Catahoula Leopard Dog or Rhodesian Ridgeback?

[IcarusSomnio]

I have two dogs currently-Hazel, my little over a year in a half BoxerxDane girl. She's very energetic (something that I love!) and adores flushing and going on mock 'hunting expeditions'. While not destructive, she does need at least an hour or two of running and playing each day to keep her from getting overly excitable in the house.
Then there Duke, my four year old Weimaraner. Duke hates being outside too long (especially if it's to hot or cold), doesn't enjoy car rides, isn't overly excitable and is much happier with a walk once a day and otherwise laying around the house sleeping. He is very snuggly and fun to have around mainly because he's Dukey and Dukey is freakishly adorable. I've been slowly easing him into the 'mock hunting and play' lifestyle though, theres a hunting dog in there somewhere!

Anyways! I was thinking of getting Hazel a more active hunting/playing partner in the long run. Finding BoxerxDane mixes is virtually impossible and I've had absolutely no luck at locating either her past owners OR her breeders. Which sucks, but I'm still searching in hopes of locating a sibling. My dad would like to breed her to continue her line, but I'm not so game for the idea. She's a merle and if not bred to a proper stud (not to mention FINDING a compatible dog!) would result in ill puppies. Not good.

I've been looking into two different breeds, The Catahoula Leopard Dog and the Rhodesian Ridgeback. I've never met either, just going by what I've managed to find on the internet.
Theres not much on Catahoula's and plenty on Ridgebacks. Essentially what I want is the same as Hazel-tough, active, trainable, high stamina, and good hunting sense. Plus a short, slick coat and enjoyment of water.
I'm a little iffy about the Catahoula's because of the herding part-I have nothing to herd and don't intend on keeping large herds of cattle, sheep, or goats. They are quite pretty with the merle color though.

Has anyone kept either of this breeds, or crosses of them? I gotta take Hazel outside now-she keeps slamming my hand into my desk as I type with her nose and making it pretty obvious she wants to go for a run

 

[Brindlebtch]

I have trained and met both. I personally don't know that I would want either.

I don't know that I would call ridgebacks especially trainable, though we have had a couple in agility - but their owners put in exception effort. They require an experienced and can't be forced to anything. If you try to force an issue they shut down and refuse, from my experience, so all training has to be positive but consistent and persistent. They need a strong willed experience owner. They can also be very predacious and aggressive, so watch the lines they come from and do your research on breeders, not just the dogs. I have also seen them be human aggressive, but have also seen some very nice ones. There is a guy in our neighborhood who has an electric wheel chair and takes his ridgeback walking everyday, but has to restrain it around other dogs. edited to add: ridgebacks also have some serious genetic illnesses, which I can't recall off the top of my head, but you probably need to research them and the lines the mostly affect.

Down here, catahoulas curs are frequently used as hog dogs as well as for cattle. They are tough and potentially aggressive, but between the 2 I would go with a catahoula. Hounds tend to be more difficult to train in general - especially sight hounds. catahoulas would fit your bill better. I find curs much more trainable and people oriented, where hounds are less so. You might also consider a black mouth cur.

All these dogs are potentionally a problem with chickens and small animals and dogs, because they have all been bred to hunt lage, tough game.

 

[NewHopePoultry]

Ive had a Catahoula Leopard Dog and boy she was a go getter! She killed 20 of my chickens, herded my neighbors cattle, chased my pigs. Catahoula Leopard Dogs asre used for just about everything and they can be trained, but they can be stubborn.

 

[abluechipstock]

my friends show rhodesians, they are great dogs, very loyal to their owners

 

[Barred Rocks forever]

rhodesians are good dogs i love them i hear they can get tumors as they get older though

 

[turney31]

I can't speak on those 2 breeds, but the BEST ranch dog I ever had was a full blood (rescued from pound) English pointer. Please consider this breed in honor of Candy.

 

[IcarusSomnio]

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After quite a bit of reading, I have to say that Curs are MUCH more like my Hazel girl then hounds. She's obviously not a 'true cur', but the similarity's she shares with the various curs, body type, temperament, etc. and the resemblances are just uncanny!

Right down to the head, deep-broad chest, and massive muscled hindquarters.

Hazel likes to stir up my chickens (racing through the flock) but otherwise leaves them alone. Rabbits she will chase, catch, and kill in a heartbeat. It's her absolute favorite game, she'll also flush birds and deer. If she had a chance she'd go after other small animals such as groundhogs. With other dogs she's not aggressive, but she has such a 'I MUST SNIFF THEIR BUTT' fixation it's almost scary. I've been working at breaking her of it (making her sit, focus on me, etc.) but it's slow going. At 90+lbs she has a LOT of pull!

I outta get some good frontal pictures of her. I found a Catahoula that could be her twin, except for he has bigger ears and a different color.

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Hazel has yet to kill the chickens, but she's gone after quite a few rabbits and did kill one. 'Trainable, but occasionally stubborn' certainly fits her bill. She's an awesome dog but I swear she has some weird disease that causes her to go mysteriously deaf at times

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Are they really as durable with high stamina as their billed to be? Like I've said...I've never met one!

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I think thats a problem with the Catahoula's as well

Unfortunately theres really not a breed thats 100% free of problems

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I looked into Pointers when I first started looking around for a dog!

I then ended up with Hazel, but I saw some really nice bird dogs on Craigslist. Are heard they're prone to be hyperactive though...?
Another breed I haven't gotten a chance to meet

Duke will point when he finds something, not a very serious point though, with his tail wagging like mad and him always checking to see if your coming to check it out or not

Hazelnut, relaxing on the ugliest carpet on earth

She's a bit thin on her topline, I slowly switched her feed to a different/better brand and now we're finally on 100% of the new stuff. She's not to pleased with it, likes her junk food feed better. Her coat is so much nicer how though

A little raw egg is all she needs to be convinced it's better for her though.
I've been working her a lot to get her ready for next year's hunting season. I want to work her a lot on small game and do more flushing work. I'm hoping to be able to pick up on Falconry next year and would love to work with my dog AND a hawk.
Her muscle tone is about halfway there, you can really see it on her hindquarters. Her shoulders are SO much nicer now too, they didn't really tone up nice when I first got her in January. But, I also had a tougher time getting her to really run then too, she jumped plenty but not enough running. We slowed waaay down over the heat of the summer and she lost most of her nice bulk (didn't get skinny, just her tone went down).
Now if she'd stop being so fussy about her food...

Did I mention that Dukes pupils dilate in correlation to how happy he is at the moment?

His stubby little tail goes absolutely nutty too!

 

[lilysmama]

We by happen-stance brought home a Catahoula.......and he has added in nicely to our family. The home he came from was bad, and he wasn't being fed; however, we didn't find this out until quite a bit later, or what kind of dog he was. We had put down our beloved Cobi the year before, and I think my husband was looking for another dredging (gold) dog to be by his side. We live in a sub-development with a somewhat small yard. But you know what? He loves us, and still runs his hot laps around the yard........no matter how big or small it is to him. This was a dog that had been beaten and malnourished purposely. Now he sleeps on my daughter's bed, dances to music with her, and guards our chickens and bunnies like a hawk when they are out to play in the yard. We were truly blessed by bringing him home to be part of our family. They sure can run though....and keep running....and keep running....

 

[lilysmama]

Oh, thought I'd mention too that with the Catahoula's it says you've got to let them know who is boss because they will try to rule the roost...so to speak.

It wasn't until AFTER we learned all of his quirks and attitude issues that we found out what kind of dog he was. It definitely would have been easier to know what breed he was to start with. He has found a loving home, and is FIERCELY protective of us in return. Oh, and he had to learn the hard way that mommy was the boss, lots of time outs.

It's hilarious to hear my husband tell him to do something, and he'll look at me like "Well....is that what YOU want me to do?!" It drives my husband insane, but he knows where Shep's loyalties lie.

 

[mandelyn]

Both breeds are bullheaded as heck and lean towards being one person dogs, and both need a strong pack leader. I had a Rhodesian Ridgeback mix, and she only listened to my husband. The funny part about that, is he was in the Army and I was a stay-home wife. I trained her. I worked her. I sat with her while he was gone FOR A WHOLE YEAR. And she acted out while he was gone and wouldn't listen to me and acted like he hadn't been gone a day when he returned.

I have since switched to my family breed of German Shepherds, and Sunday added a Beauceron puppy as "his" dog.

Some people get along really well with stubborn breeds. Personally I need herding dogs and their loyalty and trainability. I don't have time to bicker with a dog. LOL

I am partial to the Ridgebacks over the Cautahoulas based on the ones I've met. Even after Maggie and how she did me the whole time my husband was gone. I blame whatever she was mixed with. LOL