I don't know if anyone has suggested these breeds, but if so I apologize and swear I didn't mean to take your idea.
For breeds what about a dragon/wolf? with dragon wings and a dragon tail... with scales on the tail but some fur at where the tail and body meet? like the furr slowly fades to scales.
A wolf with angel-like feathered wings or hummingbird wings
wolf with 3 tails and perhaps something like one small horn behind each ear like a baby goat's horn to make it different or with a lion's mane
a butterfly wolf with a long, curving thin tail that is like a chameleons tail but has fur on it and butterfly wings?
one of the poses for the final stages could be wings out and head looking straight out of the screen, paws bent at the joints to be folded down, like a puppy's paws when they're on their backs for tummy rubs or what you'd think of for a begging puppy.
