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Wolves. Fuckers are fierce but they look like good boys.
They are wild animals, but are almost eerily human.
They are incredibly smart and highly emotionally intelligent. Their families are very much like our own human families, and knowledge is passed down through generations. Some families pass down specialized knowledge that puts them on par with hunter-gatherers. I'd put wolves on the short list of intelligent species who could eventually evolve into a species that could be capable of much more, given a long enough timeline where they self-select for intelligence. Same with elephants, ravens, dolphins, chimps, and whales.
Though that would have to exist on a planet where we didn't kill most of them and wreck the environment.
Domesticated dogs are still one of the most deadly species to humans. Wild and smart is a hell of a combination. BTW, one of the other most deadly species to humans are humans, so they being "eerily human" is kind of frightening. Not trying to argue here, just, I still think they are cute and deadly.
Elephants are smart as hell. Give one a canvas and a paintbrush and it will draw with incredible skill
Read "A fire upon the deep" by Vernor Vinge. For a multitude of reasons.
Oooh, I'm reading through the Hyperion series again right now. I will have to check this out afterwards. Thank you!
My friend had a hybrid once, the goodest of boys. 75% size of an actual wolf, thought himself to be a lapdog. Training involved a pack mentality, but all was well once the pecking order was established.