This is a ball and socket joint problem where the joint doesn’t function smoothly and the grinding of the bone leads to pain and arthritis for your pet. Hip Dysplasia is such a common dog illness that it always bears mentioning. He is energetic, curious and alert and above all he wants the attention of his human family.Ī Feist is a robust dog who doesn’t have any particular health issues, and with good care he can reach 18 years of age if looked after well. As with any other dog, training and socialization will be important for him so that he is obedient. Intelligent and alert, the Feist is a dog that will respond well to training. Some Feist owners prefer the look of a docked tail and then docking is between the second and third joint of the tail. He is a sturdy dog with a medium length tail which he holds up. Perhaps because of so many genes being involved with this dog, it is more easily identified because of its hunting abilities. The coat of the dog is available in a variety of colors but they are essentially a bi-colored dog such as red and white, tan and white, black and white, while solid colors are fawn, white, light brown, black and brindle too. Standing at about 46cm to 56cm in height and weighing in the region of 10 to 15kg, the Feist is a short haired dog that doesn’t shed much and he is not hypoallergenic. This accounts for the various types of Mountain Feist Dogs. This is why in different regions you will find Mountain Feist with attributes of the Curs, or the Elkhounds, the Terriers, Spitz or Coonhounds.

On the other hand, dogs in the regions where the Mountain Feist was isolated were crossed with them to give them the tree climbing ability, change their size, sharpen their senses or one particular sense and change their appearance. Until the last decade or so the breed was fairly isolated among squirrel hunters and there was little cross breeding with other dogs. There is a lot of variation of make up and type within the breed itself.

There coats come in a variety of colors including blue, black, white, red and brown with the brown being the most common. The Mountain Feist tail is bushy, high and erect. The neck is strong, and they have a pretty deep chest. They have small, dark eyes, a black nose and a muzzle that is medium length and a round skull. Their hind legs are strong to support that activity as well. With their sharp nails that are curved they can climb. The Mountain Feist is a medium sized dog with pointy ears that are long and fold over. Other breed organizations include the National Cur & Feist Breeder’s Association, The National Feist Breeder’s Association, The American Treeing Feist Association, and the Shadowtails Outdoors Group. The breed was recognized by the United Kennel Club (UKC) in 2015, but not by the AKC or American Kennel Club. The breed make good hunting dogs, watch dogs and companions. It is a loud, barky dog that needs to learn a “no bark” command or it may drive you crazy. This is an energetic working dog, curious, intelligent and alert. Other varieties of the feist include the Bench Legged Feist and the Pencil-tail Feist. They hunt racoons, squirrel and rabbits among others. The Mountain Feist of today has been bred for hunting performance over generations of time. Many others think the feist is not a breed but a type, a working dog which can vary individual to individual.

The breed was originally a cross between British terriers and hounds from Native Americans.

The Feist was developed in the South, the rural areas, in order to hunt and eliminate vermin and small prey animals. The name Feist means a noisy, small dog in ancient languages. These dogs, much like the Curs, were an important part of the early pioneer days in America. For Washington it was his diary, Lincoln the poem “The Bear Hunt” and Faulkner “Go Down Moses”. George Washington, Abraham Lincoln and William Faulkner all featured the breed in their writings. The breed dates back centuries and looks very much like a Jack Russell or rat terrier. It is the Ozarks and Southern Appalachia that the Mountain Fiest calls his ancestral home. In the Southern portion of North America, the Mountain Feist was developed.

Feist breed of dog