Hemicyoninae is an extinct subfamily of Ursidae,[2][1] often called dog bears (literally "half dog" (Greek: ἡμικυων hemi-kyōn)).
They were bear-like carnivorans living in Europe, North America, Africa and Asia during the Oligocene through Miocene epochs 33.9–5.3 Ma, existing for approximately 28.6 million years.
[3] The hemicyonines consists of three tribes: the Cephalogalini, Phoberocyonini, and Hemicyonini.
In the past the hemicyonines were evaluated into family level (Hemicyonidae).
[3] However the vast majority of papers and researchers that cover the evolution of bears often classified them as an extinct subfamily of ursids or stem-bears.