"Warhound" by Isabelle L Davis

A bit rough'n'ready, but then I did knock this out in about 2 hours...  Another beastie from Tymaera, the world where my stories and art are based!

Blurbage:
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Created through a breeding experiment commissioned by the Emperor himself, the Warhound is an invaluable addition to the ranks of the Imperial army. Huge, powerful, unrelenting and apparently immune to pain, they make perfect, obedient soldiers.

This nearly wasn't the case: the first pack to be bred was released into battle with disastrous results. It very quickly became apparent that whilst they had all the necessary fighting prowess, they lacked the rather important ability to know friend from foe and wrecked havoc upon all and sundry. The breed was all but abandoned until an enterprising wizard added magic to the mix, boosting their inbred, rudimentary intellect.

The magic in their blood leads to some physical mutations: spikes and unnaturally wide mouths being the most noticeable. Though many have unusual coat colours and markings, they are still often painted before battle and some of the more prized beasts (mostly the alphas of a pack) have armour crafter for them.

Outside of war, these dogs make terrible pets. They're equally bad for hunting since they tend to tear their prey apart, leaving nothing for trophies. Sometimes they're used for hunting down criminals (who aren't wanted alive), monsters or other dangerous beasts that have been sighted within the Empire. They are also used as guard dogs and can also be used as 'bodyguards' for those on the Empire's 'valuable' business (eg, tax collectors). For an extortionate price they can also be hired our (only if accompanied by their handlers) by travelling merchants.

As they were bred for the Imperial Army, Warhounds are not available to the general populace and it is a crime punishable by death for a commoner to own one. Amongst the nobility those who chose to breed them (at their own risk) use them as status symbols and have them fight their rivals' beasts for sport. However in times of war the nobility are expected to make their Warhounds available for their intended use; fighting alongside the imperial troops.