Talk:Legendary Beasts/@comment-169.241.28.80-20120228201446/@comment-4911331-20120229130853

No, they are not Dogs.

Raikou = In regards to physical build, Raikou is based on the Smilodon fatalis, a well-known but extinct species of wildcat often referred to as a saber-toothed tiger. (Sabor-Toothed Tiger = Big Cat)

Entei = Entei is based on Chinese guardian lions, or Lions of Foo, creatures that resemble fully grown male lions. (Lion = Big Cat)

Suicune = The spots of Suicune are also significant, seeming to combine the spots of a leopard, taking homage from Fujin, the Shinto god of The North Wind, who wears leopard skin; also some species of leopards are found in Asia and are featured in myths that show it is a widely respected sacred animal like the Qilin. (Leopard = Big Cat)