The Majestic Tree Hound is a coonhound. The breed's creation is fairly recent, with the first one registered with the AKC in 1980. 

History

The creation of this breed is very recent, but the stem stock goes clear back to medieval northern France and the hounds of St. Hubert. The motives of this breed's creators were much the same as those who sponsor the American Blue Gascon Hound. These hunters wanted to save the large, cold-nosed, methodical working hound as a type in America, but the Majestic Tree Hound's forebear was the working Bloodhound. Big game hounds of the old Bloodhound/Talbot/St. Hubert type inhabited American soil for many years, and these were crossed with a variety of other hounds for coldtrailing work. The Majestic people say they crossed these Bloodhounds with "western big-game hounds." These dogs may have been of the Gascon type like the Old Line dogs or even strains from those long ago Porcelaines that went west with the Rousseau family. Lee Newhart, Jr., and several others created the National Majestic Tree Hound Association in 1980, and registered the first hounds in that year. 

Appearance and Size

These are big hounds with males averaging over 100 pounds. They have the long, low-set earage (with a minimum length specified), heavy flew and dewlap of their ancestors from the Ardennes. They carry more excess skin in general than the American Blue Gascon, and are noteworthy for their abundant flew and dewlap, as well as facial wrinkles. 

Personality

This is an extremely good-natured and affectionate hound, accepting equally both praise and correction. He is not quarrelsome with his fellows and has a noble and dignified expression. 

Wikipedia and GNU

The content of this entry is from the Wikipedia article "Majestic Tree Hound" licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.