Also known as the Treeing Feist, the Feist is and energetic and spunky breed. But how do you know whether you are ready to purchase a pet and if this breed is right for you? This information is absolutely necessary in making the decision to purchase a pet.
History
The origin of the Feist can be traced back to 16th century United States. Enthusiasts believe the Feist to have taken part in the creation of such breeds as the Rat Terrier, Toy Fox Terrier, Manchester Terrier, and the Chihuahua, though this has never been proven scientifically or otherwise.
Throughout its history, the Feist has been most commonly used for hunting, tracking, and flushing game such as fox and rabbit, and hunting and killing small vermin such as rats, proving its superior abilities to work while providing companionship.
Best known for its spunky and lively nature, the Feist is full of character. These dogs thrive on strong and dependable relationships with humans. This breed is highly intelligent and generally easy to train. As a pet, the Feist is obedient, loyal, loving, and affectionate. The Feist is not suited for full-time indoor or apartment living, as they enjoy spending time outdoors, playing games such as fetch and frisbee, and having plenty of room to roam, run, and play.
Train-ability
Due to its eagerness to please and impress its owner and willingness to learn, the Feist generally responds well to basic training and commands. These intelligent dogs have the ability to learn to perform most any task their trainer is willing to take the time to teach.
Establishing immediate dominance, trust, and respect is key to successfully training the Feist. This breed responds best to a confident, patient, and caring handler with a stern yet gentle approach to repetitive exercises and tasks.
Benefits and Disadvantages of the Breed
There are many benefits to owning a Feist, such as its no hassle, low maintenance coat. This active breed is always on the go, and often quite amusing and entertaining to watch while at play. The Feist is very bright, easy to train, and capable of learning to perform many impressive tricks and tasks. When properly socialized from a young age, the Feist gets along well with small children and other pets. These dogs are very alert, serving as effective watch dogs by announcing the arrival of guests and unwanted visitors. The Feist is obedient, loyal, loving, and affectionate, making an excellent hunting dog, family pet, and companion alike.
Unfortunately, there are also disadvantages to owning a Feist. These energetic and athletic dogs require large amounts of daily exercise and room to run and play outdoors. Anyone wishing to purchase this breed lacking the adequate amount of time and space to dedicate to the dog is strongly advised against doing so. A Feist not receiving the proper amount of exercise and space will often act out by destroying property, chewing, digging, barking, whining, and ignoring basic training such as housebreaking.
The Feist has a strong instinct to hunt and will occasionally indulge in a good chase. When on the run, these dogs are surprisingly quick, and may pose a threat to other animals, neighborhood pets, and small woodland creatures. These dogs must be leashed or properly secured at all times when outdoors.
For reasons unknown, the Feist is known for loving to dig, and is quite good at doing so. It is not unusual for this breed to dig a hole under a fence within the matter of only a few minutes. The Feist must be properly secured or supervised while outdoors.
As previously mentioned, the Feist remains rather rare outside of its native United States and can prove difficult to obtain. Individuals seeking to purchase this breed often encounter such challenges as inability to locate a breeder, high prices, and being placed on long waiting lists.
While the Feist is typically known as a healthy and hearty breed, they do suffer from a few health problems, including: patellar luxation – dislocation of the knee, congenital heart defects, hypothyroidism, cryptorchidism – failure of one or both of the testicles to fully descend, and various dental issues.
Now that you know all about the breed, do you think you are ready to own a Feist? Remember, purchasing a pet is a big decision and should be discussed thoroughly and seriously with your entire family.
