Feist (dog breed)

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Feist
Atomic Flash, an example of a feist dog
Other names	Treeing Feist, Treeing Terrier, Ratting Terrier, Rat Terrier
Origin	United States
Dog (domestic dog)

A feist is a small hunting dog. This group descended from the terriers brought over to the United States by British miners and other immigrants. These terriers probably included crosses between the Smooth Fox Terrier, the Manchester Terrier, and the now-extinct English White Terrier. These dogs were used as ratters, and gambling on their prowess in killing rats was a favorite hobby of their owners. Some of these dogs have been crossed with Greyhounds, Whippets or Italian Greyhounds (for speed), and Beagles or other hounds (for hunting ability) — extending the family to include a larger variety of purpose than the original ratter, or Rat Terrier.