Qualifications:

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• Qualifying dogs will be listed on the Hangin’ Tree Cowdog website as a “Supreme Hangin’ Tree Cowdog”, highly recommended for breeding.

• Will be given a special registration certificate.

• Will be listed on certificates of offspring.

• Must be permanently registered dog. Male or female. No age limit.

• Dog must be DNA profiled, with results before showing.

• $50 fee. If applicant does not qualify he/she loses application fee. They can reapply but must pay fee again. Limit 3 tries per day. No limit on number of times each dog can be applied.

• Three Board of Directors must be present to approve dog.

• Directors cannot approve their own dogs or any dog they are handling or a family members dog.

• Qualifying sessions will be determined by directors.

  • By request, other qualifying sessions to be determined by Board of Directors.

  • Several members wanting to qualify their dogs need to apply to the association and a place and time will be set up.

• The size of pastures must be approved by directors. If going to unfamiliar land possibly an updated google picture, ahead of time, must be submitted so judges have an idea of layout.

• Cattle should weight 400+ lbs. and be dog broke, not spoiled or fighting.

• Must have good fences, no other cattle across the fence before or during task.

• Handler can walk the pasture with his dog ahead of time, if he would like.

• No electric collars.

• Dog must show it has manners and obedience.

• Dog must obey the following commands when given:

  • Come

  • Down or stop

  • Release from what he is doing (“That’ll do” or whatever the dog has been taught)

  • Come behind or heel

  • Load up – Whatever he is told to load up on truck, trailer, bale of hay, feed bunk

  • Get along with other dogs, not be looking for trouble

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• Dog must hunt, find, gather, and bring out at least 5 head of cattle in brushy or hilly trap where the dog cannot see cattle from where he or she is sent. If there is wind dog can be sent into prevailing wind. No help.

• Time limit will be decided by Board of Directors judging the session by size and difficulty of pastures being used.

• When sending dog to fetch or hunt, handler can only move in a 30-foot radius from a given spot.

• Dog must prove it can handle and fetch cattle in a controlled manner.

• Dog must prove it can drive cattle away from itself in a controlled manner.

• Handler cannot go out to help or use another dog to help gather and control cattle.

• Handler can give commands.