Catahula Leopard Queen

As I fumbled my keys into the lock on my home, I could hear Armstrong, our dog, anxiously jumping on the other side. Armstrong is a Catahula Leopard Cur, the Louisianna state dog, and perhaps of the nimble variety. The breed ranges from 30 to 90 pounds, and he's about 40. Like some of the breed, he has a bob-tail and webbed paws. A Catahula my sister and brother-in-law got from another SPCA (Buddy) is easily twice the size, and doesn't have a bob-tail. (I guess the Cur refer to a mix) Buddy is like a moose, and Armstrong is like a deer.

We got him from the local Humane Society. He got there from the soup bowl Hurricane Katrina left in New Orleans. He was one of the lucky survivors. The area SPCA's were taking in the refugees to help alleviate the stress of over-crowded kennels our neighbours in the states were feeling.

Having made such an arduous journey from New Orleans, only to be caged, Armstrong was a little frazzled when we aquired him. He found what looked most like a cave and stayed there for a week. (It was the corner of the dining room, under a chair.)

Gradually he came around, and began to feel comfortable. He felt so comfy, eventually, that he chewed the furniture in appreciation.

And when I came home from work he was ecstatic to see me, and would shower his love with licks. (Somehow he always got one on my lips. He's fast! He'll look at you from the corner of his eyes, then suddenly lash out with his tongue right on the kisser)

This particular day, of which I write, as he bounced off the walls of the entry waiting for me to open the door, I would never have expected what I saw.

I blinked. I rubbed my eyes. I blinked again. It was still there.

Armstrong was wearing a purse! It wasn't just hung around his head, but strung over his shoulder and through the back of his front leg. It was one of my daughters play purses, and the strap had very little play in it. It was too tight to have gotten into easily. Getting it off was a bit of a chore.

I left it on until Char got home from work and could see it too. Why not? He seemed pretty comfortable with it.