How to get a Dog in Rise of the Ronin

Wondering how to get a Dog in Rise of the Ronin? You've come to the right place.

In Rise of the Ronin, there's more to love than just dogs. Cats are equally adorable and can be spotted roaming in specific regions pinpointed on your map, whereas dogs may show up unpredictably in the game and aren't specifically mapped out. But there's a sneaky way to increase your odds of running into them.

It may require some time and effort on your part, but they are loyal canine companions that will certainly make it worth your while. Make sure to also explore our Rise of the Ronin review to get a clear picture of what to expect if you're considering purchasing Team Ninja's release.

How to get a Dog in Rise of the Ronin

Although the locations of dogs aren’t exactly mapped out for you, restoring public order in troubled areas means increasing your chances of bumping into them sooner than expected. When regions on the map are marked with red icons, it indicates the spots where you can take down bandits to liberate the region.

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Credit: Team Ninja

You are expected to encounter bandits for the first time in the main mission of Ronin Quest (The Bridge to Yokohama), where you must take out every last one of them as they plunder the nearby area. After doing so, odds are a Pilgrim Canine could pop up nearby at any moment. Some players might also have already found their Pilgrim Dogs and sent them off before you.

When you're out exploring, you might unexpectedly run into these dogs. But since they show up randomly, it's hard to tell how often you'll bump into them. But if you happen upon them, pat them to earn yourself a Silver Coin. If you're after the most assured way, you need to visit the Miyozaki Pleasure District.

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Credit: Team Ninja

At that point, you'll get to speak with Taka Murayama. You'll then receive the Longhouse as a gift from Ryoma Sakamoto, which will be your very own home base, giving you access to a myriad of functions and features. But only completing the second main Ronin Quest (Follow Your Blade Twin), where you must defeat the blade twin, unlocks your own Pilgrim Dog.

Once you get your hands on one, you can send your Pilgrim Dog on trips to shrines in Japan and give them a money gift. The higher the gift tier you give, the greater the rewards will be when they return. To start, go to your longhouse, select Pilgrim Dogs, and attach money to send them off. You can track their progress through the longhouse menu and collect your rewards when they return by petting them outside or visiting the longhouse.

There you have it, that is everything you need to know about getting your Pilgrim Dog in Rise of the Ronin. If you're in search of more, take a glance at our guides on how to get a Horse and how to complete No-Kill missions in Rise of the Ronin.