Dune Loper

Well, this is a dune loper, a dog-like creature that has evolved to cope with the harsh Ares environment (desert-like) from dogs brought on the sleeper ships from Earth. Now, it's kinda hard to tell from this picture, but the dune lopers are huge! Their heads would probably be in line with a grown man's shoulder (for an average sized one anyway, some of them get even bigger).

Here's some info I came up with for them -
Name: Dune Loper

Physical Characteristics: Due to their existence on the open landscape of Ares these dog creatures have developed large, spread paws for walking on the sand, large ears for heat loss that can be folded right down onto the head when the weather becomes cold. They also have fur, to keep them warm in cold weather & to stop them burning in the sun.

Compared to the dogs they originated from, these ones are now much larger in order to hunt down the large prey found on Ares. They have thick necks, large jaws & very powerful muscles in the head & neck, giving them a massive bite force. The muscles in their legs and a huge lung capacity allow them to travel vast distances without tiring. They also have large tails & when the weather is cold they can curl up & insulate themselves.

Diet These dog creatures hunt the large species of prey found natively on Ares (Braath, Drequine [link] etc.) but will also hunter smaller animals if food is scarce.

Fur colours Usually rusty/sandy coloured, but can come in white, black, brown, grey and blonde.

Behaviour/Intelligence: They hunt in co-ordinated packs and seem to show a fairly high level of intelligence. In each pack there is an alpha pair, then the largest of the group becomes the 'rule inforcer' or Beta. They seem to show compassion towards the members of their packs, if one gets injured the other members are more likely to look after them - bring them food, try to keep the wounds clean etc.

Domestication: There have been a few noted cases of dune loper domestication; with the creatures being used primarily for protection & hunting. They are very loyal once tamed.

The other canine species that has evolved is the Skankhound [link]