The other name for the "Cape hunting dog" or "painting dog" is the African wild dog. It is also sometimes referred to as the African painted dog, African hunting dog, or simply wild dog. These names are used interchangeably to describe the same species, Lycaon pictus, which is a large canid native to sub-Saharan Africa. The name "painting dog" is derived from their unique and colorful coat patterns, which resemble a painter's abstract brush strokes.