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Arguably the most impressive trait of the toehound (Canis Animol) is its intelligence. Members of this species have learned to operate Hooman-made devices such as music boxes and understand specific and complex commands. This aspect of toehounds has led to them becoming a very popular pet in /who/.
Toehounds are typically adopted by aging or weak-bodied Hoojisan whose Hooties have earned their first feathers and have entered the workforce. Toehounds help to fill the void by both serving as a companion while the rest of the family is away and generally helping them around the house. Toehounds are easy for Hoomans to train and they are easily able to move chairs (wheeled or otherwise) and similar-sized furniture and be able to tell the difference between various kitchen utensils and fetch whichever one the Hoojisan asks for. Many Hooman households have doors whose knobs can be gripped and turned by a toehound to make it easier for them to get around, but most of these do not give the restroom doors the same type of knob for the sake of privacy. External doors also refrain from this type of knob, this time for safety reasons.
You see, toehounds absolutely detest the smell of tar. The reason isn't entirely known, but tar specifically is hated by toehounds to the point where being able to smell a boiling cauldron makes them go into a bit of a frenzy. It is for this reason that houses in /who/ almost always have spacious yards enclosed by fences too deep for the hounds to quickly dig beneath and too tall for them to jump or climb over. All Hoomans who own a toehounds are legally expected to be aware of any execution notices so that they can put their hounds out in the yard when it happens to avoid needless harm to individuals or damage to furniture (if the house lacks such a yard, one of the owners is expected to take the toehound beyond the town's ordinance for the duration). The one exception to this practice is Canashi, a place that gets the critters in on the fun. In this town, a toehound gets locked in a fryer cell with the bound criminal so that the criminal will have some company while a cauldron of tar is heated to the boiling point just outside the window.
Toehounds' violent desperation to get away from boiling tar (and tar in general) is so well known that it's a bit of an urban legend that they got their name from one of them biting off a Femhooman's foot in a tar-induced fit of madness. Historians and animal experts both doubt the veracity of this tale and posit that the name came from their method of herding livestock.
Although seen by the urban population as pets who are very helpful around the house but need their walkies to avoid getting noisy and nippy, toehounds' original use is as shepherds. Though smaller than most sheepdogs, they prove themselves to be effective at herding cattle and other livestock by nipping at their heels and having surprisingly loud barks. These barks also help alert ranchers of any predators or other intruders. Toehounds certainly can't fend off wolves or owlbears, but you can be certain they'll be able to let their owners on the other side of the ranch know something is horribly wrong. The farm environment is also very helpful in that it lets them blow off their energy. Toehounds are quite active beasts and ones kept as pets can get a bit restless if they don't get the chance to go on walks.
Non-Hoomans not familiar with their classification are likely curious as to whether toehounds are dogs or their own species. This was actually the topic of frequent debate during the days of the early and middle of the Owl Republic before an experiment to crossbreed them with dogs resulted in sterile litters. This practice is generally frowned upon as toehounds have engraved themselves in the public consciousness as the informal "national land mammal" of /who/.
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Well, that's done. Now I just need to figure out an acceptable genus name for ants that nest in wood, have stingers with venom as strong as a bullet ant, and swarm anyone who disrupts them and I'll be on track to finally wrapping up /who/ specbio!
