Wild Dog / War Dog

This entry gathers the ordinary dogs that share human roads and wild country. Wild dogs are lean, wolfish scavengers a little smaller than a true wolf, their coats and markings varying from place to place; some look part jackal. They run in packs led by a dominant male, hunting small game and only troubling people or livestock in lean, hungry seasons. War dogs are their bred cousins, heavy mastiffs and wolfhounds with keen noses and ears, kept as guards, hunters, herders, and battle-companions. Most are steady-tempered and will not bite without cause, yet a trained war dog is a formidable defender. Both make loyal allies once tamed; wild pups raised away from the pack bond as readily as any kennel-born hound.