The Catahoula Leopard Dog or the Catahoula Hound is the official Louisiana state dog. It is the only breed native to Louisiana and is a cross between the domestic dogs raised by the Native Americans of the Catahoula Lake region and the "war dog" brought to Louisiana by the Spanish in the sixteenth century.

When Ponce De Leon and his band died near the present-day parish of La Salle, they left many horses, hogs, and dogs with the local Indians. De Leon brought dogs of the same breed as the modern Great Dane with him, which he used to hunt and as guard dogs.

Not a true hound, but not a shepherd dog either, the Catahoula is a stocky and intelligent dog whose baying can be heard for miles. Since Native Americans used the dogs to find their wild-roaming hogs, the resulting breed is particularly adept at certain types of herding.

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The Maine Coon Cat is known for its large size, easygoing temperament, intelligence, and rugged appearance. This native New England breed is well-adapted to the region's harsh climate, with a heavy, shaggy coat, bushy tail, and tufted ears and toes. Despite its name, the Maine Coon cat is not a relative of the raccoon (legends to the contrary notwithstanding). Its glossy coat is heavy and water-resistant, and like that of no other breed, and must be felt to be truly appreciated. Its big, round, tufted feet serve as snow shoes for moving through deep snowdrifts.

Maine Coons develop slowly, and don't achieve their full size until they are three to five years old. Their dispositions remain kittenish throughout their lives; they are big, gentle, good-natured goofs.

Even their voices set them apart from other cats; they have a distinctive, chirping trill which they use for everything from courting to cajoling their people into playing with them. And as a Maine Coon owner, I can vouch for how much these cats love to play (Given a chance, they will joyfully retrieve small items, like mice, birds, squirrels, and compact cars...) What's interesting is that they rarely meow, and when they do, it is in such a soft, tiny voice that you can't believe such a large, rugged cat made that small a sound...

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