Wolves and Dogs (Canids)
There are 35 species of canines. Wild canids are found on every continent, except Antarctica, and inhabit a wide range of different habitats, including deserts, mountains, forests, and grassland. They vary in size from the Fennec fox at 1-2ft in length, to the Grey wolf, which may be up to 7-8ft long, and can weigh up to 180 lbs. Some times solitary, they can also run in packs of over 20 individuals.
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Grey Wolf (Canis lupus)
 Wolf - mike_905 - flickrcc
When someone mentions wolves this is usually the species that comes to mind. They are found in the northern, colder regions of the northern hemisphere continents. They are carnivores eating a wide range of other animals. Wolves are, of course, an excellent choice as hunter pets.
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Frostworg
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Artic Wolf (Canis lupus arctos) Wolf - Cloudtail - clickrcc
This northern-most representative of the wolf family is, in fact, a white color phase of the Grey Wolf that has become a recognized sub-species.
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I am keeping these guys in the wolf family and think they resemble the Red Wolf best. |
Red Wolf (Canis rufus)
 Red Wolf (Canis rufus) - ucumari - flickrcc
These guys are one of the most endangered wolf species. In 1980 they were proclaimed extinct in the wild and through captive-breeding-to-release programs a small population has been reestablished in the wild and is being closely monitored.
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Dire Wolf
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Dire Wolves (Canis dirus)
Dire wolves are an extinct species of wolf that lived 10,000 years ago and became extinct along with a lot of other mega-fauna (big-ass animals) Dire wolves were larger than wolves today.
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Blighthound or Plaguehound
Aside from getting the basics of dog shapes and movements and abilities, there really aren't any real world equivalents I can come up with . They are cool looking and I was glad to be able to tame them in Wrath (and more in Cata.) This guy became the dog I use for my hunters.
Foxes
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Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes)
These guys are found all over the world and have arguably the largest distribution for any land mammal (tied with Grey Wolf.) They are primarily carnivores but will eat fruit, earthworms, and insects when available. There are 23 species and their cunning reputation is tied to their resourceful nature.
fun fact: female foxes are called vixen. |
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Arctic Fox (vulpes lagopus)
 Arctic Fox - dibytes - flickrcc
The arctic fox is an incredibly hardy animal that can survive frigid Arctic temperatures as low as –58°F (-50°C). When the seasons change, the fox's coat turns as well, adopting a brown or gray appearance that provides cover among the summer tundra's rocks and plants.
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Mastiff
A fun addition to the game, these guys were well set up as the faithful companions to their humans. |
Domestic dog
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* it was a little hard finding a pic for these guys since a lot of the good pics were from breeder sites and there are plenty of rescues and homeless dogs needing homes. You can get a pure bred dog from the pound or breed specific rescues.
Pugs
Sometimes it's the little things that make you smile and giving theses guys out for relentless pugs was a nice reward. |
Pugs
The Pug is well described by the phrase "multum in parvo" which means "a lot of dog in a small space."
Pugs were prized possessions of the Emperors of China. 
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Corehounds
I'm putting these guys in the with the dogs and wolves because they, like, have dog heads and, you know, are called hounds. Seemed to make the most sense.
