Mountain Feist

Feist-type dogs have long been a staple in the American South, yet there is limited documented history of them, largely because of the widespread illiteracy that existed in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. However, great figures throughout time have made notes of these dogs, often referred to in the past as "fice" or "fyce" dogs at the time, including George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, William Faulkner, who all referred to characteristics that have transcended time along with their name. This type of reference leads many to believe they were long established even before the first true written accounts, possibly as early as the 17th century. What does seem to be widely accepted is that, like the Curs of antiquity, Feists were largely bred to be a utility breed, able to help farmers and ranchers control rodent populations and hunt small game like rabbits and squirrels without creating excess maintenance in a field already overwhelmed with responsibility. The rest of their history is largely unknown, besides the fact that they were likely created by breeding European Terriers with native and imported scent hounds, the results showing in their excessive variety of colors and patterns, along with their two different types of ear structures. Although their relative the Treeing Feist was recognized by the United Kennel Club in 1998, the Mountain Feist was not recognized until 2015. Today, they are still often used for treeing squirrels and are still considered one of the most effective breeds for doing so, but have grown in popularity enough that they are just as often used as companion animals, if not more so.