pigs where used in ancient combat (if youve got rome total war youll see how crazy pigs are cause u can use them!!!!). also i dont really think in lotr anywhere but the shire and gondor have dogs in? i think a falcon would be cool. you could have a bird handler and a falcon (bit like radagasts bird).
10 point upgrade on any scout, hobbit or men of the north but each model may only have 1.
falcon f s d a w c
2 2 4 1 1 3 (could be a dunlending crow for evil) move 8"
special rules:
swoop: the falcon must start move fase in base contact with its handler it may call a swoop atack. this means it counts as a thrown weapen inflicting d3 hits on the enemy with a strength of 3 and range of 15". after attack it may then move back to its master but cant move that phase.
takes the hit: they may take a hit for their master from a bow or ballista. this means that if the bird is within 15" of its master it atomatically replaces the model and its trainer is placed d6" away from it.
tip bits: at the beggining of the turn role d6. on a 1 the bird is full and skips the go and glides half its move phase in a random direction.
i think 10 points is worth it and they shud be fun to use. a row of 4 or so in a 500+pt game would be worth it for swoop.
when the beornings come out maybe they can be like bear masters? so whole board control instead of 8" control maybe.