( CNN ) -- The Dallas Zoo has two new cheetah cubs . And the big cats have their own puppy to help them shape up . The cubs , Winspear and Kamau , are part of the zoo 's program to create awareness about endangered African animals . Zoo officials believe the Labrador retriever will keep the cubs in line as they grow up away from the wilderness . `` Zoological experts have found that because dogs are naturally comfortable in public settings , Amani will provide a calming influence for the cubs , as well as another playmate as they grow to adulthood , '' the zoo said in a statement . In a tribute to its role , the puppy is named Amani , which is Swahili for peace . Cheetahs are an endangered species . Their numbers are estimated to be about 10,000 in the wild , the zoo said . Winspear and Kamau were born in July at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute in Front Royal , Virginia . Their puppy companion is about the same age . Before their new adventure , a team from the zoo spent nearly two weeks in Virginia bonding with the cubs . `` It is a thrill to be able to tell the story about cheetah conservation and to educate Dallas Zoo guests about this magnificent species , '' said Sean Green , vice president of Guest Experiences for the Dallas Zoo . `` Winspear and Kamau will become important animal ambassadors for the Dallas Zoo , building appreciation and awareness about cheetahs to more than 900,000 visitors each year . '' The balls of fur will not be small forever . When fully grown , they weigh about 140 pounds and stand 3 feet tall . A cheetah is the world 's fastest land mammal , and can go from 0 to 60 mph ( 96 kph ) in three seconds . Other zoos have coupled cheetahs with dogs , including the San Diego Zoo , which has been pairing pups with big cats for years . `` Not just any dog would do . We needed one with personality , composure and pizzazz. , '' the San Diego Zoo says on its website . In such couplings , it says , the dog is the leader .
Zoo : Puppy will be a calming influence as the cubs grow up away from the wilderness . The zoo is also working with an animal rescue group to help find homes for some of the animals that are being euthanized. Cheetahs are an endangered species , with about 10,000 left .