Descended from ancient European hounds and used for hunting, herding, and even as a stalker of feral swamp pigs, the history of the Catahoula Leopard Dog has a history that sheds light on the interdependent relationship Louisiana has with its natural environment. Today these energetic and loyal Catahoula is are beloved, serving as the official state dog of Louisiana. This full-color, illustrated reference guide by Walter LeBon synthesizes geography, history, and anthropology to provide a delightful and informative discussion of this singular breed.?

"Designed to provide brief information on the history, care, uses, and breeding of Louisiana Catahoula leopard dogs"--To the reader.

CATAHOULA LAKE CHRONICLES: The View From Indian Bluff is the first book of its kind that describes in detail the history of Catahoula Lake along with some of its colorful legends and folklore. Catahoula Lake spans some 30,000 acres in the Louisiana parishes of LaSalle and Rapides, and is actually a gigantic basin, an open sump area, roughly sixteen to eighteen miles long and six to eight miles wide. The lake is the most important inland wetland for waterfowl and shorebirds in Louisiana, providing habitat for as many as 500,000 waterfowl and 20 species of shorebirds. Hunters and fishers come from all over the world to experience the wonders of Catahoula Lake. Jack Willis, a longtime storyteller from Jena, Louisiana, spins his yarns, weaving historical fact with legendary tales from the people who have lived off the lake and the land for hundreds of years.

For a book about a dog as colourful as his name implies, The Louisiana Catahoula Leopard Dog delights the reader with a rich combination of fact and myth. The book traces the history of this little known, but fascinating breed. Find out how this unusual breed was developed and see for yourself, in the many photographs, how beautiful and unique he is. In addition to this unique history, the Catahoula is much loved by those familiar with the breed and the book demonstrates why. As a breed, he is extremely versatile, being used for herding, tracking, guarding, companionship and many other duties. The book also details important information for would-be owners, such as traits, uses, purchasing, care and maintenance, health concerns, breeding and genetics, and the standard for showing.