The voice in your head telling you the dog-motif is overdone is wrong. Do not listen to it. Give them a muzzle. Give them a choker or a collar. Chain them to a fence. Give them sharp canines. Give them pavlovian responses. Give them puppy dog eyes. Put them in a cage. Give them themes of obedience, loyalty and love intertwined unhealthy. Give them attachment issues. Make them bite. Give them themes of taming, domestication and ferality. Give them actual, literal, rabies. Kick them while they're down. Microchip them. Scratch their hair behind their ear. Call them a good boy/good girl/etc. and watch them perk up in response. Put them in a shock collar. Give them a metaphorical treat to reward good behaviour. Make them beg for scrapes of affection.