It seems like I can get into trouble without even trying. The other night Lady let me go outside before bedtime and there was ice on the driveway. When a car came by I went running out to the end of the driveway and I slid right into the path of the car that was passing by. The car bumped me and it hurt my leg. I went around the house to my doghouse. Lady came to the door and called and called me, but my leg hurt too badly to move.

The next day her son came looking for me and found me in my doghouse. He took me to the doctor and he said I had a broken leg. That meant I had to have surgery and have a cast on my leg. It took a few weeks to heal, but I’m fine now.

It’s so nice to have someone who loves me and takes such good care of me.

Here’s another thing I learned about dogs like me. The temperament of Catahoulas like my sisters and brothers and me is not aggressive toward people. We are loving and protective of family members.

Our temperament is determined by many factors, such as heredity, training, and socialization. If you treat us well, we will develop playful personalities. We love to play with people, especially Master’s grandkids!

We respond best to kindness, so please don’t mistreat or abuse a Catahoula, and we will be your best work dog and your best friend.

A Catahoula cowdog playing with a little girl.

I hear that we Catahoulas date back to ancient times and were brought to the U.S. by Spanish explorers. I’m not sure where Spain is, but I think it’s pretty far away from Texas. Catahoulas have been bred with many different dog breeds. Some say there is even a red wolf in our ancestry!

In my experience, our appearance is varied. Some of my sisters and brothers have spots in a variety of colors. Some of my relatives are black, white and gray, white with beige and brown spots, and some are a solid black or sienna color. My relatives and I are sometimes referred to as Catahoula Curs, Catahoula-Leopard curs and Catahoula hounds.

According to an article lady read to me, Catahoulas like my family were named by a Choctaw indian word meaning “sacred lake”. The name was officially changed to Catahoula-Leopard Dogs when we became the state dog of Louisiana. That place sounds really nice!

Lady says Catahoulas are intelligent, loyal, hard working and dedicated to their task whether it’s working cattle or hogs. All I know is that I want my parents and master to be proud of me, so I’ll work very hard to pen those cows and bulls! Lady says we need companionship, training and plenty of activities to keep us occupied. I can tell you that, even though I like my afternoon naps, I like to run around all over the place first! Texas is a great place to do that, especially on our ranch.

Masters will find dogs like me and my sisters and brothers to be loving and protective of family members.

Every little one has his or her own favorite stories for Mom to tell at bedtime. Whether it’s Goldilocks and the Three Bears, or something more exciting like Where the Wild Things Are, we all like to hear stories. This is a list of five of my favorites:The Yearling is about a young boy who adopts a motherless fawn. As the fawn is growing the boy develops an intense love for the deer. As the deer matures it becomes more and more destructive. The father becomes so angry when the deer destroys the family garden, which they depend upon for food, that he threatens to kill the deer. This is one of my favorites because the love they share tugs at your heartstrings: you laugh, you cry, and you feel all the emotions the boy is feeling.

Old Yeller is about a boy and his dog who love each other deeply. Old Yeller is very protective of the family and risks his life to save the boy. This is one of my favorites because it reminds me of the many sacrifices we make for those we love.

Where the Red Fern Grows is about two dogs and a boy. They romp through the woods and encounter many dangers together. Dan and Ann are side by side continuously and share a love that cannot die. Eventually, they do die and are laid to rest beside each other. After a while, a red fern grows from each grave and entwines itself into one vine representing the undying love for the other. (Have some tissues nearby while you read this one)

Lassie… what can I say about Lassie? This dog undertakes exciting adventures over the course of several years, reflecting the intelligence and true heart of a dog. Pets can love us as deeply as we love them, which is exhibited many, many times in those wonderful stories. Remembering Lassie brings back so many pleasant memories as hardships and dangers were conquered.

Homeward Bound again reflects how deeply pets can love us and how they will endure all kinds of trials to be with those they love. These dogs are lost a long way from home and, even though the family searched and searched for them, they fear they are lost to them forever. But, the dogs travel so far to return home and, one day they appear on the hilltop overlooking home. First one and a little later the other appears, and the family reunion with the dogs is quite a tearjerker. Believe me, I know.

The common thread among these favorite stories is that they all center around the love of a pet and a main character. The action comes from the trials and tribulations they encounter along the pathway of life.

LOVE, what is it? It can fill your heart with gladness or with sadness, depending upon the circumstances of our lives.