Skye Terrier vs Catahoula Leopard - Breed Comparison

This working dog breed originates from America’s Deep South. In fact it was originally named after a small village in the state of Louisiana and was made the state’s official dog in 1979. The dog is believed to have come from the Mastiff and Greyhound.

Known as war dogs they were left with local tribes who crossed them with wolves, and French Beauceron blood was also included.

A number of Catahoula dog Associations were started and the Louisiana Catahoula Cur Association was formed in 1976, followed by others. These Associations work to promote the breed. In 1995 the United Kennel Club was the first national dog registry to recognize the Catahoula.

The Skye Terrier is a hardy dog breed and is actually considered to be an endangered native dog breed in the United Kingdom.

They were found on the Isle of Skye, although there is some confusion about its history. They were used long ago to hunt but these days they are essentially companion dogs.

They found their way to America and the Skye Terrier Club of America was founded in 1938. The American Kennel Club recognized the breed in 1887.

Known as the Leopard dog because of the distinctive spotted patches on his short to medium length coat, this interesting looking spotted dog can have a coat of many colors such as solid colors, brindle and a blend of several colors including blue merle and red merle, black and tan.

He is a muscular and athletic dog of medium to large size with sturdy legs and deep chest. He stands at 56 – 68cm and weighs 20 – 50kg. Many of these dogs have webbing between the toes which gives them an advantage when running through marshy areas or when swimming.

With his floppy ears, the tail is long or bobtailed. An unusual aspect with the dog is his eyes – having what is known as marbled glass eyes which are blue or blueish-white in color.

Temperament:

The Catahoula Leopard Dog can be stubborn and he is also energetic, fearless and highly intelligent. You’ll want to have him trained and socialized early as then he becomes a more relaxed, obedient dog. He is an assertive dog but not aggressive by nature.

Catahoulas in general are even tempered and they are willing to share their space with children in the home as well as other pets. They are protective of children and of their entire human family, making good watchdogs.

The Skye Terrier is a medium-sized dog standing at between 23 and 26cm in height and weighing between 12 and 18kg. The legs are short and sturdy. He is double coated with the top coat being straight and hard and forming a beard around the face area. The coat can be fawn, and in various shades of grey which are sometimes even black. The ears of the dog are medium sized and erect.

Temperament:

The Skye Terrier has always been a hunting dog and he enjoys quite a bit of exercise – walks, ball games as well as indoor games. Small though he may be, he is strong willed with a mind of his own and will benefit from being trained and socialized.

This is also necessary as he has a fairly reserved nature. He gets on well with children and makes an excellent family pet but he is ready to take on smaller pets in the home. He will bark when confronting strangers and makes an excellent watchdog too.

He is able to adapt well into life in the city or the countryside. He isn’t a dog to be left outside day after day and will just die of boredom, frustration and loneliness.

The Catahoula makes a fine family pet but he is a dog which shouldn’t be left outside day after day. He is a companion dog and won’t thrive without the companionship of his human family.

He is highly intelligent and also energetic, and if you want him to be relaxed and amicable around other humans and pets in the home he will require training and socialization. For training and ownership, the Catahoula Leopard will require a strong, firm, confident personality and he’ll be an obedient, loving and loyal companion.

Give the Skye Terrier the attention he wants and he will reward you with his loving companionship.

He loves the entire family but is best suited to homes where children have been taught to be kind to animals and to treat them with respect.

He has moderate energy levels and will expect you to give him a fair amount of exercise. The Skye Terrier can make an excellent companion for you and your family.

Your Catahoula Leopard is a healthy dog breed and with good care he can live to be 10 to 14 years of age. However, there are a number of reasons why some of the healthiest dogs can become ill.

Knowing about these illnesses means you can take action and minimize the pain and suffering your pet might have to otherwise endure.

Ear Infections:

You’ll notice your pet shaking his head and maybe even scratching his ears. Ear infections are more evident in dogs with floppy ears and there can be an ear discharge. When left untreated, the ears can become painful and then it is time to get him to the vet.

Urinary Tract Infection:

This is a common illness in dogs and can be terribly uncomfortable and debilitating for your pet as he tries to urinate all the time with no success. Signs of UTI can include this excessive urination with little urine coming out, lethargy and discomfort. Take your pet immediately to the vet to be checked over.

The Skye Terrier is a healthy dog breed. Perhaps the only issue that could be a problem with him is orthopedic problems. He is an achondroplastic dog, meaning a large body on small legs.

He could develop spinal problems if he were allowed to constantly be jumping off beds and high chairs.

Orthopedic problems affect the bones, muscles and joints and can actually be debilitating. Orthopedic conditions can be ligament tears or hip dysplasia for instance, accompanied by arthritis.

You’ll notice your dog has an abnormal way of walking or running, inability to get up once lying down and he may have arthritis and pain.Be careful because obesity can trigger problems with the joints and bones.

A dog makes such a splendid pet, willing to give loyal and loving friendship to humans, even those who don’t treat him properly. When you think of the unconditional love your Catahoula Leopard dog will give you, surely you want to provide him with good food and shelter.

Love and treasure this 4-legged friend of yours as he is a friend like no other.

Provide identification for Him:

It can be devastating if your dog goes missing, and if he has no identification, to find him might only mean telling people what he looks like. Rather put a collar on him and an ID tag so that your chances of getting him back are just that much better.

You can also have him micro-chipped by your veterinarian and these chips have a unique code which can provide useful information on your pet.

Vaccinations:

Make sure that your pet is vaccinated as a puppy against diseases which could be deadly such as rabies.

Spay or Neuter your Catahoula Leopard:

If you have no intention of allowing your Catahoula Leopard to have puppies, rather have him neutered or spayed if its a female. It is better for them and they can live longer and be free of some ailments that at un-spayed or un-neutered dog may get.

● The coat of the Skye Terrier is long and silky and will most certainly require brushing every day if you keep the hair long. Such silky hair can easily become matted.

● Little dogs like this will need their teeth being checked regularly. You can even try to buy special pet toothpaste and toothbrush and brush his teeth yourself. If you prefer, a professional dog groomer can do this for you and at the same time trim his nails and check his ears and clean the insides of the ears too to avoid infection.

● Provide him with his own warm, dry place to sleep.

● Don’t ignore his exercise needs. A dog without exercise will get sick.

● Provide him with top quality food as the quality of the dog food you buy makes a huge difference to his health and longevity. He is a small dog and there are some excellent commercially manufactured dog foods specially made for small, energetic dogs.

Try to include some home-made food for him which can be simply mixed into the dry kibble twice a week. Boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta and spinach, sweet potatoes and carrots is super tasty and nutritious. Ensure there is always a bowl of fresh, cool water within his reach.

● Have him neutered or spayed if you aren’t wanting puppies.

● Keep his vaccines up to date against some deadly canine diseases, and get him to the vet when he shows signs of illness.

● He isn't a large dog but will still need to be trained and socialized.