Smitty

With striking, spotted coats and a strong drive to herd, the Catahoula Leopard Dog is a beautiful, hard-working companion. Their unique looks may be what initially catches your eye, but these protective pups will impress you even more with their watchfulness, high energy, and affection. Full-grown, they typically weigh 50-95 pounds and stand 22-24 inches tall.

Catahoula Leopard Dogs are generally okay with older children who know how to handle dogs. This breed gets along best with older children, but can be a bit overwhelming for babies and toddlers. Catahoula Leopards can co-exist with cats and dogs, although they may be a bit aggressive toward dogs of the same sex. They're relatively quiet and don't bark much.

As a working dog at heart, the Catahoula Leopard needs plenty of exercise and companionship to be happy. Give them at least an hour of activity or hard play each day, or they may get destructive and loud. These dogs love walking, running, hiking, and any activity that taps into their natural hunting and herding instincts. Overall, their exercise needs are very high.

The Catahoula Leopard has a short- to medium-length single coat of coarse hair. They get their name from the leopard pattern on their fur with red, blue, black, gray, or multi-color patches. Catahoula Leopards are moderate shedders that need weekly brushing and an occasional bath to maintain their good looks. Grooming-wise, this breed is low-maintenance.

Catahoula Leopard Dogs are best suited for a rural property or home with a large yard. They can live indoors or outdoors, but if they spend a lot of time outside, make sure that the fence is secure and they still get plenty of human interaction. They are fairly easy to train.

Labrador Retrievers are multi-talented dogs that love people and being active. They come in three colors: black, yellow, and chocolate and are extremely popular for their versatility and friendly disposition. Full-grown, they typically weigh 55-80 pounds and stand 21-25 inches tall.

Labrador Retrievers are generally excellent with children of all ages. They don’t do well with being forced to live outside away from their people family, so you should plan to have them living in your house with you. Labrador Retrievers usually get along alright with any feline friends that also call your place home, and they tend to play nice with other dogs as well. They're moderate barkers — they'll alert you when something's up but aren't excessive.

Labrador Retrievers are happiest when they get about an hour of exercise every day. You can split that exercise up into morning and evening sessions, but you’ll find that when they’re worn out from exercise they behave a little better at home. People love Labrador Retrievers because they’re up for all types of activities and are exceptionally talented in many arenas. Overall, their exercise needs are very high.

Labrador Retrievers have a short-medium length coat that will require brushing once or twice a week. There’s no way around it: Labrador Retrievers shed a lot. The more you brush them, the less they’ll shed around your house, but there’s no way to get it all. Grooming-wise, this breed is low-maintenance.

Labrador Retrievers are best suited for a house with a good-sized yard. Labrador retrievers can live happily in almost any type of home as long as they get their exercise. They don’t do well with being forced to live outside away from their people family, so you should plan to have them living in your house with you. They are highly trainable and eager to learn.