Dogs

**Dogs** are the main focus of *Nintendogs* and *Nintendogs + Cats*. The player's only goal is to take care of these pets and every action in the game is meant to cater to their needs in one way or another.

## Adopting the First Pet

This is the first thing every player must do when they start the game. The player will be taken to the local kennel immediately as the game starts and they must adopt one of the dogs available. Depending on the version of the game, there will be different starter breeds to choose from. Later on, the player can adopt a larger variety of pets as they earn Trainer Points (Owner Points in 3DS) while playing the game. Additionally, the player can only hold three dogs at home at a time, but if they wish to adopt more they can drop one off at the Dog Hotel (Pet Hotel in 3DS).

## Naming Dogs

"*[He/she] learned [his/her] name! You'd better make a note of it before you forget!*"
— In-game text after naming a pet, *Nintendogs + Cats*

Both *Nintendogs* and *Nintendogs + Cats* focus heavily on using the system's microphone, which is first used to name the player's first dog. The player must speak clearly into the microphone and say the dog's intended name three times, and once the dog has understood they will learn their name for good. When the player is naming a dog the game will give the player examples of names to choose. *Nintendogs* provides an audio clip of someone speaking the names of the three kennel display dogs, that being Lucky, Maxwell, and Daisy. In *Nintendogs + Cats* the exact same thing happens, but the audio clip will provide different name examples depending on whether or not the player is naming a dog or a cat. For dogs, the voice will say, Cleo, Maddy, and Pickles.

Once a dog has been named it cannot be changed. In *Nintendogs* the player can have a name with up to seven characters, while in *Nintendogs + Cats* it's raised to ten.

## Caring For Dogs

Dogs will need to be fed, watered, bathed, brushed, walked, and possibly trained. The first dog the player adopts **will** have to learn the trick "sit" in order to progress the game.

The Pet Supply (BARC in 3DS) is a store stocked with all the essential items the player needs to take care of their dog, but at the start of the game there will only be the most basic items. The player can unlock higher quality items after earning more Trainer Points.

Additionally, the player will often find non-essential items that allow the player to play with their dog. There are a few accessories to be bought at the Pet Supply and many more to find when taking walks. Taking walks is the best way for the player to find more special items.

## Competitions

Competitions are the main way of making money. In *Nintendogs* there are three competitions: the Disc Competition, the Agility Trial, and the Obedience Trial. In *Nintendogs + Cats* the Agility Trial is instead replaced with Lure Coursing.

The competitions provide new gameplay to entertain the player, but some may have certain requirements before the player can hope to compete. The Disc Competition requires access to a flying disc, the Agility Trial requires a dog to visit the gym at least once, the Obedience Trial needs AR Cards (3DS only), and Lure Coursing predictably needs a lure.

Once the player has met the requirements, they will compete against either two or three neighbors, depending on whether or not it's the 3DS or DS version.

## Trivia

* Dogs cannot age, die, or give birth to puppies.

## Gallery

### *Nintendogs + Cats*

 ***Nintendogs + Cats*** | Basset Hound • Beagle • Boxer • Bull Terrier • Cavalier King Charles Spaniel • Chihuahua • Cocker Spaniel • Dalmatian • French Bulldog • German Shepherd • Golden Retriever • Great Dane • Jack Russell Terrier • Labrador Retriever • Maltese • Miniature Dachshund • Miniature Pinscher • Miniature Schnauzer • Pembroke Welsh Corgi • Pomeranian • Pug • RoboPup • Shetland Sheepdog • Shiba Inu • Shih Tzu • Siberian Husky • Toy Poodle • Yorkshire Terrier