How to pet the wolves in God of War Ragnarok (Speki and Svanna)

Getting to pet the wolves in God of War Ragnarok is one of the simpler joys found in a game otherwise defined by lots of bloodshed. It’s also gated behind a side-quest that could easily be missed on your first playthrough. Luckily, we’re here to get you up to speed on how to give your furry friends the love they deserve.

Speki and Svanna are two loyal pups who we meet at the beginning of the game, pulling Kratos and Atreus’ sled. They bravely fight through the horrific fimbulwinter coating the land in snow, all to make your journey through Midgard just a little bit easier.

Unfortunately, Kratos is far too stoic to simply dish out the deserved affection to these canine companions whenever he wants. To push past that emotional barrier, you’ll need to complete the ‘Animal Instincts’ favour in Midgard.

How to pet the wolves in God of War Ragnarok.

This favour becomes available when you return to Midgard after visiting Vanaheim. You’ll return to find the Lake of the Nine frozen solid and inhabited by the Vol. These vile raiders are guilty of perhaps the worst crime in the franchise: killing and eating dogs. The favour’s start is just a little southwest of the entrance to the canyon that leads to the Well of Urd. Scramble up a ledge and deal with the raiders camping there.

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Dealing with these raiders should start the favour, setting you on the path to finally giving Speki and Svanna the pets they deserve. To reach the other camps:

• Ride directly south of the central temple, clamber up a blood-splattered ledge, and find the second raider encampment.
  Ride toward King’s Grave, take your first right, climb up a small ledge, and enter the raider hideout.
• Ride toward the central temple, then head to the northern side of the bridge. You should see the entrance to the last encampment, which is an ice-coated door with a bell hanging over it.

Clearing these camps out and slaying the Vol chieftain Olaf Nautson will be a service to the realm, but it will also get you closer to petting the wolves. You can deal with these camps in any order and clearing any out will begin the favour, so if you stumble into a different camp than our recommended starting point, there’s nothing to worry about.

Return to Speki and Svanna and you’ll unlock a well-earned wolf petting cutscene, as well as the aptly-named “Besties” trophy.

Are there any other wolves to pet?

Yes, but it’s a story spoiler so we’ll keep it vague: another wolf-petting opportunity presents itself in the post-game upon a visit to Jotunheim. We’ll let you enjoy this heart-warming scene for what it is, but it’s certainly worth sticking around for after the story’s end.

If you’d like more tips on how to do other side content during your journeys through the realms, take a look at our guide on how to get divine ashes and unlock Muspelheim. If you’d like to focus on the main story, we’ve got a list of missions here.