BowWow

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**BowWow**, also stylized as **Bow Wow**, is a character in *Link's Awakening*.

## Biography

BowWow is one of Madam MeowMeow's three pets, being the biggest of them and the only one kept outdoors. Like the Chain Chomps of *A Link to the Past*, BowWow charges at Link when he approaches, although he is completely harmless. When Link comes back from Toronbo Shores after completing Tail Cave, a pair of Quadruplets near the Village Library will inform him that BowWow has been kidnapped by a gang of Moblins. Link can go to Madam MeowMeow's House in Mabe Village only to find her panicked and begging for help.

To rescue BowWow, Link must enter Moblin Cave located in Tal Tal Heights and defeat King Moblin who will comment on Link's objective. After King Moblin is defeated, BowWow can be found chained to a rock in the next room. If Link returns to Madam MeowMeow before completing Bottle Grotto, she will ask Link to take BowWow for a walk.

While Link is taking BowWow for a walk, he will have many interactions with the world such as telling Link where to dig for Secret Seashells, swallowing enemies such as Goponga Flowers, which are blocking the entrance to Bottle Grotto. Although he allows Link to clear the entrance of the Dungeon, he can not enter it himself. If Link tries to enter Richard's Villa, Prince Richard will ask him not to enter with BowWow, thus preventing Link from entering Richard's Villa until he returns BowWow to his Madam MeowMeow. If Link has completed the Dungeon and calls Grandpa Ulrira, he will tell Link to bring back BowWow to Madam MeowMeow. When he does, she will take BowWow back and express her gratitude in the form of a kiss, which fully heals Link's Heart Meter.

In *Link's Awakening DX*, after Link has returned BowWow and has met the Photographer, he can stand next to BowWow and let the Photographer take a Photograph for The Travels of Link that he will name "Link Plays With BowWow".

### *Link's Awakening* (Cagiva)

In the *Link's Awakening* manga by Ataru Cagiva, Link first sees BowWow when strolling around Mabe Village, where she attempts to eat him before Madam MeowMeow brings her real dinner. After Link returns to the Village, Madam MeowMeow tells him that BowWow was kidnapped by Moblins. Link then proceeds to rescue her from Moblin Cave. After exiting, he takes BowWow to Goponga Swamp to clear the path of Goponga Flowers. While exploring the area, BowWow finds the hidden entrance to Bottle Grotto. After clearing the dungeon, Link takes BowWow back to Madam MeowMeow, who rewards him with an Ocarina.

## Trivia

* A Signpost near the western entrance of Goponga Swamp warns adventurers to keep out due to the imminent danger that it represents, except for BowWow. This is because he is the only one able to eat the Goponga Flowers present in Goponga Swamp.
* The Japanese name for BowWow and Chain Chomp is Wanwan (ワンワン), the Japanese onomatopoeia for a barking sound, making it a inadvertently literal translation of the Mario enemy's name.
* BowWow sometimes telling Link to dig in certain spots while barking, which indicates where a Secret Seashell is hidden, may be a reference to the Japanese folk tale *Hanasaka Jiisan*, where an old man's dog tells its owner to dig in a certain spot while barking, which leads to him uncovering gold coins.
* When Link first meets BowWow, he strains against his post attempting to attack him, but after Link has returned him to his master, he will jump up and down in glee, attempting to play with him.

## Nomenclature

His name is mostly a reference to the sound he sometimes makes when barking.

## Gallery

* Cutscene of Link Plays With BowWow from *Link's Awakening DX*
* BowWow chasing Link from *Link's Awakening* for Nintendo Switch

## References

1. ↑ *Encyclopedia*, Dark Horse Books, pg. 170
2. ↑ "*Ho ho ho! My BowWow is so proud of his fine fur coat!*" — Madam MeowMeow (*Link's Awakening DX*)
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 *Encyclopedia*, Dark Horse Books, pg. 233 (**LA**)
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "*Hey buddy! It's serious! Yeah, really serious!! Yeah, it is! The Moblins came to the village! Yeah, that's right! A whole gang of Moblins! Then... It's for real! They all went to the house... Yeah, that house, and then they did something at Bow Wow's house!! It was a really bad scene, with the M-m-moblins! So, I mean, ahh! ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... It might be faster to find out for yourself what happened!*" — Quadruplet (*Link's Awakening DX*)
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 *The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening — Nintendo Player's Guide*, Nintendo of America, pg. 32
6. ↑ "*AIEEEEEEEE! It's terrrrible! My BowWow was dognapped by... Mo-mo-MOBLINS!! OHHH! AHHHH! Please! Somebody help my poor BowWow!!*" — Madam MeowMeow (*Link's Awakening DX*)
7. ↑ "*You must be an assassin sent by Madam MeowMeow to rescue the mutt! You came here to get me, but it is I who will get you!!*" — King Moblin (*Link's Awakening DX*)
8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 *The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening — Nintendo Player's Guide*, Nintendo of America, pg. 33
9. ↑ "*Oh thank you! I'm so happy you brought my baby back! Now, would you be a dear and take him for a walk? It would really help me out a lot! You will?! Thanks!*" — Madam MeowMeow (*Link's Awakening DX*)
10. ↑ "*WOOF! Dig! RUFF!*" — BowWow (*Link's Awakening DX*)
11. ↑ "**BRRING! BRRING! Yes, this is Ulrira. The Indigestible Flowers of Goponga Swamp... Those flowers are BowWow's favorite. Why don't you take him for a walk there? CLICK!**" — Grandpa Ulrira (*Link's Awakening DX*)
12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 *The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening — Nintendo Player's Guide*, Nintendo of America, pg. 34
13. ↑ "*Ahem! Really, I must insist that you not bring that awful beast in here! Leave that creature outside and then we can talk! Good Bye!*" — Prince Richard (*Link's Awakening DX*)
14. ↑ "**BRRING! BRRING! Ulrira at your service! Oh? You should take BowWow home now, Madam MeowMeow would appreciate it! Bye! CLICK!**" — Grandpa Ulrira (*Link's Awakening DX*)
15. ↑ "*Ho ho ho! I really appreciate what you did for my poor, precious BowWow! You are such a nice boy! How can I ever repay you? I know... SMOOOOOOOCH! You got a reward from Madam MeowMeow... ... ... L-l-lucky!*" — Madam MeowMeow (*Link's Awakening DX*)
16. ↑ "*Hey, that looks great! I'll call it 'Link Plays With BowWow!' Now get closer to BowWow!*" — Photographer (*Link's Awakening DX*)
17. ↑ "*DANGER! Keep out! (Except BowWow)*" — Signpost (*Link's Awakening DX*)
18. ↑ "*BOW WOW! BOW WOW!*" — BowWow (*Link's Awakening DX*)
19. ↑ *Wan Wan* is an onomatopoeia for barking.
20. ↑ *Encyclopedia*, Les Éditions Soleil, pg. 233
21. ↑ "*Bonjour..! Mein kleiner Struppi sieht mit seiner neuen Frisur so süüüüß aus!*" — Madam MeowMeow (*Link's Awakening*, German version)
22. ↑ **Encyclopedia** (TOKYOPOP) pg. 233