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vees-strangeworld-omniverse · 6 months

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ARGONUS FAUNA: treehounds, domestic gray foxes + breeds

(NOTE: descriptions copy-pasted from DA where i normally/originally post my works. any context that is missing here on tumblr can be found on my DA [linked here and on pinned post] )

[this image is actually a recent addition to the roster of fauna, having been posted in july 2023.]

a collection of treehound breeds that i sketched whilst i was out in south carolina visiting family. my god, i have never been surrounded by SO MANY DOGS (four of them total, not including our own dog that we brought with us), which may or may not have been the real inspo for this piece.

so, anyways, i've already drew these guys a long while ago [tumblr post about them is here], but i'll gladly talk about it again.

these guys are treehounds, a domesticated variant (subspecies?) of the planet's gray fox , the smallest amerigian canid (though to us it's the size of a lion). they were one of many attempts by humans to get a dog analog back into their society, and of all the attempts these were (strangely), the most successful. they were one of only a handful of wild animals to have been tamed and domesticated exclusively by human, though their origins on their actual domestication had been lost to time. what is known, however, is that the first domesticated treehound originated from Western Coast Province, and that there were several environmental factors that could've played a role in the taming/domestication. there also exist a sort of local folk tale that explains their origin (but i'll leave that till the end).

anyway, fast forward to modern day, and there exist several breeds of treehounds, all having been bred with specific usages. let's just get into it.

AKIYOTE one of the least derived breed, yet simultaneously the most widely used by humans. the akiyote is considered the german shepherd of the treehounds; an intelligent and cunning breed, it's a jack-of-all-trades when it comes to the jobs it has. the akyote originally was created to be a guard fox. but, like the german shepherd, it is often most associated with human law enforcement; search-and-rescue, narcotic detection, tracking, pursuing criminals, etc.. it also is a widely used service animal, and especially with the physically and visually impaired. the akiyote is a relatively modest-sized breed; they come in varying hues of the typical gray & red colors their wild ancestors have, however they all consistently have a darker-colored head, back and tail tip. usually these dark spots are black in color, though in lighter-colored individuals it could present itself as a darker gray/silver. although a typically friendly and moderately active breed, the akyote needs to be well-socialized and well-train, as they're known to be aggressive towards strangers. however, once properly trained, they're considered an amazing and loyal breed.

SPECKLED RETRIEVER were the akiyote is a vulpine german shepherd, the speckled retriever is a labrador in a fox's body. much like the lab, they're a "gun-fox", having been initially bred to flush out, find and retrieve game (mainly birds and rabbits). however, like the akiyote, they're a VERY versatile breed; arguable much more than the akiyote. the speckled retriever had long been used in search-and-rescue, water rescues, and are popular as service animals. as a matter of fact, because of their relatively large size yet very calm and smart temperament, in the human world they are the poster child for service foxes; mobility assistance, guiding, seizure alerting, therapy, autism support, ect. sometimes they're often preferred over other treehound breeds when it comes to service animals. the speckled retriever is easily recognized for it's floppy ears, short fur, and a near-solid colored coat with a white underside and it's namesake "speckles" that run down it's back. they come in an assortment of colors; red (most popular), gray, silver, tan, chocolate, etc. like said, they are an intelligent yet very calm breed. in spite of their seemingly lithe frame, they're strong swimmers and love to swim just as much as they love to climb. their temperament and easy care makes them popular as family pets, as well as a good beginner breed for those who wish to own treehounds themselves.

RABBIT COLLIE a strange breed that is popular with freerunners who own ranches/farms, the rabbit collie is an unusual breed with an unusual history to it. you see, during the initial breed development, they weren't bred by humans, but rather initially bred by the elkinets who wanted to see how effective they were at pest control. this included breeding in wild gray fox DNA into them (similar to how the australian cattle dog is part-dingo), to add extra energy for hunting. however, once a few freerunners got their hands on them, they were then bred further to become not just pest control, but also effective herding foxes. they'd herd typical freerunner livestock like poultry, guinea pigs and rabbits; however, they also were great at flushing (and killing) pest like rats, mice and occasionally house sparrows. the rabbit collie gets its's name partly because of it's long, wiry hair which makes it's ears look longer than they really are. they're commonly very light in color; silver and light tan being the two main variations. they're one of the smartest breeds of treehound, however they are also a very active breed that needs lots of space and enrichment; not to mention the long fur, which sheds alot and requires quite the upkeep. this makes them the least beginner friendly, though in the correct hands/paws they can be just as good pets.

PANTHER PINSCHER the panther pinscher initially doesnt even look like a treehound or any known canine; as a matter of fact, it look more like a cat than anything else. but even still, this breed is not one to be messed with. the panther pinscher is a large breed that was used to fill the role of all the big, heavy working dogs. it's was bred to be used mainly as a guard/watch fox, protecting it's homes from intruders and trespassers. however, it's large size also allows it to do heavy lifting, by pull carts and carrying supplies in specialized harnesses. it's a symbol of strength and intimidation, which makes it a common mascot in many human schools. and one could not forget the controversial (and often illegal) practice of "fox-fighting", where much like pitbulls these guys were the forerunners of. this breed is well known for it's panther-like appearance (of which they're still debate as to whether this was intentional or not). it's size is more closer to the planet's red foxes (or to us more closer to a liger's size), making it the largest breed of treehound. it's short fur, short face and small ears give it that feline-like look, and only seems to come in solid colors (black, blue and white being common), sometimes having white spots on their legs, chest and tail tip. yet in spite of it's intimidating appearances and initial usages, it has became popular with many families. how? well, as it turns out its a surprisingly well-rounded breed in temperament and care; they're easy to train and easy to socialize, and are rather friendly animals towards children and other pets. if size and local laws on certain breeds isn't your problem when looking for great family pets, then a panther pinscher might just be for you.

TEACUP FOX the teacup fox is what one would consider the lovechild between a jack russel and a chihuahua in fox form; in direct contrary to the panther pischer, it's the smallest breed out there. the teacup fox was initially bred to be a kind of pest control; it's tiny sizes allow them to reach spaces that other vermin-hunting breeds couldn't. however, whilst it was effective at it's job, it's small size quickly made them a popular companion animal to those who do not have the space for any other breeds of treehounds. these breeds would later be classified as "minifoxes" of which the teacup fox would be the posterchild for. the teacup fox comes in many colors and coat lengths, however the main defining trait is it's size; it is no bigger than the planet's chihuahua or pomeranian (closer to a lab/golden retreiver), and it almost looks like a treehound kit itself. although considered an "apartment friendly" breed, it is still an active breed that needs proper exercise and enrichment. it is also a skittish breed, and while quick to bond with it's owner and other house members, they can be rather aloof with strangers. thus, whilst not a bad option, it's still a breed that needs some consideration.

BOBPUG the bobpug is also a minifox breed, just a little bit bigger than the teacup fox. of all the breed listed here, the bobpug had perhaps the simplest usage. this fox was bred purely for companionship. more specifically, it was bred to be as smart, calm and friendly as some of the larger treehound breeds, yet be small enough to fit in most homes. bassically, a miniature version of all the big guys listed above, minus size. this wasn't the first breed to have been bred for such reasons, but it's by far the most popular and well-known. they are often the second or third most popular breed to be used as service animals. the bobpug gets its name from it's short face and naturally short tail (believed to have been unintentional by the breeders). like the teacup fox, it comes in a wide variety of colors and coat lengths; some varieties also have floppy ears like the speckled retriever. however, it is slightly bigger than the teacup fox, and unlike the teacup fox is is a rather calm, smart, easily-trained, and overall a very well-rounded breed. although they get along great with most owners, they're popular with elderly people and families with young kids due to being smaller and more patient.

[tumblr note: this was going to contain a short story attached to the original deviantart post, but this one is already long enough so i'm gonna make a seperate post about that]

#planet argonus #argonus #domesticated #domestication #fox #gaurd dog #gray fox #grey fox #pet #pug #retriever #pet fox #speculative evolution #speculative biology #domestic fox #speculative zoology

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