He’s also intelligent and likes to make his own decisions, which can make him stubborn and difficult to train. This translates into a dog that can run all day without getting tired. He’s a working dog, which makes him energetic, free-thinking, and strong-willed… oh, and did we mention he has a strong prey drive? So, if a noisy dog would sit badly with the neighbours, then perhaps a Mountain Feist isn’t for you!Īgain, when considering taking on a Mountain Feist, it’s helpful to consider what this dog was bred for. It’s of a similar vintage to the word “cur” meaning a crossbred dog that’s a jack-of-all-trades.
Feist is an old word meaning a small noisy dog. Character & TemperamentĪre you wondering if a Mountain Feist is the dog for you? It may help you decision making to understand where the word “feist” derives from. Their coat is short and smooth, but can come in any number of a combination of colours, including white, light brown, and black. As suited to an active working dog, they have a muzzle of good proportions for breathing. They have powerful hindquarters (think of climbing trees!) and overall are very muscular. These are a small, compact terrier-type dogs, which are longer than they are tall. If you think the dog might be a Jack Russell but doesn’t look “quite right”, then he may well be a Mountain Feist. The Mountain Feist isn’t difficult to recognise as he looks a lot like a Jack Russell or Rat Terrier. As recently as February 2015 the Mountain Feist had a breed standard drawn up by the United Kennel Club, which should help ensure the survival of this unique character moving forward into the 21st century. But in the last half of the century they have fallen out of favour – not through any fault of the dogs but because of people’s changing lifestyles.
As time passed, the appearance of the Mountain Feist stabilised. In addition, the mish-mash that is the feist, was mixed with bloodlines, such as the Greyhound, for extra speed, along with native breeds, such as the Rat Terrier for added toughness. The latter already had flourishing lines of highly effective small hunting dogs, such as the Jack Russell Terrier, Smooth Fox Terrier, Manchester Terrier, and the now extinct White English Terrier. What are the origins of this breed? Their bloodlines are descended from the many types of terriers that accompanied early migrants from England. Indeed, they are mentioned in the diary of George Washington, whilst Abraham Lincoln included them in a poem. Such was the Mountain Feists influence that they accompanied the first settlers as both companions and hunters. The Mountain Feist was also partial to chasing squirrels, hence their reputation for climbing trees and their other name of the Treeing Feist. With a strong instinct to hunt and track they excelled at keeping down vermin, such as rats and mice, but also rabbits, raccoons, and opossums. These small dogs were tough characters that thrived on the outdoor lifestyle.
In Southern America in particular, especially the Ozark Mountains and Southern Appalachian Mountains, the Mountain Feist was to be found by the heel of most people that were scratching a living from the land. Go back half a century and he was all the rage. The Mountain Feist could be considered a ‘vintage dog’. However, having achieved a recognised breed status in 2015, they now have a degree of protection to maintain their status and appearance. Now a rarer sight, you’re more likely to come across his close relatives – Jack Russell Terriers or Manchester Terriers than the Mountain Feist. A roughy-toughy low maintenance dog, he was once a common sight amongst small holders in early settlers in the US. He’s a dog with a strong prey drive and a need to be very active. Indeed, you’d be forgiven for mistaking him for a Rat Terrier or Jack Russell Terrier, as he has much in common with these dogs. So, what type of dog is the feist? He’s a small, active, working dog that shares much in common with the groups of terriers to which he owes his heritage. The Mountain Feist is one of those slightly confusing breeds that is a ‘type’ of dog rather than a specific dog breed…only to complicate matters further this ‘type’ has received official recognition making it into a breed.
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