What pets each race should have

[Redith]

Forget every race having a different pet. Think if the races were real and based on their culture what pet would a new hunter get? Would the Tauren really partner their hunter with a giant bird or would they use the coyotes or pumas that hung around their bluff?
Bears for dwarfs? Or would they rather use goats or a snow leopard? Sure the orcs use boars, but they also eat them. So wouldn't they rather use the wolves they always scream about in battle?
What do you guys think?

[Mozag]

I'd probably pair them up as follows:

Human - - Dogs fit them better than wolves, I feel, probably because of the whole domestication factor.
Night Elf - - I just like birds with Night Elves more than cats (which are more universal across races), and always imagine their owls as very close to them, scouting, hunting, etc.
Dwarf - - I'd pick the white skin, as I like to think of Dwarves having polar bears.
Draenei - - Aliens for aliens.
Worgen - - Very much a personal preference, because I like the whole "gothic" feel to Worgen.

Orc - - Wolves and orcs are meant to be.
Undead - - A more drab skin suits them better in my opinion.
Tauren - - NO idea why, but this feels right.
Troll - - Hard choice between raptor and serpent, but somehow serpent wins by a small margin. I LOVE combining serpents and trolls.
Blood Elf - - I can't really think of anything more suitable.
Goblin - - Clever, small, easy to train, can be used for thieving and amusement purposes.

[GormanGhaste]

more ideas:
Undead
Tauren
Goblin
Gnome
Pandaren

[Equeon]

Um, no offense, but trolls would probably never have a snake instead of a raptor, if this would be their actual culture. Trolls are usually inseparable from their raptor companion, and there aren't even any snakes close to the Echo Isles.

[Mozag]

Um, no offense, but trolls would probably never have a snake instead of a raptor, if this would be their actual culture. Trolls are usually inseparable from their raptor companion, and there aren't even any snakes close to the Echo Isles.

That is indeed the case. However:

"A tamed raptor is also one of the most auspicious signs of status amongst the trolls; many have died trying to tame these swift and deadly hunter beasts, and to possess one indicates great station"

Quote from WoWWiki.

I would argue that as beginner level 1 hunters, we're not really in a "high status" position.
You're right about there being no serpents near the Echo Isles, although it doesn't actually make any sense that there aren't in that environment ,as snakes thrive in many places. So yes, I bent the rules of Azeroth and included an animal that I imagined DOES exist there, even if the game does not actually have a mob situated in that place.

[Crotalus Horridus]

I don't think pets should be race specific. If anything, you should be able to pick your hunter pet when you start your hunter.
But if it won't happen, then here is my list:
Human - Brown Mastiff or Red Fox
Dwarf - Dark Brown Grizzly Bear (Current) or Brown Goat
Night Elf - Tie between a Grey Owl and a White Saber Cat.
Draenei - Blue Goat
Worgen - Tie between Black Mastiff or Black Fox

Orc - A Black, Grey, Red, Brown, Dark Brown, Dark Grey, or Bicolor Worg.
Undead - Undead Eagle or Grey/Blue Demon Dogs.
Tauren - Either a Yellow Kodo, a Brown Plainstrider, or an Orange Cloud Serpent.
Troll - A lot of animals are involved with the trolls my best picks are: A Tiger Saber Cat, a Regular Black Cat, a Brown Eagle, a Blue Serpent, a Blue-Green Serpent, a White Serpent, a Red Raptor, a Green Cloud Serpent, or a Black Cloud Serpent.
Blood Elf - Orange Dragonhawk or a White Crane.
Goblin - A Red Parrot or a Grey Monkey.

Pandaren - Black Dragon Turtle

[Royi]

more ideas:
Gnome

Yay Gnome Hunters!

[Acherontia]

To ninja Mozag's format, and some of the same choices:

Human -
Night Elf - The cats, as STARTER pets, simply look too small imo
Dwarf - I don't know why, but dwarves always go with boars in my head
Draenei - I'd say that any Outland creature would do--sporebats, nether rays or even warp stalkers
Worgen -
Orc - Like Mozag said: wolves just GO with orcs. Boars? Wtf.
Undead - The Forsaken mention that these dogs are friendly to them even after "regular" hounds turn away, and they very much fit the lowbie Undead aesthetic
Tauren -
Troll - Although serpents, bats or lynxes (for obvious reasons) could go with trolls, I love the idea of a BLUE raptor to match their skin
Blood Elf - Tossup between these & red or brown lynxes, but I left it with dragonhawk... barely.
Goblin - I love Mozag's idea for this