Feist dog breed characteristics full#

It is a strong, brave hunter that works well solo or in packs, although it can be unfriendly with new and unfamiliar dogs. The Mountain Feist temperament is stable, bold, confident and very alert. These dogs are low maintenance for grooming and care.Ī weekly brush and the occasional bath should be sufficient if they don’t wind up overly muddy or stinky from hunting. The upside is that Feist dog shedding tends to be minimal due to their short coat and small stature. Unfortunately, the Feist dog is not one of them. No dog is completely hypoallergenic, but some are more allergy-friendly than others. Their coat may come in any color or any combination of colors.

However, floppy ears are generally undesirable because they are considered more prone to ear infections and injuries.įeist dogs are compact dogs with deep chests and short, smooth coats. Its head is considered broad and blocky, with short- to medium-sized ears.Įars can range widely from straight up to floppy. The body of the Feist is slightly longer than tall, with a straight, long tail. They are meant to be a hardy, well-muscled, working dog despite their tiny stature.

The Feist dog size is generally between 12 and 30 pounds and 12 and 18 inches tall. It’s believed that the Feist Terrier was used in the development of both the Teddy Roosevelt Terrier and rat terrier breeds. There are several different types of Feist dog today due to different bloodlines.įor example, the Mullins Feist and the Denmark Feist are two well-known lines of Feist dogs. These dogs continue to be bred with a focus on hunting skill and companionship.Īs appearance is not deemed important, it can vary widely throughout the breed.įeist dogs are sometimes called Treeing Feists because they are often used to tree squirrels, raccoons and other pests. They are however, registered with the Continental Kennel Club (CKC) as well as the United Kennel Club (UKC) as of February 2015. The Feist was the result of crossing hunting hounds with terriers.įeists have never been show dogs and are not registered with the American Kennel Club. The Feist dog was originally developed in rural areas of the southern region of the United States for hunting vermin and small game.Īlthough these dogs are now commonly companion dogs as well as hunters, they were originally bred simply to achieve a low-maintenance work dog. You can likely start to guess by the name how these dogs were historically viewed. However, it can also mean ill-tempered, troublesome or difficult.

Feist dog breed characteristics full#

This can mean spirited, full of animation, energy or courage. It is believed to trace back to the German word vīst or fist, meaning “fart.” This became a scornful word used for dogs in Old English. The word “Feist” actually comes from the 16th century. What is a Feist dog and where did it come from?ĭespite the shared named, the Feist dog has no linkage to the popular author Raymond Feist and was not named after him. Find more information about this active little dog in this guide.