There’s nothing quite like exploring with a loyal furry friend at your side, so while adventuring around the maps present in Outbound, you may find yourself longing for a pet to keep you company. There’s a dog featured on the starting screen, so it’s likely you might be trying to figure out how to get one as soon as possible.
You’re not given much guidance for most tasks you can tackle in Outbound, and for getting a dog, you’re given no information at all. This makes it a pretty tricky task to figure out, so if you’re eager to gain an ally for your road trip, here’s how to get a dog in Outbound.
Can you get a dog in Outbound?
Yes, you can get a dog in Outbound. It’s not something you can do early on, though, and is instead a more long-term goal you have to work your way up to, as there’s no way to find and get one on the starting map. Focus on general progression at first, since moving forward is the only way to find and meet one.
How to find a dog in Outbound
You can get a dog from the Paws & Whiskers Lodge location in Outbound. This key spot can be accessed almost immediately after arriving at The Coast, which is the second map you unlock while playing. You start off at The Outdoors map, and must progress fairly far in this area to unlock The Coast, so you cannot get a dog early on. Instead, you have to thoroughly explore The Outdoors first and complete a few key tasks to unlock and venture to the area where dogs can be adopted.
To access The Coast, you need to obtain and build the Pickaxe II recipe. Then, you must visit the blocked tunnel located near the far northeast corner of the map. It’s up high on a steep hill, so your van needs to be upgraded and equipped to handle steep drives to access this area.
Once all of this is done, you can then use your upgraded Pickaxe to break the rocks blocking the tunnel. After it’s been cleared, hop in your van and drive into the now cleared tunnel to access The Coast area. You can head back through this tunnel to continue exploring The Outdoors at any point, so feel free to go back and forth between the two whenever you wish to do so.
Upon landing in The Coast region, follow the beginning of the path in this area through the windy woods. Once you reach the end of this path, which is when the forest opens up to a stunning coastal area, look right to spot a large wooden sign marking the Paws & Whiskers Lodge area. Hop out of your van, walk under the sign, and follow the path all the way down to the end to find the small pet shop building. Proceed inside and out the back door to find an array of dogs wandering around the yard.
In the backyard, you can approach and look at each of the dogs hanging around the area. Once you decide which one you want, look right at it and press the button that appears next to the “Choose Companion” text. This button varies by platform, but is always displayed by this option when looking at the dog. Choose a name for your new friend and select the Adopt option to finalize the process, unlocking a new ally for your future road trip adventures.
All dogs in Outbound
There are four different dogs you can choose from. The coat and eye colors of each one are different, but they’re all shaped the same and grant the same useful abilities upon being adopted, so you’re deciding between them based purely on which one you like the look of best. You also get to choose a name for the dog upon selecting one. This decision is final and permanent, so choose wisely.
How many dogs can you have in Outbound?
Each player can only have one dog in Outbound. If you’re playing with friends, though, it may feel like you have more, since everyone can adopt their own dog. With a maximum of four players, you can have four dogs along for the ride, with one assigned to each member of your squad.
What do dogs do in Outbound?
Dogs are incredibly useful allies with a variety of helpful skills that make your exploration life easier. As soon as you adopt them, they can carry items for you, granting additional storage space while on the go. If you work on training your dog, they can eventually assist you in more helpful ways, like fetching items or carrying them back to the van. You can also feed and pet them for fun.
