Feist (dog breed)

(Redirected from Feist (dog)) Dog crossbreed

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
Find sources: "Feist" dog breed – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (February 2022) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

Dog breed

Feist
Atomic Flash, an example of a feist dog
Other names	Treeing Feist, Treeing Terrier, Ratting Terrier, Rat Terrier
Origin	United States
Dog (domestic dog)

A feist is a small hunting dog. This group descended from the terriers brought over to the United States by British miners and other immigrants. These terriers probably included crosses between the Smooth Fox Terrier, the Manchester Terrier, and the now-extinct English White Terrier. These dogs were used as ratters, and gambling on their prowess in killing rats was a favorite hobby of their owners. Some of these dogs have been crossed with Greyhounds, Whippets or Italian Greyhounds (for speed), and Beagles or other hounds (for hunting ability) – extending the family to include a larger variety of purpose than the original ratter, or Rat Terrier.

Description

Feists are small to medium-sized dogs 10 to 18 in (25 to 46 cm) tall, and weigh 15 to 30 lb (6.8 to 14 kg), short-coated dogs with long legs. The ears are set high on the head and are button, erect, or short hang. The tail can be natural, bobtail, or docked. As feists are bred for hunting, not as show dogs, little to no consistency is seen in appearance (breed type), and they may be purebred, crossbred, or mixed-breed dogs. They are identified more by the way they hunt and their size than by their appearance. Similar looking and behaving cross breed dogs are Lurchers, albeit somewhat larger.

Individual dogs can hunt in more than one way, but in general, feists work above ground to chase small prey, especially squirrels. This contrasts with terriers or Dachshunds, earth dogs that go to ground to kill or drive out the prey, usually rodents, rabbits, foxes, or badgers. Most feists have an extreme drive to chase rabbits, along with squirrels and other rodents.

When hunting, feists, unlike hounds, are mostly silent on track until they tree a squirrel. They locate squirrels using their eyes, ears, and nose, then tree them barking loudly and circling the tree, in the same manner that a coonhound trees raccoons. When they have treed a squirrel, they chase the squirrel until it leaves their sight. During the chase, they wade through streams, leap over logs, and dash across roads to get to their prey. Leashing these dogs in the presence of squirrels is advisable. Although they put up a furious chase, feists rarely catch squirrels; they typically expect their owners to shoot them.

Various named varieties within the feist type have been developed, including the Mountain Feists, which includes the Baldwin Feist, Buckley Feist, DenMark Feist, Galla Creek Feist, Kemmer Feist, Lost Creek Feist, Sport-bred Feist, and Thornburg Feist. The Treeing Feists include the Atomic Feist, Barger Feist, Black Mouth Cur, Boggs Creek Feist, Original Cajun Squirrel Dog, Charlie Feist, Fleming Creek Squirrel Dog, Hickory Grounds Feist, Horse Creek Feist, Hurley Comb's-bred Feist, Mountain Cur, Mullins Feist, Redwood Feist, Riverun Feist, Shaderidge, and Rat Terrier.

Etymology

The word "feist" is described in Webster's Third New International Dictionary as from the obsolete word "fysting", meaning "breaking wind, in such expressions as fysting dog or fysting hound". Feist is defined as "1. chiefly dial: a small dog of uncertain ancestry..."

The word feisty – "energetic, belligerent, esp. if small" – is derived from the dog, which is small and energetic.

History

The feist is not a new type of dog. Written accounts of the dogs go back centuries, with several spelling variations seen. George Washington referred to them in his diary in 1770 when describing a dog as "a small foist-looking yellow cur". Abraham Lincoln wrote about the "fice" dog in his poem, "The Bear Hunt". William Faulkner mentions the "fice dog" in The Sound and the Fury, but uses the spelling "fyce" in the stories "Was" and "The Bear" from the collection Go Down, Moses: "a brave fyce dog is killed by a bear". In her 1938 novel The Yearling, author Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings uses the spelling of "feice" to refer to this dog. Claude Shumate, who wrote about the feist for Full Cry magazine, believed that the feist was descended from Native American dogs, mixed with small terriers from Britain, and was kept as early as the 17th century (Full Cry, December, 1987). The breed was popularized by President Teddy Roosevelt, who frequently hunted with a feist named Skip, belonging to his son Archie, and a Manchester Terrier named Jack, belonging to his son Kermit. See Teddy Roosevelt Terrier.

Similar breeds

Similar dogs are the Smooth and Wire Fox Terriers, originally developed to flush out foxes for hunters in England (but now primarily kept for conformation showing and as pets), and the Jack Russell Terrier, used for ratting. Fox Terriers and feists are often predominantly white so as to be visible to hunters. Many other variants of this type exist, such as the Russell Terrier, Parson Russell Terrier and Rat Terrier, with many locally developed purebred dog breeds. The original fox terrier type was documented in England in the 18th century.

Mountain Feist and Jack Russell Terriers

Because of similarities in appearance, Mountain Feists are sometimes mistaken for Jack Russell Terriers, particularly in shelters and dog pounds. However, certain physical characteristics separate the two, and can be easy to identify to the trained eye. The coat of a feist is generally softer and smoother than that of a rough-coated Jack Russell. Its legs are longer and the tail of a Mountain Feist is usually shorter than that of a Jack Russell.

Despite some physical similarities, however, the behavior and temperament of a Mountain Feist and a Jack Russell are often quite different. Most feists are fairly quiet dogs, and lack the tendency toward excessive barking demonstrated by some Jack Russells and other hunting dogs. Jack Russells also tend to be more combative. Finally, while active, most Mountain Feists do not generally exhibit the frenetic energy of Jack Russells.

Some Mountain Feist bloodlines were indeed bred down from Jack Russell Terriers, crossing most likely with treeing dogs, such as Treeing Walker Hounds. Jack Russell traits often remain visible despite this crossbreeding. These descendants usually are mostly white in color with brown or black around the head and neck, with tall stand up, or button ears. These dogs usually hunt in packs in the Appalachian and Ozark Mountains. They use their eyes and ears exceptionally well.

Feist and Rat Terrier

Crossing of feist dogs has occurred since they are bred primarily for performance as hunting dogs. Despite considerable confusion, Mountain Feist or Treeing Feist dogs are their own unique breed. Where Rat Terriers are considered a specific breed within the feist type. Because the word "feist" refers to a general type of dog just as "hound" and "terrier" refer to a group of breeds, Rat Terriers are still often called "feists". The terriers brought to the U.S. in the 1890s from England were crossed with feist dogs already there, in addition to some of the toy breeds (Toy Fox Terrier, Manchester Terrier, and Chihuahua), resulting in a smaller feist-type dog with a more uniform appearance.

References

"Founders Online: Remarks & Occurans. in Mar. [1770]". founders.archives.gov. Retrieved 28 April 2023.
Lincoln, Abraham; Logan, Herschel; Petty, C.; Harvey, G.; Forgue, Norman W. (1982). The Bear Hunt. United States: Black Cat Press.
Lincoln, Abraham (1991). The Poems of Abraham Lincoln. Little Books of American Wisdom. Applewood Books. ISBN 9781557091338.
"Mountain Feist Official UKC Breed Standard". United Kennel Club. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
"NKC Breed standards for the Feist". National Kennel Club. 17 February 2022. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
"Rat Terrier". United Kennel Club.

External links

American Treeing Feist Association
Breed standards at nationalkennelclub.com
UKC Treeing Feist Standard (2004) (archived)
Feist dog trees a panther (early 1800s) Archived 10 August 2010 at the Wayback Machine

v t e Cur-type hunting dogs
Black Mouth Cur Blue Lacy Carolina Dog Catahoula Leopard Dog Feist Florida Brown Dog a/k/a Florida Cracker Cur Longdog Lurcher Mountain Cur Mountain Feist Stephens Stock Treeing Cur Treeing Tennessee Brindle

v t e Dogs
Types	African village dog Free-ranging dog Pye-dog Street dog Hairless dog Herding dog Collie Livestock guardian dog Sheep dog Hunting dog Cur Feist Lurcher Gun dog Pointer Retriever Setter Spaniel Water dog Hound Scenthound Basset Coonhound Foxhound Sighthound Longdog Terrier Bull-type terrier Pinscher Schnauzer Mastiff Bulldog Spitz Husky Laika Tugou Toy dog Bichon Turnspit dog
Breeds	List of breeds List of crossbreeds Mixed-breed dog Crossbreed Extinct breeds Most popular
Roles	Assistance dog Autism dog Guide dog Hearing dog Medical response dog Seizure dog Mobility assistance dog Therapy dog Psychiatric assistance dog Attack dog Bay dog Carriage dog Catch dog Companion dog Detection dog Fighting dog Guard dog Lap dog Meat dog Mercy dog Police dog usage by country Search and rescue dog Sled dog War dog
Behavior	Communication Barking Body language Howling Intelligence Dog–cat relationship
Human–dog interaction	Animal testing Baiting Breed-specific legislation Cynanthropy Dog bite Dog daycare Dog fighting Dog food dog biscuit 2007 recalls Dog grooming Dogs in religion Dogs in space Dog licence Dog meat Dog park Dog show Dog theft Dog sports Dog walking Fear of dogs Human–canine bond Origin of the domestic dog Therapy
Health	Aging (List of longest-living dogs) Anatomy Breeding Coat Conformation Diseases Dog food Odor Rabies in animals Rage syndrome Reproduction Skin disorders Vaccination
Training	Clicker Crate training Housebreaking Socialization
Related	Domesticated silver fox List of individual dogs List of fictional dogs Lists of dogs
Category Portal

v t e Dogs originating in the United States
Extant	Alapaha Blue Blood Bulldog Alaskan husky Alaskan Klee Kai Alaskan Malamute American Bulldog American Bully American Cocker Spaniel American English Coonhound American Eskimo Dog American Foxhound American Hairless Terrier American Leopard Hound American Pit Bull Terrier American Staffordshire Terrier American Staghound American Water Spaniel Australian Shepherd Black and Tan Coonhound Black Mouth Cur Blue Lacy Bluetick Coonhound Boston Terrier Boykin Spaniel Carolina Dog Catahoula Leopard Dog Chesapeake Bay Retriever Chinook English Shepherd Feist Florida Brown Dog a/k/a Florida Cracker Cur Mackenzie River husky Majestic Tree Hound McNab Miniature American Shepherd Mountain Cur Mountain Feist Olde English Bulldogge Plott Hound Rat Terrier Redbone Coonhound Silken Windhound Stephens Stock Teddy Roosevelt Terrier Toy Fox Terrier Toy Manchester Terrier Treeing Cur Treeing Feist Treeing Tennessee Brindle Treeing Walker Coonhound Trigg Hound White Shepherd
Extinct	Hare Indian Dog Hawaiian Poi Dog Salish Wool Dog
Types: Coonhound • Cur • Feist

Terriers

Working breeds

Long-legged

Airedale Terrier Bedlington Terrier Border Terrier Ca Rater Mallorquí Chilean Terrier Irish Terrier Jagdterrier Kerry Blue Terrier Lakeland Terrier Manchester Terrier Old English Terrier Parson Russell Terrier Patterdale Terrier Plummer Terrier Ratonero Bodeguero Andaluz Ratonero Murciano Smooth Fox Terrier Soft-coated Wheaten Terrier Terrier Brasileiro Valencian Terrier Villanuco de Las Encartaciones Welsh Terrier Wire Fox Terrier
Pinschers	Affenpinscher Austrian Pinscher Danish–Swedish Farmdog Dobermann German Pinscher Miniature Pinscher
Schnauzers	Giant Schnauzer Miniature Schnauzer Standard Schnauzer
Other	Black Russian Terrier Dutch Smoushond

Short-legged

Cur-type hunting breeds

Bull-type breeds

Toy breeds

Miscellaneous

Extinct breeds

Types: Bull-type terriers (and Pit bulls), Feists, Fell Terriers, Fox Terriers, Pinschers, Schnauzers, Working terrier

v t e Hounds
Scenthounds	Alpine Dachsbracke American Foxhound Anglo-Français de Petite Vénerie Ariégeois Artois Hound Austrian Black and Tan Hound Basset Artésien Normand Basset Bleu de Gascogne Basset Fauve de Bretagne Basset Hound Bavarian Mountain Hound Beagle Beagle-Harrier Billy Black and Tan Coonhound Bloodhound Bluetick Coonhound Bosnian Broken-haired Hound Briquet de Provence Briquet Griffon Vendéen Bruno Jura Hound Chien Français Blanc et Noir Chien Français Blanc et Orange Chien Français Tricolore Colombian Fino Hound Dachshund Drever Dunker English Coonhound English Foxhound Erbi Txakur Estonian Hound Finnish Hound Florida Brown Dog a/k/a Florida Cracker Cur Gascon Saintongeois German Hound Grand Anglo-Français Blanc et Noir Grand Anglo-Français Blanc et Orange Grand Anglo-Français Tricolore Grand Basset Griffon Vendéen Grand Bleu de Gascogne Grand Griffon Vendéen Greek Harehound Griffon Bleu de Gascogne Griffon Fauve de Bretagne Griffon Nivernais Halden Hound Hamiltonstövare Hanover Hound Harrier Hygen Hound Istrian Coarse-haired Hound Istrian Shorthaired Hound Kerry Beagle Liangshan Dog Lithuanian Hound Montenegrin Mountain Hound Otterhound Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen Petit Bleu de Gascogne Plott Hound Poitevin Polish Hound Polish Hunting Dog Porcelaine Posavac Hound Rastreador Brasileiro Redbone Coonhound Sabueso Español Schillerstövare Schweizer Laufhund Schweizerischer Niederlaufhund Segugio dell'Appennino Segugio Italiano Segugio Maremmano Serbian Hound Serbian Tricolour Hound Slovenský Kopov Smalandstõvare Styrian Coarse-Haired Hound Tarsus çatalburun Transylvanian Hound Treeing Walker Coonhound Trigg Hound Tyrolean Hound Valdueza Welsh Foxhound West Country Harrier Westphalian Dachsbracke
Sighthounds	Afghan Hound American Staghound Azawakh Bakhmull Banjara Hound Borzoi Chippiparai Chortai Galgo Español Greyhound Hortaya borzaya Irish Wolfhound Italian Greyhound Kaikadi Kangaroo dog Kanni Kombai Levriero Sardo Longdog Magyar agár Mahratta Hound Mudhol Hound Polish Greyhound Rajapalayam Rampur Greyhound Saluki Scottish Deerhound Silken Windhound Sloughi Taigan Whippet Xigou
Cur-type hunting breeds	Black Mouth Cur Blue Lacy Catahoula Leopard Dog Feist Lurcher Mountain Cur Mountain Feist Stephens Stock Treeing Cur Treeing Tennessee Brindle
Miscellaneous	American Leopard Hound Basenji Cirneco dell'Etna Cretan Hound Haofa Tangkhul Hui Ibizan Hound Maneto Pampas Deerhound Pharaoh Hound Phu Quoc Ridgeback Podenco Andaluz Podenco Canario Portuguese Podengo Rhodesian Ridgeback Thai Ridgeback Xarnego Valenciano Xiasi Dog
Extinct	Buckhound Celtic Hound Chien-gris Dumfriesshire Black and Tan Foxhound Grand Fauve de Bretagne King's White Hound Laconian Limer Norman Hound North Country Beagle Old Croatian Sighthound Potsdam Greyhound Rache Sleuth hound Southern Hound Staghound Talbot Hound
Types: Anglo-French hounds, Bassets, Coonhounds, Feists, Lurchers

Categories:

Misplaced Pages