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This page is about the Fallout 3 character. For the consumable item in Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas, see dog meat. For the Fallout and Fallout 2 character, see Dogmeat (Fallout). |
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“You know, I think you're the first dog I've met that didn't try to eat me.”— Lone Wanderer to Dogmeat
Dogmeat is a possible companion of the Lone Wanderer in 2277.
Background
An affectionate and dextrous puppy, Dogmeat's skills as a four-legged scavenger and ferocious fighting companion were not lost on his first master, who was recently killed by raiders in the vicinity of the Scrapyard. Dogmeat has tracked the raiders down, loyal to the end.[1]
His name is in homage to the Dogmeat from Fallout, and, according to the developers, he is a descendant of the Vault Dweller's original canine companion that died in a horrible accident involving a force field.
Interactions with the player character
Interactions overview
| Interactions | ||
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This character is essential. Essential characters cannot be killed. | |
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This character is a permanent companion. | |
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This character is a temporary companion. | |
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This character starts quests. |
no |
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This character is involved in quests. |
no |
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This character is a doctor. |
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This character is a merchant. |  -Sells: - |
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This character can repair items. | Max Repair condition: - |
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This character rents beds. | no.
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This character drops an ear upon death (Contract Killer). | |
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This character drops a finger upon death (Lawbringer). | |
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This character can be enslaved with the Mesmetron. | |
Effects of player's actions
- Dogmeat is found in the Scrapyard (south of Minefield), fighting several raiders. Regardless of any other companion in your party or your Karma level, you can recruit Dogmeat.
- Shooting Dogmeat in the initial encounter without talking to him will make it impossible for the player to recruit him unless you have the Puppies perk.
Other interactions
- Dogmeat can be used to fetch supplies, such as ammunition, chems, food or weapons.
Notes
- If enemies are nearby, Dogmeat will growl. Since he's coded to be a higher priority target than the Lone Wanderer, Dogmeat will draw attackers' attention away from him/her.
- When instructed to find something, Dogmeat is capable of bypassing locked containers and doors, allowing access to items in containers beyond the Lone Wanderer's ability to pick.
- Dogmeat can sometimes go missing for long periods of time when asked to find something, sometimes even days.
- At level 22 (with the Broken Steel add-on installed), the Puppies! perk can be taken so that when Dogmeat dies, a puppy appears at the main door of Vault 101. However, since installing Broken Steel makes Dogmeat (along with several other followers) virtually indestructible, the usefulness of this is debatable, especially considering that Dogmeat has a lot of health at that level. However, if Dogmeat died at a lower level, the perk can be used to acquire a new canine companion.
- The Puppies! perk has a second, unintended use that makes it possible to recruit multiple followers. See Fallout 3 exploits for more details.
- In Dogmeat's dialogue, there are "Scold" and "Praise" options. These however, do nothing at all and appear to be there purely for flavor.
- His right eye is brown, while his left eye is blue. This is known as complete heterochromia.
- If you tell Dogmeat to wait in Megaton, and then blow the town up, Dogmeat will be alive outside of the Megaton ruins.
- If the Lone Wanderer attacks Dogmeat until he becomes hostile, but you decide not to kill him and run instead, then he may seem to disappear. Simply wait three days and return to Vault 101. He will be waiting in his usual spot.
- With Broken Steel installed, Dogmeat (along with other companions) will gain a ridiculously high amount of health every time the player levels up requiring multiple shots from the Experimental MIRV to kill him. This makes him virtually invincible.
- If Dogmeat is not present at the Scrapyard, he should be after a few hours' wait.
- Dogmeat appears in the ending cutscenes, even if he is never met/interacted with at any point in the game.
Appearances
This Dogmeat appears only in Fallout 3.
Behind the scenes
 | The following is based on Fallout 3 cut content. |
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- Before the release of Fallout 3, the process of how to recruit Dogmeat had only been shown as a small clip as the Lone Wanderer holds something out to the wounded dog. The item is not revealed. Dogmeat was said to be found in a random encounter, which would appear in different places depending on where the player ventures to, but was meant to appear early on to help develop your bond with the dog. This was scrapped in the released game.
| End of information based on Fallout 3 cut content |
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- Dogmeat is modeled after the dog in Mad Max 2 (aka The Road Warrior). The main character Max, played by Mel Gibson, had a dog that wandered with him. Dogmeat is the same breed as Max's dog, an Australian cattle dog.
- The namesake for "Dogmeat" is Vic's canine companion, "Blood" (also called "Dogmeat" by Vic) in the movie "A Boy and His Dog" (1975) starring Don Johnson and based on the novel by the famed sci-fi author Harlan Ellison. This movie dealt with post-nuclear war survival with "Dogmeat" apparently conversing with Vic as they both scour the wasteland for food and women.
Bugs
In Little Lamplight, if Dogmeat is following you and you go into the testing chamber to explore, Dogmeat may appear dead while exiting. Then while leaving a room or house, Dogmeat's dead body will spawn outside next to where you entered. Dogmeat may or may not take up a character slot after dying this way. Dogmeat will also still be shown blinking. This also can happen to Jericho. [verified]- During the Blood Ties quest Dogmeat may disappear from the game after talking with Vance about making a deal with Arefu. Loading a previous save doesn't fix the problem. [verified]
- The game might crash if you try to talk to Dogmeat while the battle is still ongoing in the Scrapyard. [verified]
- Through use of the Paralyzing Palm perk (or any weapon with a knockdown affect), Dogmeat can store items whose weight total exceeds 10,000 lbs. However, asking him to fetch you an item at any time will return all stored items. If you ask Dogmeat to return to Vault 101, you can pickpocket him and store items too. [verified]
- Despite being sent back to Vault 101, Dogmeat has shown up inside of the West residence in Arefu. After going outside, Dogmeat does not follow. [verified]
- Dogmeat has appeared in Pilgrim's Landing during the quest Thought Control. [verified]
- Attacking Dogmeat until he becomes hostile and then putting away your weapons will result in Dogmeat walking back to Vault 101. [verified]
- After leaving Vault 101 for the first time, Dogmeat can be found outside, sometimes clipping into the ground. If interacted with, no dialog options will appear and will not be recruitable as a companion, even if the player goes to the scrapyard. [verification needed]
Gallery
The Lone Wanderer with Dogmeat
Front shot
References
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