Named for a Choctaw Indian word meaning “sacred lake,” the Catahoula originated in northern Louisiana near Catahoula Lake. He’s probably the product of breedings between local dogs and the Bloodhounds, Mastiffs, and Greyhounds brought to the area by Spanish explorers. They are sometimes known as Catahoula curs, Catahoula leopard curs, or Catahoula hounds, but the name was officially changed to Louisiana Catahoula Leopard Dog when they became the state dog of Louisiana. The Catahoula was used to track and round up the wild hogs that roamed the forests, hence the name hog dog that he sometimes goes by.