If Link stands close to a Hylian Retriever or feeds the Retriever, it will become happy, signified by a pink blush effect appearing around its head. While it is happy, the Dog will follow Link around within the Stable or settlement. If Link feeds the Retriever three times while it is happy, it may lead Link to a buried Treasure Chest nearby.[5]
Hylian Retrievers are a type of Dog often found at Stables and in some settlements. They are omnivorous, and will eat certain Materials, such as meat, fruit, and vegetables, if they are nearby. They will also move around, generally a lot more than any other domesticated animal, chasing their own tails, rolling onto their backs, crouching down, and even shaking their bodies to dispel water after they get wet, often during or after it rains.
Taming a dog in Breath of the Wild in 4 easy steps
Introduction to the Dogs of Breath of the Wild
If you’re anything like me (a huge video game nerd and a professional pet photographer), you were probably pretty excited to discover interactive dogs in the latest Zelda installment, Breath of the Wild (BOTW). This isn’t the first time that dogs appeared in the Zelda franchise, but the level of interactivity and shear whimsicalness of the canine edition to the game is arguably unprecedented.
Unlike in a lot of other video games, the dogs in BOTW aren’t forced into the role of combatant or relegated to mindless window dressing. What is even more interesting about the dogs in BOTW is that their bond isn’t assumed. In many games, such as Skyrim, you can just buy a dog and it would follow you loyally where ever you go. But in BOTW you have to work to earn a dog’s trust and there are limits of what it will do for you.
While the number of different interactions you can share with dogs in this game are admittedly fairly limited – especially as there is no way to actually pet any of these dogs – what impressed us was how the developers caught the over all feel and magic experience of meeting a free range dog. In many ways, hanging out with the dogs in BOTW reminded me of our wonderful experiences meeting the wonderful stray dogs of Chile, especially the moments we shared with the dogs of Valparaíso, San Pedro de Atacama, Santiago, and Torres del Paine.
It might seem like a small thing, but it is actually a pretty huge and positive step in how dogs are represented in media.
FAQ
Where is the white dog in Hateno?
Hateno Village also has a white dog that the player can feed meat to in order to befriend. After befriending the dog, it will lead Link to a treasure chest with a Silver Rupee inside.
Which dog do I feed at Snowfield Stable?
What does the dog do in Botw?