Dogs (Dwarf Fortress)

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Heroic Species
Full Name	Canis familiaris Canis lupus familiaris
Alias	Dogs Puppies Canines Hunting dogs War dogs
Origin	Dwarf Fortress
Homeworld	Player's World
Abilities	Loyalty Intelligence High speed Carrying things Adaptability Heightened observational skills Guarding Increased stealth (hunting dogs only) Deal extra damage (war dogs only)
Members	Randomly generated/owned dogs
Hobby	Wander around fortresses. Attack enemies. Learn from their masters. Acclimate to what they are learning. Assist in hunting creatures. (hunting dogs only) Assist in heavy combat. (war dogs only)
Goals	Protect and assist its owner.
Type of Heroic Species	Loyal Animals

“	A medium-sized highly social mammalian carnivore. It has a keen sense of smell. It can be trained to obey commands.	„
	~ In-game description of dogs.

Dogs are major protagonists in the indie construction and management simulation video game Dwarf Fortress. They are common animals that are inherently loyal, and can be trained to do helpful tasks that greatly assist in furthering the progress of a player's dwarven fortress.

Due to the procedural generation of the world and civilizations in the game, coupled with the fact that many elements can be customized by the player, the strength and traits of dogs vary greatly.

There are three variants of dogs based on the skills they know and how they are trained: the generic dog, hunting dog and war dog. Their relationship dwarves have with dogs in the game is similar to the real-life setup of humans and dogs, being absolutely loyal companions to each other.

Biography

History

Like almost every other creature in the game, there is no exact history on the evolution of dogs. Given that their behavior is very similar to dogs in real life, in can be assumed that the in-game history of dogs is also that of real life, with dogs being domesticated over 15000 years ago, and with evolution, dogs became well adapted to dwarf behavior, and likely that of humans as well.

If using the default options provided by the game, the game can take place between 5 and 500 AD, still being enough time for dogs and dwarves to be companions and have this friendly behavior mentally ingrained through generations.

Gameplay

Before the player embarks at their chosen location, they are able to customize the skills of their dwarves, and choose what items and animals their dwarves will have with the limited embark points they're given. Roughly any domestic creature in the game will be available to choose, which will always include dogs, including their variants. If the player wants a constant supply of dogs to assist the fortress, embarking with at least one male and one female dog would be wise. Other dog variants can also be chosen from the start, as well as male and female versions of them.

When a dog is born, it will be 1,000 cm³, then grow to 12,500 cm³ after one year, then grow to 30,000 cm³ after two years. Unlike larger domesticated animals that need to be placed in a pasture to constantly feed, dogs do not need this. After time, the dog will grow automatically. If the player chooses, they can be assigned to someone as a pet, be assigned as a hunting dog or assigned as a war dog. Although dogs don't need to be pastured, they can be, which can be a useful way to group them with other animals, or to simply keep them out of harm's way.

Like any other tamed animals in the fortress, they will aimlessly and curiously wander around. They will also spend their time in designated meeting areas, either by themselves or if they are a pet assigned to a fortress resident that they follow around. They have a sharper sense of spotting thieving criminals that approach the fortress, which includes goblin babysnatchers and kobolds. These types of enemies are only seen by residents if they are close enough, but dogs can see them farther away.

Female dogs can be given the same training as male ones, although it can run the risk of having them charge into danger and getting themselves killed, therefore losing a dog that can birth many more useful dogs. Although other animals can be assigned as useful pets, they do not have the same flexibility that dogs have. If the player has no use for the dog, they can be butchered for meat, just as any other tamed animal. Despite what real life and many types of media would portray, they do not react negatively to cats.

Hunting Dogs

If a dog is trained to become a hunting dog, they will be suited to follow a citizen with the occupation of a hunter and help them hunt more efficiently. These type of dogs will be given a bonus to their sneaking, as they'll have an easier time stalking their prey without any movement penalties.

War Dogs

If a dog is trained to become a war dog, it will be more suited for straight direct combat with a bonus to damage. Given that their claws and teeth are their only weapons, they are not very good against armored targets. This potential weakness can be circumvented with simply training more war dogs and having them attack at once. Using them as a "shield" is also a viable option for combat-ready citizens.

Appearance

Clockwise: standard dog, young hunting dog, adult hunting dog, war dog, undead hunting dog, undead standard dog.

Dogs have six sprites based on the type of dog they are. This makes them unique, as they have more sprite variants than almost all other types of creatures in the game. A standard, generic dog will appear as an upright-standing brown dog with no other discernible features. All ages of generic dogs will share this sprite.

Adult hunting dogs will as sprites of dogs leaning downward and sniffing the ground, as if sniffing for a scent of a target, with the sprite of these dog variants appearing as one of two possible sizes, depending on their age. Young dogs will appear as smaller versions of the downward-looking hunting dogs. The sprite of war dogs will appear as more intimidating and bulky, with a spiked collar around their neck. Like generic dogs, war dogs of all ages will appear the same.

Undead dogs will share the same type of sprite as other creatures' undead sprites: as blue-indigo tinted versions of themselves with black eyes and white pupils. There are two separate undead sprites for generic dogs and hunting dogs, and no undead sprite for war dogs. This is a unique setup, as almost all creatures have only one undead sprite.

External Links

• Dog - Dwarf Fortress Wiki