Jump to content
BC Boards

Border Collie x Hanging Tree


Recommended Posts

Hi all,

 

Hope this is the right place for this. Apologies if not. I have a 4 month old Border Collie crossed with Hanging Tree cowdog puppy. I am so curious to know what he will look like as an adult but I can't find any photos of the combination specifically. He is already 33 pounds which is bigger then I expected. If anyone has the same mix and has photos to share I would really love to see them!

 

Thanks so much

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hangin Tree Cow Dogs are a composite breed originated by Gary Ericsson and his son Choc, from Border Collie, Aussie (one Aussie, Gary's Hangin Tree Black Bear), Kelpie, and Catahoula. They must be short-haired and must show that they have instinct to work stock to be registered. In my experience, they are about Border Collie sized, tend to be a bit blockier in body and head with impressive muscling when fit, tough and aggressive but also intelligent and friendly to people, and stand up to heat and hard jobs.

 

My guess is that your dog will be within the normal range for a Border Collie in size but, from the sounds of him already, on the larger size, possibly even more so because he may have hybrid vigor, depending on his sire and dam. Short coats tend to be dominant over rough coats so he could have a short or rough coat but you should already be able to see that.

 

I liked most every one of them I have met, as long as they were nicely socialized and handled firmly but kindly. But you could say that about many breeds of dogs, couldn't you?

 

Best wishes with him.

 

PS - If Nicole Rhodes is on here, or if you know her through FB, you might talk to her. She is one person that I know who has worked with multiple breeds of dogs, including HTCD and Border Collies.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks so much! Lots of information there. I really appreciate your response. Yes, he has a short coat, longer on the back. His siblings all had the bright blue eyes and more patchy coats, and most of the ones I have seen online looked more like that. I have attached a photo but the quality isn't great. Thanks again!

post-20822-0-53938400-1523399818_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have a breeding papered ht. And actually I crossed him to two of my best working bitches to try to get a couple more like him. That's tickman. Tick is very easy going round people. However a very strong dog on stock, but useful. His pups are all pretty strong but more diplomatic on stock. Except one a bitch I kept, Rikki. I also kept 4 of the diplomatic ones. I crossed them only because of my work and also hybrid vigour. Tick is out of NR bitch, Queen.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What a neat cross! I work as a Vet Tech and we have a client that breeds Hangin Tree Cowdogs. His dogs favor the Border Collie more and are wonderful to work on in the vet office. Very mellow and tolerant. He uses them to herd his cattle (he is a dairy farmer) and they are workaholics. I'm so glad to see your boy has a tail!! My only complaint about the Hangin Trees is that they have their tails docked. I've always thought if there was one that didn't want to work cattle it would make an awesome obedience/agility/anything else you wanted to do, type of dog. Only I like tails!!! I hope you have plenty for your boy to do!!! :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't know how to respond directly to a post, but Tea, do you have any photos or your dogs? You say your dog Tick is very easy going around people. Does that mean less so around other dogs? My puppy loves to play really rough! He likes other dogs alot but is just quite rough. I am constantly having to pull him off and see if the other puppy or dog is into it. I was sort of curious if that was characteristic of the breed or maybe just his personality. His littermates poked out the eye of an adult dog while playing!

 

Aschlemm - yah I like his tail! It is really long though. The farm where I got him said he was the laziest one of the litter which is why I got him as I don't intend for him to work or anything. He isn't very lazy but he is quite calm. As he is mostly a companion dog, I am going to start him in agility so that he doesn't get bored! He definitely likes having lots to do :P He quite likes the vet office.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Oh also the Vet told me the other day that he was going to be over 60 pounds by her estimation. I want to make sure I am feeding him the right amount of food (I have always seen it calculated by estimated adult weight) , but that seems higher then both border collies and the HTC. Does the upper end for BC include over 60 pounds?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't worry too much about recommended amounts of food for dogs or puppies. I feed based on the condition of the dog or pup at the moment.

 

Puppies should remain lean; being roly-poly really isn't healthy for them, nor is encouraging too fast growth. So I like to be easily able to feel ribs and a bit of backbone. If they start getting too thin, then increase the amount of food. If it's hard to feel those bones or you have to apply pressure to feel them then cut back.

 

BTW, there's really no way to reply to specific posts here. What you did by addressing individuals you wanted to respond to was perfect.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Tick gets along with everyone, dogs and people. His pups are the same. Tick has a docked tail which was done before I got him. None of his pups have tails docked, as I do not dock tails.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

OK here is a daughter I kept, by tick out of trout. I am having trouble attaching files. Tick has a video on the boards somewhere.

post-8684-0-51481300-1523918097_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hm, I wouldn't have anything against owning a pup like you describe Tick has produced. I know you use your dogs on free range stock don't you? In the annual round up we often have to work sheep that don't know dogs (or worse, know bad dogs...).

Not very realistic though, importing would probably be prohibitively expensive, even assuming you had available and were willing to sell...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

its really hard to fly dogs for me. and i am breeding only for my own work which i know, and i guarantee my dogs and at a distance this becomes harder too. my reason for breeding tick was to try to get another similar to him but with a tad more diplomacy. but tick is for the range cattle and his pups are pretty strong. rikki is very strong.

 

now dogs like jake or trout abca reg border collies work on range sheep and cattle, they are easier, just simply because their feel allows them to make choices out of my sight which are good choices. dogs like tick i use in my sight, often i am on a horse. but he is a dog i use when i have something tough.

his pups are what 16 months.....we shall see about them.

 

i also need good feet and tolerance to heat and cold.

and another thing that is tricky, at least imho is not sensitive of very loud noises.

 

i like dogs to get along with each other as i sometimes use more than one.

 

i have done one other outcross with good results, that was jake to molly, molly an unreg ranch bitch. those are doing very well on ranches and one i believe is going to nationals in nursery, i believe will have to check.,

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the photos Tea! Lovely dogs! I didn't realize they could have long hair. Such pretty markings on Tick. The daughter's colouring looks very much like my dog.

 

GentleLake, That feeding suggestion is really helpful, thanks! I'll stop worrying about food quantities and just check his body. He loves to eat.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You know the hangin tree folks don't like the length of tick's fur. It is supposed to be slick.

But the cows do not notice his fur much.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...