Wire Haired Fox Terrier vs Mountain Feist - Breed Comparison

Wire Haired Fox Terrier vs Mountain Feist - Breed ComparisonMountain Feist is originated from United States but Wire Haired Fox Terrier is originated from United Kingdom. Mountain Feist may grow 18 cm / 8 inches higher than Wire Haired Fox Terrier. Mountain Feist may weigh 45 kg / 100 pounds more than Wire Haired Fox Terrier. Mountain Feist may live 4 years more than Wire Haired Fox Terrier. Both Mountain Feist and Wire Haired Fox Terrier has almost same litter size. Mountain Feist requires Low Maintenance. But Wire Haired Fox Terrier requires Moderate Maintenance

Basic Information

Group:
Miscellaneous dogs
Terrier dog
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United States
United Kingdom
Height Male:
26 - 56 cm
10 - 23 inches
33 - 38 cm
12 - 15 inches
Height Female:
23 - 55 cm
9 - 22 inches
33 - 38 cm
12 - 15 inches
Weight Male:
24 - 54 kg
52 - 120 pounds
6 - 9 kg
13 - 20 pounds
Weight Female:
22 - 52 kg
48 - 115 pounds
6 - 9 kg
13 - 20 pounds
Life Span:
12 - 18 Years
12 - 14 Years
Litter Size:
5 - 8
4 - 6
Size:
Medium
Medium
Other Names:
Treeing Feist • American Treeing Feist • American Feist • Mountain Terrier
Wire Fox Terrier
Colors Available:
black, white, blue, Brown
White, tan and black
Coat:
smooth, short
Medium length, wiry
Shedding:
Moderate
Minimal
Temperament:
Alert, Energetic, Friendly, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Protective, Responsive, Social, Stubborn
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Courageous, Curious, Energetic, Friendly, Gentle, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Protective, Quiet, Responsive, Social, Stubborn, Sweet, Territorial
Grooming:
Low Maintenance
Moderate Maintenance
Trainability:
Moderate
Easy
Hypoallergenic:
No
No
Kids Friendly:
Yes
Yes
New Owners Friendly:
Yes
Yes

History

mountain feistIn the Southern portion of North America, the Mountain Feist was developed. It is the Ozarks and Southern Appalachia that the Mountain Fiest calls his ancestral home. The breed dates back centuries and looks very much like a Jack Russell or rat terrier. George Washington, Abraham Lincoln and William Faulkner all featured the breed in their writings. For Washington it was his diary, Lincoln the poem “The Bear Hunt” and Faulkner “Go Down Moses”. These dogs, much like the Curs, were an important part of the early pioneer days in America.

The name Feist means a noisy, small dog in ancient languages. The Feist was developed in the South, the rural areas, in order to hunt and eliminate vermin and small prey animals. The breed was originally a cross between British terriers and hounds from Native Americans. Many others think the feist is not a breed but a type, a working dog which can vary individual to individual.

The Mountain Feist of today has been bred for hunting performance over generations of time. They hunt racoons, squirrel and rabbits among others. They can track even larger game. Other varieties of the feist include the Bench Legged Feist and the Pencil-tail Feist. This is an energetic working dog, curious, intelligent and alert. It is a loud, barky dog that needs to learn a “no bark” command or it may drive you crazy. The breed make good hunting dogs, watch dogs and companions.

The breed was recognized by the United Kennel Club (UKC) in 2015, but not by the AKC or American Kennel Club. Other breed organizations include the National Cur & Feist Breeder’s Association, The National Feist Breeder’s Association, The American Treeing Feist Association, and the Shadowtails Outdoors Group.

wire haired fox terrierThe Wire Haired Fox Terrier originates in England, and it is thought that the dog developed from the white English Terrier being crossed with the Bull Terrier and maybe even the Beagle.

The hunting crowd wanted a dog that was small enough to disappear down a hole to flush out a fox.

Even though the Wire Haired Fox Terrier used to be a pet of Queen Victoria as well as King Edward VII, it only became popular as a family pet in the 1930s.

Description

mountain feist puppy - descriptionThe Mountain Feist is a medium sized dog with pointy ears that are long and fold over. With their sharp nails that are curved they can climb. Their hind legs are strong to support that activity as well. They have small, dark eyes, a black nose and a muzzle that is medium length and a round skull. The neck is strong, and they have a pretty deep chest. The Mountain Feist tail is bushy, high and erect. There coats come in a variety of colors including blue, black, white, red and brown with the brown being the most common.

There is a lot of variation of make up and type within the breed itself. Until the last decade or so the breed was fairly isolated among squirrel hunters and there was little cross breeding with other dogs. On the other hand, dogs in the regions where the Mountain Feist was isolated were crossed with them to give them the tree climbing ability, change their size, sharpen their senses or one particular sense and change their appearance.

This is why in different regions you will find Mountain Feist with attributes of the Curs, or the Elkhounds, the Terriers, Spitz or Coonhounds. This accounts for the various types of Mountain Feist Dogs.

wire haired fox terrier puppy - descriptionThe Wirehaired Fox Terrier is a medium-sized dog, standing at between 33 and 38cm in height and weighing between 6 and 9 kg.

The face is fairly long and he has semi-erect, semi-floppy ears and the high set tail is usually docked. The double coat is wiry, curly and coarse and is essentially white with tan or black markings. White is always the predominant color of the Wire Haired Fox Terrier.

Temperament:

This little dog is cheerful, cheeky, playful, feisty, lovable and full of the joys of life. He is also strong-willed and independent.

He makes a great playmate for kids and loves being in the company of his human family. He will get on well with other pets in the family too.

He is intelligent which means you can have him easily trained and socialized and the kids will love to teach him some tricks too. He is a high energy dog and will require a good dose of exercise.

He’ll become stressed and frustrated if he doesn't get the exercise he needs.

Characteristics

Children friendliness

mountain feist dog - characteristicsYes, they very much enjoy playing with children.

Special talents

Tree climbing and stamina.

Adaptability

They need space and land on which to run every day. If you are in an apartment, make sure you have access to a dog park.

Learning ability

They are very intelligent and learn quickly. They love to please but can also be stubborn.

wire haired fox terrier dog - characteristicsOne thing is for sure – when you bring a Wire Haired Fox Terrier into your home, you’re going to have a dog with endless energy. It is why they make such good pets when you’ve got kids in the house.

They like to please their owners and they respond well to training and socialization. They’re also brave and protective, making good watchdogs.

They’re loving, loyal and companionable, and there are plenty of stories about the loyalty of these dogs. Anyone who has had one of them as a pet will tell you what splendid dogs they are.

Health Problems

mountain feist puppies - health problemsLike most breeds that are isolated, the Mountain Feist does not have a lot of known genetic health issues. They are generally healthy and known to live as many as eighteen years. Perhaps the biggest threat to their lives is the hunting accident, harming joints or paws in hunting situations or being attacked by a larger animal. There are no real genetic threat. Of course, with any dog that has folded ears there is always the possibility of infection or allergies. Keep their ears clean. The other possible concern is hip dysplasia in such an active dog. This can lead to lameness or arthritis. Obesity is another concern that could also lead to hip dysplasia.

wire haired fox terrier puppies - health problemsThese robust little dogs can succumb to any one of the many common dog illnesses there are -

Epilepsy:

The Wirehaired Foxy is a healthy dog, but it is thought that Epilepsy could be a problem with this breed. Your spunky dog may seem a little bit confused before he falls to the floor lying on his side and twitching like he’s having a bad dream.

This is brought on by uncontrolled bursts of electrical activity in the dog’s brain. The seizure can last for a minute or so but even so, whether it is a twitch or violent shuddering, it can leave you shocked and disturbed.

He can sometimes even urinate during the seizure. It is imperative to get your pet to the vet who will know precisely how it can be controlled.

Dental Problems:

Dental disease is also a common problem with dogs and unfortunately, your Wire Haired Fox Terrier also battles with this. The problem starts with tartar build-up on the teeth and then it can cause infection of the gums and roots of the teeth.

Left unattended to, your pet could lose his teeth, and it jeopardizes your pet’s health as well.

Caring The Pet

Feeding the puppy

mountain feist dogs - caringThese are very active pups who need a high protein, high quality dry food. Feed a cup to a cup and half broken down into three meals daily. Do not overfeed your puppy.

Feeding the adult

Feed the adult about two cups a day broken into two meals. Again, you are looking for a high quality, high protein dry food. Do not overfeed and watch for obesity.

Games and Exercises

This is a very active breed – a hunting dog with a lot of stamina, strength and energy. They need plenty of exercise as the terrier side of them is just a little hyper. They need at least two walks per day, and they are not great apartment dogs. They need both mental and physical stimulation. This little dog can keep going at a good rate for a long time.

wire haired fox terrier dogs - caringGroom your pet. Brush twice weekly. Wire Haired Fox Terrier owners like to hand their pets in at professional groomers to have their hair cut short and made more manageable. The hair is kept quite long around the muzzle.

Check inside the ears that there are no signs of infection.

Trim the nails.

Exercise your pet every day.

Provide your pet with the best food there is. Always buy high quality food that can contribute to your pet’s health and which is suitable for his size, age and activity levels. The Wire Haired Fox Terrier is inclined to be a greedy dog and with a dog like this weight gain can slowly increase and can become a health problem.

Spay or Neuter. This is an excellent idea for your pet if you don’t want puppies. Not only that, spaying or neutering actually decreases the likelihood of your pet getting some types of cancer.

Provide your pet with his own dry, warm, quiet sleep area.

Comparison with other breeds

  1. Wire Haired Fox Terrier vs English Bulldog - Breed Comparison
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  8. Wire Haired Fox Terrier vs Yorkshire Terrier - Breed Comparison
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  10. Wire Haired Fox Terrier vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
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  26. Mountain Feist vs English Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  27. Mountain Feist vs German Shepherd - Breed Comparison
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  29. Mountain Feist vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  30. Mountain Feist vs West Highland White Terrier - Breed Comparison
  31. Mountain Feist vs French Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  32. Mountain Feist vs Beagle - Breed Comparison
  33. Mountain Feist vs Yorkshire Terrier - Breed Comparison
  34. Mountain Feist vs Poodle - Breed Comparison
  35. Mountain Feist vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  36. Mountain Feist vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  37. Mountain Feist vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  38. Mountain Feist vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  39. Mountain Feist vs Doberman Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  40. Mountain Feist vs American Bully - Breed Comparison
  41. Mountain Feist vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  42. Mountain Feist vs Affenpinscher - Breed Comparison
  43. Mountain Feist vs Afghan Hound - Breed Comparison
  44. Mountain Feist vs Aidi - Breed Comparison
  45. Mountain Feist vs Airedale Terrier - Breed Comparison
  46. Mountain Feist vs Akbash Dog - Breed Comparison
  47. Mountain Feist vs Akita - Breed Comparison
  48. Mountain Feist vs Africanis - Breed Comparison
  49. Mountain Feist vs Askal - Breed Comparison
  50. Mountain Feist vs Atlas Terrier - Breed Comparison