Elo vs Catahoula Cur - Breed Comparison | Petzlover

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.

Developed in Germany in 1987, the Elo is a fairly new breed and there are some unique situations surrounding its development. For one thing the Elo Breeding and Research Association has trademarked the breed name, Elo. The use of the name is supervised by the Elo Breeding and Research Association. Secondly, the goal in developing the Elo is the make the best possible pet for a family. The Elo is bred for behaviors rather than appearances, for companionship rather than work.

The Elo was developed when Marita and Heinz Stories crossed Old English Sheepdogs (Bobtails) with their Eurasiers. They believed that these two breeds were similar in type and development. They were looking to breed a great household pet. The litters from these original crosses were then bred again with Eurasiers or Chow, Dalmatians, and Samoyeds. This expanded the donor base and they continued to breed for character using just the Eurasier, Chow and Bobtail (Old English Sheepdog). Currently there are about 3000 dogs and 60 breeders of Elos. The breed is not really known outside of Germany but that is slowly changing.

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.

As previously mentioned the Elo is bred for behaviors not appearance and not work. Therefore, the appearance of any one dog can vary greatly. There is a breed standard but there is also a lot of diversity in the breed. The Elos’ body is longer than it is tall and it tail is full and furry. He carries his tail over his back in a curve. The Elo has furry, slightly rounded, wide set ears. The undercoat is dense, and the top coat length can be medium or short.

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.

Having been bred to be a companion animal, the Elo loves children, is loyal, playful, obedient and calm. They love to and need to be with their people. These are not independent, think on their own dogs. They depend on their people in order to be happy and well behaved. He is outgoing and friendly with people.

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.

At this point in time the Elo breed is very young and has a very small population, so the breeding group is small and probably inbred. This can lead to hereditary diseases and the Elo is not immune. However, they are a healthy breed and it seems the major issue is Disticha – an eye disease that causes corneal damage. It causes corneal ulcers, inflammation, scarring and tearing. There are a variety of treatments including surgery

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.

Feeding

The Elo is a non-working family dog so do not over feed them. Use a high quality dry food made for a medium size dog.

Health issues

As mentioned previously the Elo breed is so young as a breed that there have been very few health studies and the only inherited issue at this time besides the Disticha.

Exercise and games

Even though the Elo is a non-working dog, they do require a substantial amount of exercise daily. They need outdoors space to run and play as they are very playful with their family. He loves to go on walks, to run, play and dig. Yes, he can be a digger if he is not provided with appropriate and alternative exercise. Without exercise the Elo can be irritable and display behavior issues.