Bashful at first but warms up quickly. Spirit is a beautiful Catahoula Dog. He is good natured and curious. He is a people pleaser which makes for a great dog to train. I love this breed! They are extremely loyal and great property protectors. Did you know that the Catahoula breed name comes from a parish in Louisiana? Read on to learn more about this breed and how Spirit can easily fit into your family. He is approximately one and a half to two years old.

Catahoula Dog
Kilah Sawatsky
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All dogs that are adopted from the shelter must be spayed and neutered. Depending on the size of the dog, spay costs range from $89 to $104 and neuter costs are $76 to $92. You can also have your pet micro-chipped for only $20 at the shelter. That way if your pet is picked up as a stray, he can be returned to you quickly.

Catahoula Dog
Kilah Sawatsky
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Our featured dog comes with a FREE basic survival kit from Pleasant Grove Animal Hospital valued at $100! This "peace of mind package" includes everything that is not included when you adopt from the shelter. Any vaccinations needed, testing for worms, one month’s treatment for fleas and heart worms and so much more.

According to Wikipedia:

The Catahoula Cur is an American dog breed named after Catahoula Parish, in the state of Louisiana, in the United States. After becoming the state dog of Louisiana in 1979, its name was officially changed to Louisiana Catahoula Leopard Dog. The Catahoula is believed to be the first dog breed developed in North America. The breed is sometimes referred to as the "Catahoula Hound" or "Catahoula Leopard Hound", although it is not a true hound, but a cur. It is also called the "Catahoula Hog Dog", reflecting its traditional use in hunting wild boar.

My Catahoula is an amazing dog. He wondered up as a stray and now he is a part of my family. He instinctively knows what it is that I am asking him to do when I give commands. Tell him once and he has got it! Here is some more information that I found about this dog on Wikipedia:

Origins

The history of both the Catahoula lineage and the origins of the name "Catahoula" are both subject to uncertainty, however there are various theories (or hypotheses).

One theory posits that the Catahoula is the result of Native Americans having bred their own dogs with molossers and greyhounds brought to Louisiana by Hernando de Soto in the 16th century. As for the aforementioned Native American dog breeds, for a time it was believed that they were bred with or from red wolves, but this idea is not supported by modern DNA analysis. Several recent studies[1] have looked at the remains of prehistoric dogs from American archaeological sites and each has indicated that the genetics of prehistoric American dogs are similar to European and Asian domestic dogs rather than wild New World canids. In fact, these studies indicate that Native Americans brought several lines (breeds) of already domesticated dogs with them on their journeys from Asia to North America.[2]

Another theory suggests that the breed originated three centuries later, some time in the 19th century, after French settlers introduced the Beauceron to the North American continent. The French told of strange-looking dogs with haunting glass eyes that were used by the Indians to hunt game in the swamp.,[3] and the theory states that the Beauceron and the Red Wolf/war dog were interbred to produce the Catahoula.

There are two theories regarding the origin of the word 'Catahoula.' One theory is that the word is a combination of two Choctaw words 'okhata', meaning lake, and 'hullo', meaning beloved. Another possibility is that the word is a French transformation of the Choctaw Indian word for their own nation, 'Couthaougoula' pronounced 'Coot-ha-oo-goo-la'.(Don Abney)

The Facts About Dogs at Our Local Shelter:

There are thousands of dogs that are euthanized every year in our shelter in Texarkana. Please help us make a difference by spreading the word.

Location:

The Animal Care and Adoption Center is located at 203 Harrison St., Texarkana, Ark. 71854 and is open Monday through Saturday between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Our Sponsor:

Pleasant Grove Animal Hospital sponsors our weekly pet show. To contact PGAH, call 903-838-6565 or visit them online. Your free basic survival kit, in addition to all of the vaccinations, tests and treatments, will give you the opportunity to discuss the best ways to keep your new pet on the right track. Dr. Stacey Hendershott will answer all your questions and address any concerns you might have regarding your new pet. PGAH has a friendly atmosphere and the entire staff has the same goal, to keep your pet healthy and happy!

Check out previously featured pets--many are still available:

 

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