The Pack Instinct

Because a Catahoula often has a high degree of wolf in the genetics, it is very important to understand what is motivating a dog instinctually, if you are going to train or hunt one.

The first and most important thing you need to train a well-bred Catahoula is to come to you on command because if they are bred right, they will get away from you and hunt.

As a rule, a Catahoula will always check back and sometimes too often in some people's opinion, but that is the nature of the breed. If they won't come to you, when you call them off of a wild boar with cutters, and you can't catch or kill the hog, you may lose your dog because they may get killed or you will never be able to catch up to them.

A lot of people make the big mistake of chasing a dog that won't come. I have learned this the hard way myself. Better to bribe them with food than to get mad and chase or throw things at them and cause them to not trust you.

A Catahoula lives to please it's master if he is well treated and thus trusts those whom he loves he will come and be rewarded with praise and a rub on his ribs.

ALWAYS reward a dog that comes to you when you are trying to win their trust. If he is skittish or shy, tie him up or kennel and spend time with him and talk to him and massage his ribs (which is very pleasurable)and cause the dog to learn that you are a nice person.

Dogs already know most people are liars and are not nice and so live with a great distrust of humans to start with. You must wearn their love, trust and devotion. Many people have claimed that hunting dogs should not be treated as pets, and I understand the logic as it might apply to other breeds, but that doesn't apply to a Catahoula. The more I spoil my dogs rotten, the harder they hunt for me!

The pack instinct causes them to want to go everywhere you go especially if you are the leader of the pack. And if you are not the leader of the pack, they will challenge you to become the leader of the pack (male or female) and if you are not the leader of the pack, now the dog is making the rules.

I am Marcus de la Houssaye and I can be reached by email at catahoula1@gmail.com. Sorry, but my cell phone is currently private and I am no longer taking calls.