Hanging Tree Cowdog - TOP 10 Interesting Facts

1) Ancestry
The Hangin Tree Cowdog was developed by Gary Ericsson and his son Choc. It was developed by crossing four breeds together – the Border Collie (3/8), Catahoula Leopard dog (1/8), Australian Kelpie (¼) and Australian Shepherd (¼). It is important to say, that only dogs that can be traced to the original stock of Gary Ericsson can be registered as pure Hangin Tree Cowdogs. So even if you own a mixture of the four original breeds, you should not call it as Hangin Tree Cowdog if it can not trace its ancestry back to the original dogs.

2) Name
The breed has unique and very unusual name. But the origin of the name is simple. They are named after the Hangin Tree Ranch in Texas USA, a ranch of Gary Ericsson.

3) Cattle dog
The idea behind creating the Hangin Tree Cowdog was to make the best possible cattle dog and indeed, this is extremely skilled working ranch dog. This breed is known for their courageous and tenacious nature which helps them to handle any kind of cattle. They are good at gathering, retrieving and herding. It is said, that the Hangin Tree Cowdog is ultimate cowboy’s dog. And all the dogs used in the breeding process were used for a good reason. The Border Collie for its intelligence and herding instincts. Catahoula for its power and ability to tail and find the cattle. The Kelpie was added for similar reasons. And lastly, only one Australian Shepherd was used. It was named Black Bear and it was extremely skilled herding dog that could manage any cattle. And the Hangin Tree Cowdog should ideally be a perfect combination of all four dogs.

4) Companion
But the Hangin Tree Cowdog was not only created to be a cattle dog, but also tobe a perfect family pet. And indeed, it is wonderful pet, but they are definitely not for everyone! It is mostly because of their desire to work and very high energy level. As a companion pet, this dog is only suitable for active people and families. Other than the high energy, this is absolutely loyal, obedient, easy to train dog with high intelligence, always playful and curious. Overall, this is very good companion dog.

5) Exercise
And it is absolutely crucial to provide these dogs with enough exercise. It can be long walks, hikes, jogs, vigorous playtime. They are very intelligent so they need some mental stimulation as well. You can train them new tricks or prepare some puzzle toys. These dogs are also great adepts for various dog sports, such as herding trials, agility, obedience or rally. They will definitely prefer to live in a house with big yard and they are not the best choice for apartment living. Proper exercise is just essential with this breed, without it, they can develop some problematic behaviour, such as excessive barking or destruction.

6) Size
This is medium sized dog with very strong and powerful body and with heavy bone structure. The average height is somewhere around 22 inch, which is 55 cm and weight between 40-55 lbs, which is 18-25 kg. Females are naturally slightly smaller than males.

7) Eyes
Just like its ancestors, the Border Collie, Catahoula dog and Aussie, even the Hangin Tree dog can have eyes in different colors. It is not uncommon for them to show heterochromia, which means they have each eye in different color. The typical colors are blue, brown, hazel and golden.

8) Coat and color
The Hangin Tree Cowdog has a short and slick hair, perfect for working all day long even in heat without any problems. The coat can have feathering around its chest and hind legs. And what about the color? Well, there is no limitation to it. These dogs can truly have almost any color you can think of. Merle and brindle colors are quite common. Black, brown and red colors, with or without tan markings are also very common.

9) Maintenance
Speaking of the coat, it is important to mention the grooming and maintenance as well. And luckily, it is extremely simple. Even without any grooming at all, these dogs will keep its coat in good condition. They do shed some deal of fur, but it is nothing terrible. You can brush their coat from time to time to remove any dead and loose hair and also to redistribute natural oils all over the coat. No other grooming is not needed. Just like with all dogs, you should also regularly check their eyes, ears, nails and teeth and clip them or clean them if needed.

10) Health
The Hangin Tree Cowdog is a hardy and usually extremely healthy dog breed. They are not linked with any serious genetic health issues, but of course, they can still suffer from time to time with some typical doggy issues, such as allergies, infections, some eye problems or joint problems. But typically, they remain healthy and active for a long time. And they usually have a long lifespan, which is typically around 15 years.