You can pet the dogs in Diablo 4, but I wasn’t ready for the responsibility

For solo players like me, Diablo 4 can be a lonely experience. My Necromancer may have an army of Skelly Boys around her, but the undead aren’t exactly lovable. All those bones don’t make them great cuddle buddies.

What I didn’t realize, however, was that you can not only pet the dogs in Diablo 4 but recruit them to your squad. Well, kind of.

When you’re close to a stray dog and use the ‘Hello’ emote, your character automatically pats them. It’s a delightful moment, made all the better when you notice that your new canine pal doesn’t actually want to leave your side—for better or worse.

Despite playing hours of Diablo 4, I had no idea this was possible. But armed with this new information, I made my way around Kyovashad (cities are prime dog spotting locations) saying hello to any dog I could see. I ended up bringing on board two furry pals, Daryl and Tony, who joined my skeleton pals to make a rag-tag squad.

Unfortunately, while Diablo 4’s dogs are loyal, unlike skeleton pals, they’re not made for combat. You can take them out of the safety of the city, but you’re then responsible if they end up getting butchered on your adventures. And it’s likely they will get butchered. 

I faced a dilemma then. I had to abandon Tony and Daryl to save them from the evils of Sanctuary. I tried to run behind a building to escape my precious pups but they spotted me and followed me once again. The only way was to teleport away and leave my new friends in the metaphorical rear-view mirror. 

Related: Best Legendary Item farming locations in Diablo 4

The ease with which you can abandon your new friends is both a gift and a curse. A gift in that I could save them from their own loyalty, they’re simply too innocent for the horrors of the world. The negative is that, if you do dare to take them on your adventure, you will need to go at a pace that they can keep up with—and avoid teleporting. 

It’s probably best then to look but not touch Diablo 4’s dogs. I hope Daryl and Tony are sharing a rotten piece of meat somewhere in Kyovashad, safe and sound. For now, it’ll just have to be me and my Skelly Boys on this long adventure.