Hangin’ Tree Cowdogs

I have a lot of cowboy friends who have cattle dogs and swear by them. There are many breeds but one seems to standout – the Hangin’ Tree Cowdog.

The originator of this exceptional breed is Gary Ericson and his son Choc, who has bred the Hangin’ Tree dog for over 20 years. He has the unique ability to put the best of the working cattle dogs together. The Hangin’ Tree Cowdogs are a mixture Border Collie, Kelpie, and Catahoula Leopard, and one Australian Shepard, Black Bear, who was the only Australian Shepard used in this breed.

Hangin’ Tree Cowdogs are a medium sized dog with a heavy bone structure to meet the physical demands of working cattle. They come in a variety of colors from solid black or red, to blue or red merles, and every color in between! Their short coats require little maintenance, shedding burs and dirt easily, and help them to withstand the heat. All tails are docked at birth.

From Scott Allison’s website:
“Their bone structure is relatively heavy compared to their size, a quality that gives them the stamina and strength to meet the demands of working cattle in all kinds of terrain.

“Hanging’ Tree cowdogs are known for their courage and tenacity and their ability to handle any kind of cattle. They are tough, fearless workers whose genetic instincts make them naturals at trailing, finding, and herding.

“Hangin’ Tree cowdogs are registered by the American Cowdog Association. Their registry is unique: The dogs must prove that they can and will hit heads and heels before they can receive their registration papers. They must also have slick or short hair. In order to register the dog with the American Cowdog Association, the dog’s owner must send a video or photos showing the dogs clearly hitting the heads and heels of stock. Such proof ensures that the breed remains pure and will perform flawlessly as expected time and time again.

“Hangin’ Tree stockdogs are a tremendous asset in any ranching operation. For example, one of the jobs a cattleman has to do regularly is ride through his stock and check for illness or injuries. Without trained stockdogs, checking 200 head of cattle might take half a day and several men just to get the job done, and generally the cattle are going to be moving and uneasy all the time. But, by using well-trained stockdogs, that same bunch of 200 cattle can be gathered and held against a fence while one person rides through and checks and doctors the cattle. The herd will remain calm and quiet when gathered and held by the stockdog.”

Charlie Trayer in Texas raises and sells the cowdog and the other ones I know about are Scott Allison and Wes Marquis in Montana.

You can reach the breed association by clicking HERE