Many settled the area of the Ozarks and Southern Appalachian Mountains. Dedicated hunters and breeders keep dogs that are true to the original purpose, and have little regard for appearances, therefore, there can be much variation within a single feist breed.ĭogs accompanied settlers as they spanned westward from the East and from the South. Within each breed there are several strains or bloodlines. Today, there are several different types, or breeds, of feist. These little dogs were developed to serve several purposes, including hunting, pest eradication, 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.” Hunters in their truest form, unspoiled by the gleam of conformation shows or celebrity fad, they are bred and kept by those who still use them for their original purpose: hunting and companionship.
Click here for FULL BREED STANDARD Originsįeists are a family of dogs developed in the Southeastern United States from old-time hunting dogs brought over by German and Irish immigrants.
