If a puppy is raised in the family, the temperament will OK for a family. I wouldn't bring in a grown dog into a family with children. That said, you wouldn't want to do that with just any dog anyway. Temperament is all in how a dog was raised and who it was raised with. The history and origin of the Catahoula is really an unknown. Catahoulas are working dogs, just like a Border Collie. They need to be worked to be happy and they do not do well with isolation. Catahoulas down here in LA are used mostly as a bay dog during pig hunting and are used for deer hunting too. They have a good nose, so they can track pretty well.
Great dog breed to have. Are there better breeds, yes. However, it all depends what the use of the dog will be. I have a 65 lbs lab that thinks she is the size of a 5 lbs Chihuahua when she tries to climb in your lap, a 5.2 lbs Chihuahua who thinks he is the size of the 65 lbs lab when he hears a fly land on the wall, and a 32 lbs Boston Terrier who looks like a Bulldog but is a big chicken.
