'Zelda: Breath of the Wild' Dogs: You can't pet them, but you can tame them for a reward

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild features several lots of different ways to interact with the world around you and the creatures that inhabit it. You can hang out with cuccos, find mounts to ride and most importantly spend time with dogs — though you can't actually pet them.

During your journey you'll come across several canine friends who will make your time in-game all the better. They're not just set pieces, however, they can be Link's friend too. Here's how you can interact with the dogs in Zelda: Breath of the Wild.

Zelda: Breath of the Wild: How to find dogs

There are several furry friends throughout Zelda: Breath of the Wild. You might find them at random, but you'll want to seek them out on purpose too. Usually you'll find dogs around villages or on the outskirts of towns where people dwell. 

A good place to look is around the Dueling Peaks stable or Hateno Village farm. You'll likely find some adorable pups milling about who want to be your friend. They won't be denoted by any special icon or anything like that, but when you find one make sure you stick around so you can start bonding with it.

Zelda: Breath of the Wild: How to tame them and increase your bond with dogs

Just like how you can tame and ride wild horses in Zelda: Breath of the Wild, you can do much the same with dogs. Unfortunately, you can't pet them — a severe oversight on Nintendo's part — but you can feed them and improve your bond with any dog you find. 

It's simple to do: Just walk up to a dog, face it, and watch for a pink puff. This means you're beginning interaction with the animal. You're going to want to give the dog food next, because giving a dog food is always a good idea, regardless of whether you're in a game or real life. The better quality of food, the better your bond will be. 

To give the dog food, open your inventory, select food to "Hold," and then drop the food on the ground for the dog to eat it. The dog must see you drop the food in front of him for you to benefit from this.

When you've successfully fed the dog, it will begin to follow you. You now have a companion in the field! You can run around in a circle a few times to see if the dog will chase its tail, which is mostly adorable and doesn't have much use. You can do other things with the dog too, like playing fetch. Grab a branch and throw it while you have the dog's attention, much like you do when feeding the dog. The dog should bring the branch back to you. 

Getting paid to hang out with dogs may be one of the best Zelda design decisions yet.

All of these interactions will eventually culminate in the dog leading you to treasure. The dog will guide you to chests buried underground that you'll need to utilize your Magnesis rune to pull from underground. Typically you'll be showered with rupees from these chests. It's a great reward for playing with puppies — in fact, getting paid to hang out with dogs may be one of the best Zelda design decisions yet. But unfortunately, you still can't pet the dogs. We know. We're upset too. 

More Zelda: Breath of the Wild news and coverage

Find out all there is to know about Zelda: Breath of the Wild, including what to expect from the Wii U version, how to preserve your items, how to beat bosses like the Stone Talus and Lynel, the best recipes for Link and how to take on the game's shrines. You'll also want to find out where all the great fairies in the game and how to use amiibo with your version of Zelda.