"Dog" is the default name of a male mabari war hound, a potential (and unquestionably faithful) companion to the Warden. He is a full party member, counting as a warrior with a unique talent tree and exclusive equipment. He also has party banter, occasional moments of "dialogue", a scavenging function, and a landmark interactive feature.
Dogs are an essential part of Ferelden culture, and no dog is more prized than a mabari. The breed is as old as myth, said to have been bred from the wolves who served the legendary hero Dane.
Involvement
Dragon Age: Origins
This section contains spoilers for: Dragon Age: Origins.
If Dog was killed...
After falling sick with the Taint, Dog was put down by the Warden.
If Dog was rejected...
Dog became infected with the Taint at Ostagar, and was saved by the Warden. Despite encountering them on more than one occasion, Dog was turned away by the Warden and was never seen again.
Dog joins his master's side after raiding the larder in Castle Cousland. He remains beside Duncan at Ostagar until Alistair and the Warden are sent to light the beacon atop the Tower of Ishal. After the Battle at Ostagar, Dog appears alongside Alistair outside Flemeth's Hut and continues on to as a member of the party.
If the Warden is not a Human Noble and recruited Dog...
Dog's master was killed by darkspawn and he himself fell sick with the Taint at Ostagar, but was cured by the Warden prior to the war council. The kennel master repaid the Warden by offering to bond Dog to them, but the disaster at the Battle of Ostagar impeded this plan.
Dog escaped Ostagar and encountered The Warden again along the Imperial Highway on the road to Lothering. Dog helped defeat a band of darkspawn and was taken in by the Warden and their party. Dog remained unconditionally loyal to his master and was well-liked by his fellow companions, finding particular affinity for the Qunari, Sten.
Darkspawn Chronicles
This section contains spoilers for: Darkspawn Chronicles.
This section contains spoilers for: Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening.
If Dog was recruited...
Following the Battle of Denerim, Dog was sent to the Denerim kennels to help replenish the diminished number of mabari hounds. Though he was absent from The Warden's side during the Amaranthine Conflict, he fathered several litters of puppies during this time and returned to his master's side shortly after.
Witch Hunt
This section contains spoilers for: Witch Hunt.
If Dog was recruited...
When the Warden-Commander sets off on a mission to locate Morrigan, Dog accompanies them. When they finally locate Morrigan at the Nest, Dog happily runs up to meet her. If the Warden-Commander chooses to let Morrigan leave, Dog can still be seen excitedly accompanying the Warden afterwards.
Naturally, Dog likes bones. However, his approval starts at the cap of +100 and cannot be lowered by any means. Gifting him the Stick from Feastday Gifts will increase his dexterity attribute by +6 (matching the maximum approval-based attribute increase that other companions can receive). The Protective Cone from Feastday Pranks can be given to him as a prank (and equipped for comic effect or 'style').
Both types can provide defensive or offensive bonuses.
There are twelve warpaints and nine collars available in Dragon Age: Origins. An additional collar and warpaint are available with Return to Ostagar. The Protective Cone, available with the Feastday Gifts and PranksDLC, can also be equipped as a collar.
Tactics
Dog can also sense 'stealthed' enemies (such as Genlock rogues) at fairly close range. The stealth is not counteracted, but there is 'in-game notification' in the form of an angry growl. In any case, only a mage has any significant response options (such as inscribing a Glyph of Repulsion to repel an initial melee attack).
Specific tactics can be assigned to Dog, similar to the Warden and companions. Dog starts with 2 'tactics slots' at level 1, and gains additional slot at levels: 3, 6, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30.
Finding items
Dog is said to be very good at finding items,[1] and can be asked in-game "Do you see anything interesting?" almost everywhere outside of camp (though not while he is injured). In most areas he will have a random chance to return with either a minor item from the generic treasure list (such as Elfroot), or one of a limited number of unique items:
Throughout Ferelden are several objects labeled Landmark (usually "Landmark tree" but there are a few exceptions). These objects may have a sparkling aura, much like containers. When a landmark is selected without Dog in the party, it has no effect. If Dog is in the party, but is not the one to select the landmark, a message hints at his interest.
When a landmark is 'marked' by Dog, Mabari Dominance is activated, providing him with bonuses of +2 strength, +2 willpower, and +2 constitution. The effect remains active while Dog is in the area, at any distance from the landmark. However, it is not applied inside buildings, even if they are within or adjacent to the landmark's location. (e.g. inside Redcliffe Castle, The Spoiled Princess, Dane's Refuge, etc.)
After Dog leaves an area where a landmark has been activated, Mabari Dominance should automatically reactivate when he returns to that location.
Sten: "You are a true warrior, and worthy of respect."
Dog: (Barks excitedly.)
───────
Morrigan: "Does this mean we are going to have this mangy beast follow us around? Wonderful."
Alistair: (Adoringly) "He's not mangy!"
───────
Morrigan: "I know it was you rooting in my pack, mongrel."
Dog: (Innocent whine)
Morrigan: "Who else? Alistair? He's a likely suspect, I admit, but no."
Dog: (Bows head shamefully)
Morrigan: "I notice you avoided the hemlock."
Dog: (Happy bark!)
Morrigan: "Yes, yes, very clever. Next time I will disguise it more carefully."
Dog: (Sad eyes)
Morrigan: "Do not even try it! I would not give you a biscuit had I one."
Dog: (Sadder eyes)
Morrigan: "Oh... very well. But tell no one!"
───────
Shale: I am watching you, dog. Do you know how many of your kind urinated on me in that village? And all I could do is stand there and watch, helpless. If I see one of those legs of yours lift so much as an inch in my direction -- pow!
Dog: (Confused whine!)
Shale: I am glad we have this understanding. At least your kind can be reasoned with... unlike those damned feathered fiends!
───────
(If Dog is chosen as the Warden's champion to duel Loghain)
Loghain: "Will you face me yourself, or have you a champion?"
Warden: "My mabari will be my champion."
Dog: (Happy bark!)
Arl Eamon: "Ah, Warden... No. I'm afraid we can't leave the fate of all Ferelden up to your dog. Anyone with a leftover ham bone could buy his allegiance. Choose someone else."
───────
Finn: Dog! What do you call that which covers a tree?"
pc1.05ps3xbox360 There is a bug where you get the message, "Dog has brought you an item!", but you will receive nothing in your inventory. If you get that message but no item icon on the lower left corner of the screen, you will receive no item.
The Human Noble has the earliest access to found items, as any of the non-area-specific ones can be found within Castle Cousland. Piece of Wood is of particular interest, as it could be of use to the Circle mage who joins the new Warden at the foot of the Tower of Ishal.
The recruitment quest is still available to human nobles, but will not result in a second Dog.
While spattered with blood, one can ask Dog: "Can you do something about this gory mess?" Dog will happily bark and clean the blood from The Warden and is slightly healed for doing so.
A long-standing joke among certain regulars of the official Origins forum is that Dog's "official" name is really Rabbit (which was used as an example name by Mary Kirby), and he is still occasionally referred to as such.
If you speak to Dog while he has an injury, he will whine instead of his usual greeting, and you will be able to either comfort him, saying, "You've done well", or scold him for "being a baby". Still, his Approval can't be altered for better or worse.
Under the influence of Flaming Weapons or a similar spell, Dog will be given the visual effect on his entire body.
While most characters suffer decreased movement speed when in combat, Dog speeds up slightly.
While the characters and the codex entries use masculine pronouns when addressing or referring to Dog, Dog has no visible genitalia.
A recipe for Found Cake, one of the gift items found by Dog, is given in the official cookbook. The cake found by Dog was noted in this book to be a chocolate cream cake topped with white frosting and strawberries, with the provided recipe being the chef's attempt to faithfully recreate it (minus drool). The photographed cake accompanying the recipe bears a strong resemblance to the icon for Found Cake in Dragon Age: Origins.[2]
In Witch Hunt, Dog can also learn Second Wind, Peon's Plight, Grievous Insult and Massacre. Dog starts with 2 talent points already assigned to 
Fortitude and 
Growl, and gains an additional point every 3 levels: 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18.
Codex entry: A Very Chewed and Moist Book (Codex: Books & Songs)
Dirty Pair of Pantaloons (gift)
Found Cake (gift)
Garbolg's Backcountry Reserve (gift)
Piece of Wood
Tangled Ball of Yarn (gift)
Duty - in the Deep Roads (all over, but definitely a 100% drop rate early in the Dead Trenches).
Deathroot - around the Brecilian Forest and Dalish Camp.
There is a bug where you get the message, "Dog has brought you an item!", but you will receive nothing in your inventory. If you get that message but no item icon on the lower left corner of the screen, you will receive no item.![Dog blurb from Dragon Age: Origins[3]](/dragonage/wiki/File:Dog_Blurb.png "Dog Blurb.png (279 KB)")
