Becoming large
The new sheardogs

In the Cambiocene, sheardogs have established dominance in the continental food chain. The herbivores' increase in size has indirectly influenced the sheardogs to grow larger, especially in populations residing further south (in accordance with the Bergmann's rule). The expansion of open ecosystems has particularly favored species adapted for extensive travel, such as dusk sheardogs, which have undergone radical anatomical change. The members of this sheardog lineage are known as beasters, characterized by their massive build and bone-crushing bite.
They exhibit a highly social nature, living in large groups of over 10 individuals, with a dominant pair leading the herd along with their cubs and other family members. Most species range in size from that of a fox to that of a coyote, except for the spotted beaster (Imperolutra cultirdens), which can weigh up to 60 kg in males. This species is incredibly aggressive and specializes in hunting large prey. Solitary specimens can take down animals twice their size, while family groups are capable of attacking even the largest vertebrates of Antarctica.
Similar to persistence hunting canids and felimorfs, the beasters employ a strategy where the prey is first wounded in the back to slow it down, followed by a decisive bite to the throat. Their extraordinary biting force enables spotted beasters to break the legs of medium-sized vertebrates with ease, making them formidable predators.
Spotted beasters have shown significant adaptations for cursoriality, like longer legs and small exposed hand claws.

While beasters have demonstrated adaptability during global cooling, other sheardog clades have faced less fortunate outcomes. The chetter, the sole representative of its kind, rapidly became extinct due to the disappearance of its open subtropical habitat and the virtual extinction of brontosparrows. Arboreal sheardogs have also suffered a significant loss of diversity, with almost all species now restricted to the Reliquia Forest, unable to expand their range into the expansive open environments that will dominate the Biancocene. However, one lineage managed to survive and diversify into a group of predators known as barkdowners. These medium-small carnivores are adapted for ambush hunting and exhibit a more scansorial lifestyle rather than being strictly arboreal. Their shorter stature and enhanced climbing abilities have allowed them to extend their range into the coldvanna, where they primarily feed on small and medium-sized vertebrates.
To evade danger and competition from other predators, barkdowners rely on their climbing skills and often choose rock cliffs as their denning sites instead of trees. They are solitary animals and, as a result, are not equipped to take down larger prey. Nevertheless, these animals have demonstrated their ability to adapt to rapid climate changes, showcasing their resilience in the face of environmental challenges.
Among the largest species we can find the moldy barkdowner (Caudilutra versatilis), the only barkdowner that can be found also in the tramplesteppe: unlike beasters, which have equally robust limbs, this scansorial sheardog presents stronger forelimbs, which are used to both climb rocks/trees and capture elusive preys.