the Louisiana Catahoula
Leopard Dog (Catahoula) several years ago, I discovered just how
amazing they were at helping me to hunt more effectively. I hunt in
the sugar cane a lot but I also make time to go out west as much as
possible. We also use our dogs to guard our business and our home,
and to help us when out and about on the farm. Best of all, our dogs
are beloved pets.
We breed only quality, purebred Catahoulas from proven hunting
lines. Because of this we have deliberately steered our breeding
program to include a new bloodline direct from the United States; a
Champion of Champions in Hog Bay (A), conformation and treeing. He
also has the best PennHIP score known to any Catahoula. This means
that this line has a decreased chance of developing hip dysplasia
and other hip deformities. We have also chosen dogs with more
stamina and a more solid build. We are concerned with providing
Catahoulas that have both desirable hunting qualities as well as a
pleasant temperament because many of our dogs are household pets as
well. We do not breed dogs specifically for good looking eye or coat
colours.
Hunting with a Catahoula
 The
Catahoula Leopard Dog is a working and hunting dog at heart. Bred
from a combination of Mastiff, Greyhound, Beauceron and American Red
Wolf, Catahoulas have been selectively bred to incorporate the best
traits needed to be effective hunting and working dogs.
Catahoulas can be
introduced to hunting quite early on. There is no need to wait until
they are a couple of years old. Do basic obedience for the first 6
months or so and then take them out to get used to the ute, quad,
sound of a gun shot, how you use your dogs etc. Catahoulas are very
quick learners and will get the jist of hunting very early on.
However, it is important that the dog is not worked too hard in the
first 12 months as they are still growing and developing.
Training your Catahoula Leopard Dog is to be done very carefully.
Because of the loyal and gentle nature of the dogs, they respond
best to gentle and assertive training. Being heavy-handed with a
Catahoula will do more harm than good and produce a very scared and
timid dog.
The most significant trait about using Catahoulas to hunt with is
that they are predominantly finder-bailers. This is because their
nose is their best asset and they can bail a pig up for a longer
period of time. Catahoulas will only run a hot trail of no more
than one to two hours old and they will do this off the back of the
ute, quad, walking, you name it. Catahoulas will hang if they are
taken out with other hanging dogs, but their instinct is to bail.
The advantages of using Catahoulas as bailing dogs is that they can
find pigs better with their nose, and the dogs rarely get injured.
However, it is still important to use breast plates or T-plates for
better protection for your dog.
 When
I first took my dogs out west I got some tracking collars but this
wasn’t very necessary due to the nature of the dog. Catahoulas are,
by nature, very loyal to their master and will always come back to
your side. It helps that they only track fresh scents too, so there
is little worry that your dog will not return. I have never lost a
dog yet as they always come back. However, Catahoulas are a working
dog and have a high level of energy which needs to be expended on a
regular basis otherwise your backyard will suffer, they will try to
escape or they may be more unruly when out hunting as any dog is
when they haven't been exercised sufficiently.
Catahoulas are good in any type of terrain whether it be open scrubs
or stubble, mountain terrain, or sugar cane. I use a combination of
the ute, quad and walking when I go out depending on the type of
ground and coverage. Out here in the sugar cane I mostly walk with
the dogs once I’ve found tracks. I know that if they leave my sight
that they have a scent and that it must be close.
Physically, Catahoulas have
webbed feet which helps them to navigate swampy areas or muddy
ground. Because of this they are also good swimmers and love being
in the water. Their pads can be any combination of pink and/or
black. However, contrary to popular belief, pink pads are no softer
or less durable than black ones. Their coat is a short, single coat,
which requires little to no grooming. This means that their short
coat is good in the hot of summer but they can suffer in the cold
and should be kept in warm shelter during this time.
Although I do hunt out west as often as I can, I find it much more
convenient and I prefer the challenge that it provides me and my
dogs with. Cane fields give the pig more of an advantage than the
hunter. Some blocks are between 10 to 30 acres big giving the pig
plenty of room to run in and they have more areas to hide in. The
cane is also noisy which reduces the element of surprise. In the
cane where I am on the Gold Coast, the pigs don’t tend to smell as
much as they do out west which really puts my dogs’ nose to the
test. They also tend to be bigger because there is more quality feed
around. Overall, I find that having finder-bailers is completely
suitable to hunting in the cane as it is much harder to hang when
you also have to wrestle with the cane rather than occasional trees
and scrubs.
Pups and Working
Dogs
We do have Catahoula pups available at certain times of the year. We
only breed a select number of litters per year depending on the
number of orders placed first. We suggest that you place your order
early to avoid disappointment.
We also have adult Catahoula dogs available at times although these
are highly sought after. Occasionally we keep and train dogs to
adulthood. We also receive Catahoula rescue dogs from across
Australia. We train them in basic obedience and/or hunting and find
them a new permanent home.
For more information on using Catahoula Leopard Dogs for hunting,
working, guarding or just as a pet, contact us at:
Currant Catahoulas
Andrew and Natasha Currant
NALC Certified Breeders
PO Box 190 ORMEAU QLD 4208 AUSTRALIA
Ph: 0414 458 175
Email:
info@currantcatahoulas.com.au
 |
