[2] On July 9, 1979, in recognition of the historic significance of the Catahoula cur to the State of Louisiana, Governor Edwin Edwards signed House Bill #75 officially naming the Louisiana Catahoula Leopard Dog as the state dog.

[3][4] On January 1, 1995, the Louisiana Catahoula Leopard Dog was recognized by the United Kennel Club.

They tend to have a large head with drop ears and a strong, slightly tapered muzzle.

Often, solid coat Catahoulas have small splashes of other colors such as white on their face, legs or chest.

[4] Herding ability and a natural working instinct are a top priority to Catahoula breeders, over and above a dog's appearance.

Catahoulas exhibiting basic herding instincts can be trained to compete in cow/hog dog trials.

[11] It has been suggested that deafness and blindness from double merle may be rarer in Catahoulas than in other dog breeds.