Board Thread:Suggestions forum/@comment-76.111.45.145-20190417165707

(Yes I searched and couldn't find a suggestion thread on this. Nor mention in proposed updates.)

Farmer Maggot had several large dogs for security on his farm. Though sparse, there are also other mentions of dogs in Tolkien's work. While I applaud the adding of other animals in far regions (Harad, jungles, southern plains, etc.), I would also like to see the devs bring in a few species of dogs (rather than simply relying on the minecraft "tamed wolf" dog):

1. Mastiffs: Some type of large guardian/hunting dog (see Farmer Maggot). Possibly also used as war dogs that accompany units. These would have the highest hit points and damage, but not be as quick and agile as the other two types of dogs. The actual Mastiff or the Irish Wolfhound might be a model for this dog type (I prefer the Wolfhound, but find the Mastiff acceptable, too.)

2. Herd Dogs: people who keep sheep/cattle used herd dogs. I'd love to see the Border Collie, in particular, as a representative of "herd dog" (and companion/pet) in the mod. It's distinctive coloration, and the size is comparable to the minecraft tamed wolf, so adding it would likely be simply altering color of the minecraft version (coat and eyes, and brown eyes with giving a chance of blue-eyed or one blue eye), and possibly adding to "what it can do" in game. This type would necessarily have less hitpoints/damage than the Mastiffs, but greater speed and agility. They could assist in herding/moving/catching sheep, cattle, and maybe pigs/boars, along with fighting to defend their master (or home) when needed. Given their intelligence, a sub-program could also allow players to teach this dog "tricks" to do, for fun. These dogs should have the highest level of agility, of the three types.

3. Hunting/vermin Dogs: Again, aside from being companions/pets, these dogs would have a specific look and purpose. Perhaps they assist in catching prey and herding it toward their master (deer, rabbits). The Beagle might be a good model for this, given its distinctive coloring and smaller size than Border Collies and Mastiffs. This type would have the lowest hit points/damage, and be slightly less agile than Herd Dogs, but would have the greatest speed and endurance.

Breeding these dogs would be more fun if we had some color and/or coat pattern variance in them, which is one reason I suggested specific breeds: they all have a distinctive look and range of color/patterns and size, plus distinctive abilities. I recommend *not* allowing cross-breeding between the three types, however; that would get far too messy for programming and player use/breeding.

As to cats, housecats performed a major function of pest control in homes, farms, and storage facilities: it would be nice to have them included in the mod, though until something like rats or mice are introduced, they'd mainly be for "color" unless they're programmed to help keep birds away from crops in fields, if they're set out on a sit command in a field, perhaps making scarecrows more effective? Or if you're traveling with your pet cat, it reduces the chance of a bird stealing your food and/or items (i.e songbirds, crows, seagulls, etc.)?

Thank you for listening, and I hope I've suggested a way to incorporate these needed animals that is clear, organized, and efficient. 