English Mastahoula

80-140 lbs
22-30"
Unknown
English Mastiff
Louisiana Catahoula Leopard Dog
Mastahoula, Catahoula Mastiff

The English Mastahoula is a hybrid of the English Mastiff, a giant-sized guard dog with a laid-back attitude, and a Louisiana Catahoula Leopard Dog, a medium to large dog developed in the southern United States of America for hunting and herding. The combination is typically a very large animal with a high intellect and a fairly calm demeanor, although they may not get along well with strangers or with other animals. They are a versatile animal, and may be adept at many different types of jobs including herding, hunting, and guarding, but may be too assertive and headstrong for the first time dog owner.  

purpose Purpose
Companion, Hunting, Herding
history Date of Origin
Unknown
ancestry Ancestry
English Mastiff, Louisiana Catahoula Leopard Dog

English Mastahoula Health

Average Size
Male English Mastahoula size stats
Height: 24-32 inches Weight: 100-160 lbs
Female English Mastahoula size stats
Height: 22-30 inches Weight: 80-140 lbs
Major Concerns
  • Hip And Elbow Dysplasia
  • Bloat
  • Eye disorders and disease
Minor Concerns
  • Deafness
  • Pulmonic Stenosis
  • Obesity
Occasional Diagnoses
  • Hypothyroidism
  • Osteosarcoma
  • Shoulder Dysplasia
Occasional Tests
  • X-ray imaging
  • Electrocardiogram
  • Eye Examinations
  • BAER Testing

English Mastahoula Breed History

The English Mastahoula is a designer dog, an intentional crossbreeding between a herding and hunting cur from Louisiana, known as the Louisiana Catahoula Leopard dog, and the English Mastiff, a massive guard dog with an ancient history that has been instrumental in the development of many newer breeds. Mastiff-like dogs have been depicted in ancient Asian artwork as far back as 2500 BC, and traveled across the Alps with Hannibal. When the breed made its way to England it became a guard dog and hunting companion that was favored by both landholders and peasants. The two World Wars had a negative impact on the canine population of Europe and by the end of the conflicts the English Mastiff was nearly extinct and had to be revived by importing Mastiffs from the United States and from Canada into England for breeding. The developmental history of the Louisiana Catahoula Leopard Dog is based almost entirely on conjecture and mythology, but we do know that the French who settled in Louisiana brought Beauceron herding dogs with them and that these same settlers frequently described mysterious hunting dogs with haunting glass colored eyes that were kept by the Native Americans. Most believe that the Catahoula is descended mainly from these two dogs, but as there were no records kept during the formation of the breed, there is no way to know for certain. Catahoula Leopard dogs, also known as Catahoula Curs, Catahoula Hounds, and Catahoula Hog Dogs, have been employed as both herding and hunting dogs and have excelled at both professions. The English Mastahoula is typically less rambunctious and pushy than the Louisiana Catahoula Leopard dog is but with more energy and less mess than the English Mastiff.   

English Mastahoula Breed Appearance

The English Mastahoula can range in size from large to giant and typically has a bulky but athletic appearance. Their heads are wide with a substantially built muzzle that can range from short to medium length. Their small to medium sized ears sit high up on the head and fold forward or to the side, and their eyes are generally round, although they can come in a number of colors due to their Leopard Dog heritage, including eyes that include multiple colors within a single eye, and a blue so light that it is almost white, a color known as glass. Like the English Mastiff, the English Mastahoula will typically have loose skin that forms into wrinkles, particularly around the head and neck area, although it is likely to be less exaggerated in the crossbreed. This dog will usually have an easy to care for double layer coat comprised of a soft, dense undercoat covered by a short, stiff outer layer that lies flat against the body, though some of these dogs may have a short, stiff coat with no underlying layer. The English Mastahoula dogs may come in a variety of colors and merle is frequently seen in both the Catahoula and in its offspring the Mastahoula.

Eye Color Possibilities
blue English Mastahoula eyes
Blue
brown English Mastahoula eyes
Brown
Nose Color Possibilities
black English Mastahoula nose
Black
Coat Color Possibilities
blue English Mastahoula coat
Blue
brindle English Mastahoula coat
Brindle
fawn English Mastahoula coat
Fawn
red English Mastahoula coat
Red
Coat Length
coat
Short Medium Long
Coat Density
coat density
pin
Sparse Normal Dense
Coat Texture
coat texture
English Mastahoula straight coat texture
Straight Wiry Wavy Curly Corded

English Mastahoula Breed Maintenance

This hybrid has a short coat that makes grooming requirements quite manageable. Regular brushing with a soft bristle brush or curry comb is needed to control the shedding and distribute body oils, however, monthly baths are usually adequate for these canines. If your dog has inherited the folds and wrinkles that are commonly seen on Mastiffs, care should be taken on a regular basis to ensure that the folds of skin have not trapped any moisture as it can cause skin irritation and a foul odor may develop, particularly around the face. They shed moderately year round, although English Mastahoulas with a double coat tend to shed more heavily than those with a single coat.

Brushes for English Mastahoula
Pin Brush
Pin Brush
Comb
Comb
Deshedder
Deshedder
Nail Clipper
Nail Clipper
Brushing Frequency
fur daily fur weekly fur monthly
English Mastahoula requires daily brushing
Daily Weekly Monthly

English Mastahoula Temperament

The English Mastiff is generally a laid back and dignified individual, while Louisiana Catahoula has the focus, drive, and energy that are characteristic of a serious working dog and your English Mastahoula is most likely going to fall somewhere between the two. Like their parent breeds, this hybrid requires daily interaction with their humans and can become quite destructive if they become bored or lonely. Training should also start at an early age as both of the parent breeds are naturally protective and may become skittish or aggressive towards strangers and other animals if they are not well socialized, and they may have a tendency towards dominant behaviors which can be mitigated by early training. Their reactions to young children may be variable as the English Mastiff is usually very good with children, but the Louisiana Catahoula Leopard dog can be jealous and possessive, traits that don’t mix well with small children. These dogs are very large and powerful, and all interactions between young children and dogs should be closely supervised to ensure the safety of all involved.

English Mastahoula Activity Requirements

Although the Louisiana Catahoula Leopard dog is a very active breed the English Mastiff typically need much less exercise than average for a dog of their size, so 60 to 90 minutes of vigorous activity a day is usually sufficient to keep this hybrid strong and healthy. Along with daily walks, these dogs are adept at drafting and carting activities, agility training, tracking, and hunting. During your dog’s formative years it is important to keep exercise sessions somewhat shorter in duration by breaking them up throughout the day. Be certain to ensure that your dog does not rough-house or jump from significant heights as this can cause life-long damage by affecting the still-forming bones and joints.

Activity Level
low activity medium activity high activity
Low Medium High
Rec. Walk Mileage Per Week
10 miles
walk mileage
Minutes of Activity Per Day
60 minutes
activity minutes

English Mastahoula Food Consumption

Cups Per Day
3 cups
cup per day cost cup per day cost cup per day cost
Daily Cost
$2.75 - $3.00
food bowls daily cost
Monthly Cost
$80.00 - $90.00
food bag monthly cost

English Mastahoula Owner Experiences

Ocean
6 Months
6 People
House & Yard
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
Playing outside
She's awesome and really sweet loved to play and is good with cats children and other dogs She is actually my service dog
2 years, 9 months ago
Will
4 Years
1 People
House & Yard
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
Will is a rescued English Mastahoula. While he has the physical appearance of a Catahoula Leopard Dog, his personality and daily activity levels are definitely mastiff. He is calm and comfortable with most "new acquaintances." He's very affectionate with me. At the beginning of our relationship, he was clingy, probably as the result of his situation prior to rescue; however he is becoming more independent as we go along. He demonstrates being protective by being physically present next to me but not in an aggressive manner.
3 years, 4 months ago
Arturo
4 Months
1 People
Apartment
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
First time owning one. Friend has the Momma and neighbor has the Dad. He's been a great dog so far. Very loving, likes to snuggle. Somewhat easy to house train. Smart, he is learning quickly.
6 years, 7 months ago
George
3 Months
2 People
House & Yard
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
George was a rescue from the BCSPCA and we became his very lucky parents! He is currently 3 months and he is smart, laid back, playful, loving, good brother, curious and sweet.
4 years, 10 months ago
moose
8 Months
5 People
House
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
Fetch
Walk
he’s a really good dog with a big heart, he loves playing with other dogs. he’s very entergetic and always wants to play. trains well but sometimes chooses not to listen.
4 years, 1 month ago
Rubi
3 Years
3 People
House & Yard
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
Our Mastahoula loves to chase after animals like squirrels and rabbits. Deer drive her bonkers but we won’t let her chase them. She commands extremely well and has adapted to hand support signs. She is nose happy and loves to track. EXTREMELY loyal. Love bug.
3 years, 11 months ago
Conner
7 Months
6 People
House & Yard
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
Playing with his "Brother"
Cuddling
We got him free at 8 weeks and have experienced very little problems. He did bring out the wild side of our other dog, his "brother." He is the better behaved though. We enjoy him so much! One of the best types of dogs; really loyal!
3 years, 11 months ago
Animal Expert Question Icon
Question - My pet
Question

My female pitahoula bread with a bull mastiff and just had her first litter of 13 puppies😲 Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Answer
Thank you for your question, that is a lot of puppies for her! I think the most important thing for her at this point would be to make sure that she has enough nutrition to provide milk for all those puppies. You may want to help supplement her and bottle-feed some of them if it looks like they are not gaining weight. It would be best to weigh all of them each day and make sure that they are gaining weight, and make sure that she is eating enough food, you can feed her puppy food as well as her regular diet at this point until they have weaned.
3 years, 9 months ago
Animal Expert Question Icon
Question - New pet
Question

My female pitahoula bread with a bullmastif and just had a liter of 13. Any advice? And what would you call them?

Answer
If mum is 50% Catahoula Leopard and 50% Pitbull and dad is a Bullmastiff, then the pups are simply 50% Mastiff, 25% Catahoula and 25% Pitbull. There is no specific name for this, though a Pitahoula X Bullmastiff would be a sensible name. 13 is a large litter but there is no reason we should see issues. Do ensure all are feeding well and I would weigh them each daily on a sensitive scales to ensure they are gaining weight. Mum needs lots of calories and often feeding mum puppy food can achieve this. she will also drink lots of water in order to be able to nurse. Pups should be dewormed every 2 weeks from 2 weeks old and their 1st vet check should be at 8 weeks of age.
3 years, 9 months ago
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