The Mountain Feist is a squirrel-hunting dog, bred almost entirely for performance rather than appearance. While some also hunt other small game such as racoon, rabbit or birds, their specialty is squirrel. Feists, as a group, were bred from hounds crossed with terriers for the purpose of being low-maintenance hunters and farm dogs that “pack a lot of punch” in a small package. These small, often vocal dogs are lively and energetic on the hunt. The Mountain Feist is derived from the Treeing Feist, and is a newly recognized breed to the UKC although is not recognized by any other large registry. They have been placed in the terrier group.
There is a lot of variation in the Mountain Feist breed, and one will notice differences between groups of dogs coming from different regions of the country. This is because these dogs are bred to a much looser standard, and unlike most purebred dogs, outcrossing to other breeds to get a superior hunting dog is an acceptable practice. Hunting ability is the most-prized outcome. While temperament can also differ from dog to dog, most Mountain Feist are affectionate, happy and loving towards their owners. They may be aloof and suspicious of strange humans.
The Mountain Feist, when inside, enjoys watching out the windows and alerting to the presence of both humans and animals (making him a good watchdog). An inborn chaser, he does not tend to do well with a family cat or other small pets. While he may play a game of ball, he is not the most playful of dogs as he much prefers sniffing, chasing and hunting. He is curious about the world around him, particularly in anything that has to do with… finding and chasing game.
Mountain Feist are energetic and need plenty of exercise. Ideally, he would be taken hunting on a regular basis, supplemented with long walks on days where no hunting is taking place (a bare minimum of an hour a day). As he doesn’t mind either hot or cold weather, he will demand to go out even when you might not want to! These active terriers stay energetic into their older years, and considering that they live on average 14-16 years, it is a big commitment to own one! Prospective owners should make sure they are both willing and able to provide as much exercise as is needed. Despite their small size, they are agile and quick so an owner must be in good physical health to keep up!
Mountain Feist are easy to groom and only need the occasional brushing. A once-a-week brushing session should be more than sufficient, and bathing only needs to happen occasionally. Keep in mind that although the coat is short and smooth, the breed is not hypoallergenic. While they were bred to be low-maintenance, this mainly has to do with grooming and doesn’t apply to other requirements such as exercise needs and space required. What can be considered low-maintenance for a hunter is not the same thing for the average pet owner. Unless the dog is taken out hunting regularly, they would probably be a horrible idea for someone living in an apartment.
The Mountain Feist is intelligent and easy to train as long as one is used to working with hunting breeds. This said, they can be stubborn and have a few challenging traits such as requiring extra work when it comes to off-leash training. Overall, however, they have plenty of energy and enthusiasm when given a job to do such as obedience, agility, or (of course) hunting. Like other high-intensity, highly active breeds, this energy must be channeled into training because if left untouched can make for a frustrating and destructive companion.
Mountain Feist are not recommended for novice dog owners for a number of reasons. First, their energy levels as mentioned above. Second, they can be protective of the people whom they know and love. Third, their high prey drive means that they must be kept in a fenced area or on a leash when out in public. If they see a squirrel in a park and aren’t confined to a leash, it is quite possible that they may climb a tree to get at it! This level of passion is not something that the average pet owner (let alone a novice 0wner) can usually handle.
The Mountain Feist can live in a family with children. They are sturdy enough to not be easily hurt and don’t tend to be as reactive or snappy with kids as other terrier breeds. This said, all children should be socialized with the dog and kids should never be allowed to tease or hurt the dog (as should be the case with any breed). They are also less scrappy than other terriers and can get along with most other dogs, so living in multi-dog households isn’t normally a problem.
