The Catahoula Cur is an American dog breed named after Catahoula Parish, in the state of Louisiana, in the United States. After becoming the state dog of Louisiana in 1979, its name was officially changed to Louisiana Catahoula Leopard Dog. The breed is sometimes referred to as the "Catahoula Hound" or "Catahoula Leopard Hound", although it is not a true hound, but a cur. It is also called the "Catahoula Hog Dog", reflecting its traditional use in hunting wild boar. Catahoulas come in many different colors including blue merle, red merle, brindle, and solid colors. By that they can also be called Red Leopard, Blue Leopard, Black or Black Leopard, and Gray or Silver Leopard.