If you think you’ve seen everything about a Catahoula Leopard mix, then you’ve yet to meet the Doberman Catahoula mix. A crossbreed between a Doberman and a Catahoula created a sleek and powerful breed called the Doberman Catahoula.
Depending on where you’re getting this breed, the price can vary between an adoption shelter or a certified breeder. A Catahoula Doberman can demand a hefty price, but no doubt worth the cost!
With a temperament of being highly loyal, expect a Catahoula Doberman to be a life companion. Let’s learn more about their personality, health, daily needs, and who they can serve best.
All You Need To Know About a Doberman Catahoula Mix
At first glance, a Doberman Catahoula can be confusing because of its extraordinary mix. They can have the face of a Catahoula Leopard with a Doberman physique and temperament.
Such is the concept of designer dogs—you can never be sure whose gene is more dominant in both parent breeds. Your puppy will be 85% Catahoula and 15% Doberman if you decide on buying from a breeder.
If you’re reluctant about a Catahoula Doberman, here’s a quick overview to help you decide whether to take one home.
Appearance
A Doberman Catahoula can either have a solid coat color of a Doberman, or a patched coat of a Catahoula. Because of the merle gene of a Catahoula, your dog may have a coat color and pattern of the following:
- Irregular patches of gray, dark brown, or walnut on red rust or black coats
- Brindles of white, gray, or light brown on red rust or brown coats
- A solid coat color of red rust or black color with tiny spots of brown or gray
Temperament
Catahoula Dobermans are friendly and amendable creatures, especially with children. They’re reliable guard dogs with a natural protective instinct towards their pack.
With high energy and endurance, they can be affectionate goofballs who’ll actively seek your company. However, Catahoula Dobermans tend to be stubborn because of their intelligence and independent personality.
Health
Hybrid dogs can live longer than their parent dog breeds, so a Catahoula Doberman’s life expectancy is 8–10 years. It weighs about 61–100 lbs or 28–45 kg and can reach 24–27 in. at the shoulders.
Concerning health issues, they can be prone to hip and elbow dysplasia, Von Willebrand’s disease, heart conditions, and obesity.
Exercise and Diet
- Provide a daily exercise of 40–60 minutes and 15 minutes of training
- Have them do mental exercises, such as sniffing games and fetch
- A balanced meal of high-quality dry food is good for their diet
Grooming
Depending on whose gene comes out the strongest, your Doberman Catahoula can have a single-coat or a double-coat. Be ready for regular brushing and grooming when shedding season comes.
Single coats will require brushing only once a week, while double-coated dogs will need three times a week.
Questions to Consider Before Getting a Doberman Catahoula
Now that you’ve got a picture of a Doberman Catahoula, it’s time to consider some questions before bringing one home.
1. Do You Have an Active Lifestyle?
You probably know the Catahoula Leopard for being a high-energy dog. Pair that up with another energetic dog such as a Doberman, and you’ll have an exuberant Catahoula Doberman!
They’ll need lots of regular exercise and active playtime. If they don’t receive constant exercise, they’ll likely become irritable and develop unruly behaviors, such as barking.
2. Do You Have a Spacious Home?
With the previous question in mind, you’re going to need a place for your Catahoula Doberman to play around. They’ll do well in a spacious home with a yard where they can stretch their sleek and powerful legs.
Of course, they can also adjust well in apartments, given that you can provide adequate exercise for them. You can try going to a park where they can freely spend their energy so they won’t grow irritable.
3. Do You Have a Family at Home When You’re Not Around?
With a temperament of being affectionate, your Catahoula Doberman is quite susceptible to separation anxiety. You might need someone at home to look after it when you’re off to work.
If left alone without proper socialization, it would grow fearful and possibly aggressive because of the lack of communication. Remember to have someone watch over it if you’re not present and always let your dog know you love them.
4. Are You Ready to be a Pack Leader with Consistent Training?
A Catahoula Doberman can have a stubborn personality—a trait that comes with intelligent dogs. That said, you’ll need a firm hand to teach your dog proper socialization and train it consistently.
The brighter your dog is, the more independent it is with its choices. So, it would be a fair challenge to teach this breed some discipline.
You’ll need to have the attitude of a pack leader for your dog to follow your instructions.
5. Do You Have Children at Home?
If you have children at home, then a Catahoula Doberman will be a great addition to the family. They’re a natural watchdog who can protect your children from any harm while being caring and affectionate.
They’ll be fun playmates who know how to be gentle with kids. However, practice caution and remain attentive to their interactions.
Catahoula Dobermans are large dogs that can knock down people by accident. So keep an eye out, regardless.
6. Are you Ready for Grooming and Drooling?
This unique crossbreed isn’t low maintenance. Both parent dog breeds can be quite the shedders, especially when shedding season comes around.
You’ll need to groom your pet by brushing it thrice a week. This keeps its coat healthy and soft. Having a vacuum cleaner around will also help you clean all the fur around the house.
You should be ready for a lot of drooling as well. They like to kiss faces and leave trails of it on your clothes as a sign of their affection.
7. Are You Okay With a Vocal Dog?
Catahoula Dobermans can be quite the troublemakers for their way of communicating. They have a reputation for being vocal dogs, considering that both parents breed like to bay and bark.
If you’re not up for a home filled with lively barks, then a Catahoula Doberman may not be the right breed for you.
Paul has been creating content for the dog niche for many years. The information he shares comes his first hand experience growing up in dog lovers household and then owning multiple dog breeds of his own as an adult. Paul enjoys doing the hard research to collect, analyze and present our dogtemperament.com readers with the best answers to their questions.