1. Lion
   Tiger
2. Cougar
   Leopard

Tigers are easily identifiable by the stripes that run across their fur. To add to their uniqueness, these large cats, weighing as much as 600 pounds, also have stripes that run across their skin.

1. German shepherd
   Labrador retriever
2. Greyhound
   Siberian husky

German shepherds were first bred in Germany by Max von Stephanitz at the end of the 19th century. He started the breed after realizing that shepherding dogs in Germany needed a standard to look to.

1. Polar bear
   Black bear
2. Brown bear
   Giant panda

Most people picture brown bears traveling around eating any flesh of meat they can get their hands on. However, these animals are actually omnivores, which means they also eat foods like nuts and berries.

1. Squirrel
   Chipmunk
2. Beaver
   Raccoon

Raccoons are quite fond of trees, but that doesn't mean these mammals are limited to forrest in rural areas. One of the most adaptable creatures in North America, raccoons can also be found in urban centers with a variety of climates.

1. Dachsund
   Basset hound
2. Poodle
   Border collie

There was a time when poodles weren't viewed as a dog of luxury but were instead used for hunting. To better help them accomplish this task, hunters would shave poodles to make swimming easier for them.

1. Ferret
   Hamster
2. Rabbit
   Mouse

Ferrets come in a variety of colors from white to silver to cinnamon. For the vast majority of ferrets that are domesticated, they cannot survive for more than a few days in the wild.

1. Ocelot
   Coyote
2. Mountain lion
   Bobcat

With the ability to take down prey much bigger than them, the bobcat can launch a leaping attack from 10 feet away. Prey has to always be on alert because bobcats are very elusive and use stealth to hunt.

1. Squirrel
   Rabbit
2. Chipmunk
   Prairie dog

Known for reproducing quickly, rabbits live in large groups. These groups are made up of males called bucks, females called does and baby rabbits referred to as kits. Many of these groups live in underground burrows.

1. Bulldog
   Beagle
2. Chow chow
   Pomeranian

Bulldogs had a violent beginning where they were bred in the United Kingdom to fight bulls. Recognized as a sport, this use for the bulldog was ended in 1835 after taking place for over six centuries.

1. Hyena
   Cheetah
2. Swift fox
   Lion

Lions are unique from many other large cat breeds in that they live in large groups known as prides. Prides typically consist of about 30 lions with around three males who compete for dominance over the group.

1. Squirrel
   Beaver
2. Porcupine
   Chipmunk

Beavers outrank most animals when it comes to changing their environment. By using their strong jaws, beavers gnaw through trees then use the wood to build dams where they will take up residence.

1. Hyena
   Prairie dog
2. Red fox
   Coyote

The red fox has ears that stand upright and not just for appearance. These ears are extremely powerful, giving the fox a keen sense of sound that allows them to hear both prey and predators from hundreds of yards away.

1. Black bear
   Polar bear
2. Sloth bear
   Giant panda

Found throughout the mountains of central China, giant pandas live among the bamboo forest of the country. These animals eat bamboo throughout most of the day, with 99 percent of their diet coming from this plant.

1. Cheetah
   Wolf
2. Hyena
   Gray fox

There are three species of hyena found in the world: the spotted hyena, brown hyena and striped hyena. Of these species, the most common as well as the largest of them is the spotted hyena.

1. Boxer
   Greyhound
2. Golden retriever
   Doberman

Boxers were first bred in Germany from an extinct group of dogs called bullenbeissers, which were used to hunt boars and bears. Eventually, smaller versions of these canines were bred as cattle dogs and eventually became the modern boxer.

1. Cheetah
   Leopard
2. Cougar
   Jaguar

Typically, leopards are a light color with dark spots covering their fur, but occasionally, leopards have a much darker color, appearing to be completely black. These leopards still have spots, but they're hard to see because of their dark fur.

1. Arctic fox
   Prairie dog
2. Wolf
   Doberman

Wolves are capable of releasing a piercing howl that will send shivers down your spine. These howls are one of the many ways these animals use to communicate with one another, as they prefer to live in packs.

1. Mouse
   Squirrel
2. Hamster
   Chipmunk

Though controversial, mice are commonly used in research experiments. The reason they are used is because their biological makeup closely resembles that of a human, meaning most conditions that affect humans can be replicated in mice.

1. Coyote
   Cougar
2. Swift fox
   Ocelot

Cougars have a vast range they inhabit that stretches all the way from Canada to the tip of South America. These large cats enjoy a range of habitats from forest to mountains and even deserts.

1. Shih tzu
   Great dane
2. Rottweiler
   Basset hound

Basset hounds have an extremely powerful nose, which makes them one of the best trackers in the canine family. In fact, their noses possess over 220 million smell receptors, allowing them to detect multiple odors while only focusing on one.

1. Swift fox
   Prairie dog
2. Caracal
   Chipmunk

Once occupying a vast range across the western United States, the swift fox has been in steady decline due to human encroachment. These animals now occupy half of their historic range.

1. Sloth bear
   Ocelot
2. Squirrel
   Porcupine

Porcupines have a range that stretches across the entire world, as they are found on every continent excluding Antarctica. The only species of porcupine found in the United States is the North American porcupine.

1. Caracal
   Jaguar
2. Ocelot
   Cheetah

Where most cats prefer to avoid water, jaguars are well known for embracing it. They are skilled swimmers and even hunt for prey like fish and turtles in rivers and lakes across South America.

1. Siberian husky
   Bull terrier
2. Australian shepherd
   Irish setter

Though they carry the name, Australian shepherds are not actually from Australia. Most likely, these canines came from the Basque region of the Pyrenees Mountains, where they lived along the countryside.

1. Squirrel
   Chipmunk
2. Prairie dog
   Hamster

Despite their poor eyesight, hamsters have a strong sense of smell, which allows them to navigate the wild in search of food. Their diets are quite diverse, consisting of seeds, fruits, vegetables and even insects.

1. Black bear
   Polar bear
2. Sloth bear
   Spectacled bear

Though polar bears appear to be white, their fur is actually translucent, with the white appearance coming from the reflection of light. Underneath their fur coat, they have black skin.

1. British shorthair
   Toyger
2. Siamese cat
   Sphynx cat

Though there's little evidence of how they got over here, Siamese cats were brought to America at the end of the 19th century. It's believed that around this time, President Rutherford B. Hayes was given one as a gift.

1. Coyote
   Gray fox
2. Arctic fox
   Ocelot

Though they are territorial animals who prefer to live in solitude, coyotes will form packs to hunt for prey. When this happens, they take turns chasing the prey until it tires and the entire pack can descend upon it.

1. Chipmunk
   Squirrel
2. Prairie dog
   Guinea pig

It's pretty common to catch a squirrel cracking open an acorn with its front teeth. Something you might not know, however, is that those teeth never stop growing throughout the squirrel's life, which is why they must gnaw to keep them at the right length.

1. Ocelot
   Toyger
2. Nebelung
   Caracal

Ocelots get their name from the Aztecs, who referred to them as "tlalocelot." This word is roughly translated to field tiger. Though they carry this name, they are only distant relatives of tigers.

1. Cocker spaniel
   Afghan hound
2. Doberman
   Dalmatian

No one knows the true origin of the dalmatian, but there are a few theories out there. One of those theories relates to the ancient Egyptians, who painted spotted dogs running beside chariots on their tombs.

1. Sloth bear
   Grizzly bear
2. Black bear
   Spectacled bear

Black bears spend the summer months eating grasses, fruit, small mammals and fish. They use these nutrients to build up fat to store for the winter when they retreat to their dens until spring.

1. Cheetah
   Caracal
2. Lynx
   Margay

With the ability to reach extremely high speeds in only three seconds, cheetahs' bodies have evolved to match their speedy persona. For example, they have long legs and sharp claws that make gripping the ground much easier.

1. Hoary fox
   Tibetan sand fox
2. Kit fox
   Arctic fox

Arctic foxes have a white coat that's for more than just good looks. These animals live in the snowy conditions of the arctic, so the coat helps them blend into their icy surroundings.

1. Abyssinian cat
   Sphynx cat
2. Bengal cat
   Burmese cat

Even though there were reports of hairless cats throughout history, the modern Sphynx cat wasn't bred until 1960s in Canada. It's not the only hairless cat around, but it is the most common in North America.

1. Italian greyhound
   Airedale terrier
2. Afghan hound
   American pit bull terrier

Afghan hounds are very fast and can reach speeds up to 40 mph. The dog's incredible speed helped hunters in Afghanistan who used these canines while searching for food throughout the mountains and deserts of the country.

1. Corsac fox
   Kit fox
2. Fennec fox
   Gray fox

Unlike most members of the dog family, the gray fox will climb trees with their hooked claws. They will do this in search of food like squirrels and lizards, to flee from predators or to sleep.

1. Ocicat
   Caracal
2. Margay
   Serval

An animal that enjoys the drier areas of Africa and the Middle East, the caracal prefers to hunt at night where it seeks out animals like rodents and monkeys. It's not unheard of for them to hunt larger mammals like impala, though.

1. Prairie dog
   Chinchilla
2. Gerbil
   Gopher

Prairie dogs live together in underground colonies for protection from predators in the grasslands like coyotes and hawks. Here, they have a tight-knit family life where they use an intricate language to communicate.

1. Dachshund
   Chow chow
2. Pomeranian
   Yorkshire terrier

Though Pomeranians typically weigh no more than 10 pounds, these dogs are actually descendants of larger sled dogs. They used to weigh more but were bred down in size to be smaller and smaller.