meet the...Mountain Feist
Breed Summary
Breed Group Group 6: Terrier Breeds
Sub-group 6-A: Large Terriers
Origin Country United States
Weight Males: 12-30 pounds. Females: 12-30 pounds.
Height Males: 10-18 inches. Females: 10-18 inches.
Other Name(s) Feist, Ozark Feist
Breed Type Pure
click here for FULL BREED STANDARD
Origins
Feists are a family of dogs developed in the Southeastern United States from old-time hunting dogs brought over by German and Irish immigrants. Hunters in their truest form, these dogs are unspoiled by the gleam of conformation shows or celebrity fads and kept by those who still use them for their original purpose: hunting and companionship. The word feist is of German origin from the word fice, or fyst, meaning “to stink” or a “foul smell.” How these dogs have come to be known as such is believed to be due to their early name of fisting or fysting curres, which meant “stinking dog.”
These little dogs were developed for several purposes, including hunting, pest eradication, and companionship. Today, there are several different types, or breeds, of feist. Within each breed, there are several strains or bloodlines. Dedicated hunters and breeders keep dogs that are true to their original purpose and have little regard for appearances. Therefore, there can be many variations within a single feist breed.
Dogs accompanied settlers as they spanned westward from the East and from the South. Many settled in the area of the Ozarks and Southern Appalachian Mountains. Accompanied by their dogs, the settlers were able to eke out a way of living, assisted by dogs. While hounds and curs were used to hunt and bay large game, such as wild hog, the smaller dogs were used to hunt small game, such as rabbit and squirrel. These little dogs were also great at keeping the homestead free from disease-carrying pests. These dogs have been bred throughout the Ozarks and Appalachians for generations, eventually becoming known as Mountain Feists. Unlike many terrier breeds today that haven’t been hunted for generations, the vast majority of feists are produced only for the purpose of hunting. As a result, several prominent feist strains result from tedious breeding regimes that bred only the best hunting dogs. The feists were used in developing the Teddy Roosevelt Terrier and the Rat Terrier breeds.Breed Characteristics
Head: Mesaticephalic skull type, moderate in size, wedge-shaped, and in proportion to the rest of the body. The head is well-muscled without being coarse or bulky. The topskull is broad, approximately as broad (measured across the top in front of the ears) as long (from stop to occiput). In profile, the skull may be flat or slightly arched. The head is clean-cut and without excess skin or wrinkles.
Eyes: Moderate in size, oval to almond in shape, and amber to dark brown in color. The eye rims are well-fitted and well-pigmented. The eyes are never bulging. There should be sufficient bone in the surrounding orbital sockets to protect the eyes.
Ears: Little importance is paid to the ears so long as the dog can hear functionally. Ears may range from small to medium in size, are set high on the skull at the outer edges, and may be erect, semi-erect, drop, rose, or mismatched. The ears are never long, overly large, or broken. Floppy hound-type ears are neither uncommon nor incorrect but give more of a cur appearance and, therefore, are less desirable. They are also prone to a higher incidence of ear infections and injury. Cropped ears are not correct for feists.
Muzzle: The muzzle is strong, full, deep, and broad. It is tapered from a broad base to a slightly narrower nose. The plane, or bridge of the muzzle, is straight or slightly sloped to follow the general taper of the muzzle. Upper and lower jaws are well-developed, approximately equal in length, have good bone substance, and are never snipey or weak.
Nose: The nose is well-pigmented, black, or self-colored, according to the coat. The nostrils are well-opened.
Neck: Moderate length to allow for proud head carriage and strongly muscled with a slight arch. The neck tapers smoothly from the deeper and broader body toward the head. The neck is clean-cut and without excess skin, throatiness, or dewlap.
Chest: Deep and broad but never wider than deep. The brisket extends to the point of the elbows.
Body: The body is agile and strongly muscled, with good substance and moderate bone. It is well put together and capable of agility, speed, endurance, and stamina. Compact, solid, and of good substance, the body is never racy or refined. The width at the forequarters is approximately equal to the width at the hindquarters.
Feet: Oval to round and compact, with well-arched toes and tough pads.
Tail: Set either high or low on the croup, always as a natural extension of the topline. It is thick at the base and tapering toward the tip. The tail is carried in accordance with the dog’s mood and energy level but never tucked. The tail may be left natural (preferred) or docked short. Natural tails are of a medium to long length, with the tip of the last vertebrae extending to the hock joints when held down. The tail may be straight, gently curved, sickle, or circled. Docked tails are cut short, usually between the 2nd and 3rd tail vertebrae.
Movement: The movement should be balanced, springy, lively, tireless, effortless, efficient, and energetic. The characteristics of a healthy structure are evident. When moving away, the forelegs and rear pasterns should remain parallel to one another. When viewing movement from the front, the forelegs should remain parallel, with elbows and paws moving neither in nor out. From the rear, the back pads should be visible when the rear legs are extended. As speed increases, the forelimbs and hindlimbs will converge to the centerline of gravity. From the side, the topline should remain firm and level. Good reach of movement in the front allows the forepaw to extend out in line with the nose. When extended, the width between the forefeet should be approximately equal to the width between the hindfeet when extended, indicating balance, good reach, and good drive. Dogs that exhibit any sign of breathing or locomotive difficulty shall be disqualified from the show ring.
Temperament: One of the last true hunting dogs, the Mountain Feist is instinctual and reliant on the senses of sight, sound, and scent. They are energetic and enjoy daily outings where they can exercise their senses and hone their hunting skills. They are notoriously silent when they have found a track. They also serve as excellent companions if provided enough exercise and sensory stimulation. Their high drive, energy, and instincts can make them less than perfect for every family setting, as the combination of boredom and high energy can often develop into problem behaviors. However, they can thrive in agility, flyball, and even small dog weight-pulling events in the right situation. Unlike terriers, they get along well with other dogs in their “pack” or family but can become quarrelsome with new dogs. They are also highly predatory towards small animals and pocket pets, so leaving them in a room together unsupervised is not recommended. They bond strongly with their families and are devoted companions. Any unprovoked aggressive or fearful behavior toward people is incorrect for this breed.
Breed Standard
BREED GROUP 6: Terrier Breeds
Proportions: The body is well put together, with sturdy substance and medium bone. Continental Kennel Club recognizes two size varieties of the Mountain Feist breed: the standard and the bench-legged. Standard The standard variety may range from somewhat off-square to slightly rectangular in proportions. Body length (measured from the prosternum to the point of the rump) is slightly greater than the height at the withers. The ideal body height-to-length ratio is between 10:9 and 5:4. The body is well-put together. The substance is sturdy and medium-boned. Bench-legged The bench-legged variety is rectangular in proportion, with the body being somewhat greater in length (measured from the point of the chest to the point of the rump) than in height at the withers. The ideal body height-to-length ratio is between 5:3 and 10:7. The weight of males or females is always in proportion to height.
Head
General Appearance: Mesaticephalic skull type, moderate in size, wedge-shaped, and in proportion to the rest of the body. The head is well-muscled without being coarse or bulky. The topskull is broad, approximately as broad (measured across the top in front of the ears) as long (from stop to occiput). In profile, the skull may be flat or slightly arched. The head is clean-cut and without excess skin or wrinkles.
Expression: Alert, watchful, intelligent, intense, and fiery.
Stop: The stop may range from slight to definite.
Skull: The ideal muzzle-to-skull ratio may range from 3:2 to 1:1, with the topskull being just longer than or equal to the muzzle.
The ideal muzzle-to-skull axis may be parallel or slightly convergent.
Muzzle: The muzzle is strong, full, deep, and broad. It is tapered from a broad base to a slightly narrower nose. The plane, or bridge of the muzzle, is straight or slightly sloped to follow the general taper of the muzzle. Upper and lower jaws are well-developed, approximately equal in length, have good bone substance, and are never snipey or weak.
Lips or Flews: The lips are clean and fit tightly over the teeth and jaws. They are never excessively loose or with pendulous flews.
Nose: The nose is well-pigmented, black, or self-colored, according to the coat. The nostrils are well-opened.
Cheeks: The cheeks may range from smoothly muscled to well-developed and well-muscled.
Dentition and Bite: Forty-two strong, clean, and white teeth. The bite may be level, scissor, or reverse-scissor. Contact must be made between the top and bottom incisors. Missing or broken teeth due to routine work are not to be penalized.
Eyes: Moderate in size, oval to almond in shape, and amber to dark brown in color. The eye rims are well-fitted and well-pigmented. The eyes are never bulging. There should be sufficient bone in the surrounding orbital sockets to protect the eyes.
Ears: Little importance is paid to the ears so long as the dog can hear functionally. Ears may range from small to medium in size, are set high on the skull at the outer edges, and may be erect, semi-erect, drop, rose, or mismatched. The ears are never long, overly large, or broken. Floppy hound-type ears are neither uncommon nor incorrect but give more of a cur appearance and, therefore, are less desirable. They are also prone to a higher incidence of ear infections and injury. Cropped ears are not correct for feists.
Body and Tail
General Description: The body is agile and strongly muscled, with good substance and moderate bone. It is well put together and capable of agility, speed, endurance, and stamina. Compact, solid, and of good substance, the body is never racy or refined. The width at the forequarters is approximately equal to the width at the hindquarters.
Neck: Moderate length to allow for proud head carriage and strongly muscled with a slight arch. The neck tapers smoothly from the deeper and broader body toward the head. The neck is clean-cut and without excess skin, throatiness, or dewlap.
Chest: Deep and broad but never wider than deep. The brisket extends to the point of the elbows.
Topline: Level from slightly prominent withers to croup. The back is broad, strongly muscled, and straight, yet supple. The loin is taut, flat, level, or slightly arched, yet supportive. The back is never swayed or roached.
Croup: Flat and level with the back or gently sloped.
Underline: A slight tuck-up is present. The underline is taut and firm, without any indication of sagging or excess weight.
Ribs: Long, well-sprung, well-laid-back, and oval-shaped, never barrel-chested or slab-sided.
Tail: Set either high or low on the croup, always as a natural extension of the topline. It is thick at the base and tapering toward the tip. The tail is carried in accordance with the dog’s mood and energy level but never tucked. The tail may be left natural (preferred) or docked short. Natural tails are of a medium to long length, with the tip of the last vertebrae extending to the hock joints when held down. The tail may be straight, gently curved, sickle, or circled. Docked tails are cut short, usually between the 2nd and 3rd tail vertebrae.
Forequarters and Hindquarters
Forequarters: The forequarters are always in balance with the hindquarters and well-angulated with well-laid-back shoulder blades. The shoulder blades are approximately equal in length to the upper arm and forearm.
Elbows: The elbows are close to the body. The distance from the withers to the brisket may be equal to, or just greater than, the distance from the elbows to the ground.
Forelegs: Frontal View: Straight, of good muscle, of moderate bone, and parallel to one another.
Side View: The forelimbs appear straight with strong pasterns.
Pasterns: Never weak or broken.
Hindquarters: The upper and lower thighs are equal in length, strong, sturdy, of moderate bone, and well-muscled.
Rear View: When viewed from the rear, the rear pasterns are parallel to one another.
Side View: Good angulation will allow the rear toes to align with the point of the rump or within one to two paw-lengths behind the point of the rump, with the rear pasterns remaining perpendicular to the ground and parallel to one another.
Stifle Joint: Well-angulated, with a good bend to well-let-down rear pasterns.
Angulations: The angulation of the hindquarters is always in balance with the angulation of the forequarters.
Feet: Oval to round and compact, with well-arched toes and tough pads.
Coat
Skin: Well-fitted, yet supple. The skin should never obstruct the outline of the dog.
Coat Type: The Mountain Feist comes in three coat varieties: the smooth, the rough, and the broken.
Smooth coat variety: Short, close, smooth, dense, weather-resistant outer coat. The soft, protective, dense undercoat may or may not be present. The coat should be no more than one inch in length. The coat is short, smooth, and close to the body throughout. The texture is soft, glossy, and with or without undercoat. If an undercoat is present, the coat will be slightly longer on the neck (forming a light ruff) and on the tail. No fringe or feather is permissible.
Rough-coat variety: The coat is uniformly harsh, dense, and wiry. It is never soft or silky.
Broken-coat variety: The coat length is intermediate in length and texture between the rough and the smooth. The body coat may be somewhat smooth with a harsher texture, and the head may have rough furnishings. A slight ridge of rough hair may be present on the back.
Coat Color or Pattern: All coat colors and patterns are equally permissible. Large patches or amounts of white indicating homogenous merle genotype/phenotype are undesirable.
Movement
The movement should be balanced, springy, lively, tireless, effortless, efficient, and energetic. The characteristics of a healthy structure are evident. When moving away, the forelegs and rear pasterns should remain parallel to one another. When viewing movement from the front, the forelegs should remain parallel, with elbows and paws moving neither in nor out. From the rear, the back pads should be visible when the rear legs are extended. As speed increases, the forelimbs and hindlimbs will converge to the centerline of gravity. From the side, the topline should remain firm and level. Good reach of movement in the front allows the forepaw to extend out in line with the nose. When extended, the width between the forefeet should be approximately equal to the width between the hindfeet when extended, indicating balance, good reach, and good drive. Dogs that exhibit any sign of breathing or locomotive difficulty shall be disqualified from the show ring.
Temperament
One of the last true hunting dogs, the Mountain Feist is instinctual and reliant on the senses of sight, sound, and scent. They are energetic and enjoy daily outings where they can exercise their senses and hone their hunting skills. They are notoriously silent when they have found a track. They also serve as excellent companions if provided enough exercise and sensory stimulation. Their high drive, energy, and instincts can make them less than perfect for every family setting, as the combination of boredom and high energy can often develop into problem behaviors. However, they can thrive in agility, flyball, and even small dog weight-pulling events in the right situation. Unlike terriers, they get along well with other dogs in their “pack” or family but can become quarrelsome with new dogs. They are also highly predatory towards small animals and pocket pets, so leaving them in a room together unsupervised is not recommended. They bond strongly with their families and are devoted companions. Any unprovoked aggressive or fearful behavior toward people is incorrect for this breed.
Faults
All dogs should be in proper healthy condition, free from disease or defect. Any departure from this description is considered a fault. Unless altered, all male dogs should have two fully descended testicles.
