Published Nov 3, 2026 5:10 PM EST Two guard dogs could be protecting more than just the livestock grazing on the Rita Blanca National Grasslands in the Texas Panhandle. The working canines may be helping increase the odds of survival for the Lone Star State’s smallest fox. The swift fox (Vulpes velox) is about the size of a house cat. While not federally listed as endangered, conservationists believe there are fewer than 250 left in Texas.