The Cynodictis was one of the many species of a group of animals commonly known as “bear dogs”, which, as the name suggests, had several characteristics of bears and dogs. But they were only related to said animals, not ancestors or transitional forms. A cynodictis was considerably smaller than other bear dogs, only slightly larger than the modern day opossum with a height of about 12 inches.

A cynodictis has great speed and uses this speed to hunt its prey, such as rabbits and small rodents, though it sometimes scavenges. Because of its small size, it fears the larger carnivores in its region. It lives in dens in steep riverbanks that it built itselves, lined with molted fur and vegetation. These dens are also used by cynodictis mothers to raise their pups. These bear dogs give birth to as many as five pups, and are cared for by their mother for several months.