The Louisiana Catahoula Leopard Dog, Catahoula Leopard Dog, American Leopard Hound and Leopard Cur –  to our knowledge, they are the only breeds with “leopard” in their name, and they are often mixed up because of that “L” word. Are they the same breed?

The short answer is yes and no.

One eats an apple in small bites, and that’s how we’re going to answer the question.

The Louisiana Catahoula Leopard Dog is also known as the Catahoula Leopard Dog and they are the same breed.

The United Kennel Club and the American Kennel Club, however, register them by different names. The UKC registers the breed as the “Louisiana Catahoula Leopard Dog” as the UKC tends to preserve full, formal names — especially when tied to a state or regional designation — to underscore a breed’s heritage and historical accuracy. The AKC often simplifies breed names for accessibility and consistency with its registry style. It chose Catahoula Leopard Dog because that’s the most widely used name outside official state documents.

We move on to the American Leopard Hound which is an entirely different breed that was formerly known the Leopard Cur.

That they share the word “leopard” throws off many people outside of the dog world leading some to wonder if there is a shared ancestry. To our knowledge, there isn’t.  We found no documented direct bloodline connection between the two breeds, and while both emerged in the American South around the same centuries, neither the AKC nor the UKC hint as intentional or formalized blending of the two breeds (though one could suppose that some unrecorded crossings were possible). That pesky word, “leopard” that can throw off a person refers to the spotting that comes from merle genetics that can occur in unrelated populations.

It it true that both breeds are working dogs with strong hunting backgrounds, high prey drive, and that leopard-patterned coat, but their outlines are quite different. The Catahoula as a stockier, more rectangular silhouette, with a deep chest, strong shoulders, and a solid, muscular build suited for herding and confronting stock or hogs. Its outline is balanced but powerful, and usually gives the impression of a compact athlete. By contrast, the American Leopard Hound presents a rangier, more streamlined silhouette. S/he has longer legs, a narrower frame, and a distinct scenthound outline built for stamina and speed on the trail. The Catahoula looks like a rugged all-purpose worker, the American Leopard Hound every bit an endurance hunter.

And finally, there is a difference in their group designation, and this is a “biggie.” The Catahoula Leopard Dog is officially designated as a herding dog by the AKC and UKC because it is known for its multi-purpose work including herding cattle and hogs. The American Leopard Hound is classified as a hound (one of the oldest of the tree dog breeds in the Americas) and specifically a treeing and hunting breed that is assigned to the Hound Group by both the AKC and UKC.

Image: At the right is the American Leopard Hound by Adithya_photography/Shutterstock; at the left, a Catahoula Leopard Dog (the first Catahoula Leopard Dog in Hungary) via Wikipedia via Delight kennel