The Amphicyonidae or bear dogs, is an extinct family of large terrestrial carnivores.
They belonged to the dog-like suborder Caniformia. It had a wide distribution in North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa. They lived from the Eocene epoch to the Pleistocene epoch 46.2 – 1.8 million years ago (mya), for a total of about 44.4 million years or from the Paleocene to the Quaternary period.
Originally they evolved in the Old World, but crossed over to the Americas during the Miocene epoch. This would happen at a time when crossing was possible via the Bering Strait.