Pet Health And Care >> Dog Breed >> Feist Dog

Feist Dog Breed, Characteristics, Appearance and Information

The feist dog is a small hunting dog, which is found in small numbers in the rural parts of North America, especially the southern states of USA.

These are very small dogs, which may stand lower than 45 cm. They weigh at an average of 13 kg. Though these dogs are small, they have long legs and a smooth short coat. The tail is usually docked soon after birth.

The tail is otherwise a natural bobtail.

A feist dog is typically bred to hunt and is not for show; therefore, there are no strict standards for appearance of the dog. There may be no consistency in terms of color, shape, size, and appearance of the dog. They may be pure bred or even crossbred, and it does not make a different so long as they can hunt well.

Hence, for all purposes, a feist dog is identified by the way it hunts and not by the way it appears or carries itself.

Typically, a feist would have a pointed nose that provides it a very characteristic appearance. Their ears also have a typical appearance, set high on the head. The feist dog breed has a typical way of hunting, and though an individual feist dog can have several different methods of hunting, they always work above ground when in packs. They chase small prey and are extremely good with squirrels and similarly-sized prey.

Feist dogs are very quiet when they are hunting, unlike most hounds that bark, howl, and wail when they are hunting. They are very silent on their track and are real predators. They may chase squirrels into their trees, keeping them trapped there till their owner comes and catches them. In this, they are rather similar to coonhounds.

The feist dog is, however, fast reducing in numbers. There are a variety of similar dogs that have come up in the recent years, making the feist dog an umbrella breed. The feist dog breed has now many different similar breeds such as the mountain feist dog breed. The Jack Russell terrier and the smooth fox terrier are also a lot like the feist dog. However, these dogs are not related to the feist. They are similar in terms of overall appearance and hunting style.

The treeing feist dog, as it is often called due to its method of hunting, is an excellent hunting companion. It can also be used to eradicate vermin from the house and therefore, has remained popular in the rural areas, especially near farms.

Submitted on September 5, 2011