Board Game Arena - User contributions [en]

Gamehelpdoglover

2026-07-05T13:34:26Z

Magali: Changed Sub-headings 1 to Sub-headings 2 to improve the layout on the official bga site

== How to Play ==

The game is played over several rounds. Each round, each player will take one turn
in clockwise order, beginning with the starting player. During your turn, you must
retrieve cards from the grid of Game cards by using any 1 Dog Trick you own. At the
beginning of the game, you only own your starting trick, but over the course of the
game you may accumulate more. Note, you never use up your dog tricks, instead,
you keep them throughout the game and use them again and again. Rotate your
chosen Dog Trick card and position it anywhere ''within'' the grid to represent the
cards you want to gain. You cannot mirror your Trick card, only rotate and/or shift.

'''Important: when retrieving cards from the grid, you cannot take more than 1 card from the row or column that the Watch Dog is next to.'''

After collecting cards from the grid, reference the * on the Dog Trick card that you
used. Move the Watch Dog to that spot on the grid.

During your turn, before and/or after retrieving cards from the grid, you may play any
cards that you want from your hand in any order (see Card Types). If you have retrieved
cards from the grid and have finished playing cards from your hand, end your turn
by refilling the grid with new Game cards face up from the main deck. Any empty
spots in the 3x3 grid must be filled left to right, top to bottom. Then the next player
clockwise takes a turn. Players continue taking turns until the end of the game.

== End of the Game ==

While refilling the grid, if the End Game card is drawn, this indicates that this is the
last round of the game. Discard the End Game card, then continue refilling the grid
with the Game cards that were below the End Game card. At the end of this round,
when all players have had an equal number of turns, the game ends. Use a sheet
from the score pad to add up each player’s victory points (VP) from dogs, rescued
dogs, favorite things, and bones. The player with the highest total VP wins the game!
If two or more players are tied for the highest total, the tied player who has the
most fed dogs is the winner. If there is still a tie, the tied player who has the most
fed rescued dogs is the winner. If there is still a tie, the tied player that wins the next
game of Dog Lover is the winner.

== Glossary ==

'''Attached:''' This refers to 2 cards being joined, like a dog and a trait.
Once attached, a card cannot be moved somewhere else.

'''Hand:''' This refers to cards that you hold in your hand. Any cards held in hand may be
kept hidden from all other players until you decide to play them. There is no limit to
the amount of cards you can have in your hand.

'''On this turn:''' This means anytime between gaining the card and the end of that
immediate turn. This means you can gain a Walk card without having an available
dog to tuck it under, then adopt a rescued dog, then finally tuck the walk under the
dog you just rescued.

'''Tuck:''' This refers to all cards placed under a dog, like walks and training. Once tucked,
a card cannot be moved somewhere else. You may only tuck 1 card of each type under
each dog, unless otherwise stated on cards such as Traits.

== Card Types ==

==== Fetch ====
'''''Important:''' The Fetch card
starts the game face up in the
last player’s play area. They
keep it in their play area until
they choose to play it during
one of their turns.''

Playing a Fetch card allows you
to trade the fetch with 1 of
the cards in the grid, while ignoring the Watch
Dog. Like all cards that you play, this can be done
before or after retrieving cards from the grid.
Take the chosen card from the grid, then place
your Fetch card in the grid where the chosen card
was. This is done in addition to whatever cards
you may have retrieved during your turn, and it
happens before the grid is refilled.

Once the Fetch card is in the grid, it can be taken
like any other card in the grid by any player on a future turn. Each time it is taken, it
remains face up in that player’s play area until they decide to play it. A Fetch card in your
play area at the end of the game has no value.

==== Dogs ====
When you take a Dog card, place it face up in
the play area in front of you. At the end of
the game, all of your dogs need to be fed,
represented by the food symbol(s) on the
bottom of the card. If a dog is fully fed, you
gain VP equal to the number on the left side
of the card. In addition, you score any cards
attached to it and tucked under it.

If a dog is not fully fed, you lose 2 VP
regardless of the number on the left side of
the card. Unfortunately, you also don’t score
any cards attached to, or tucked under, an
unfed dog. There are no partial points for
feeding a dog part of its needs.

Dogs come in 3 sizes: small, medium, and big. These sizes are represented by the paw
prints in the corners and may be referenced by other cards.

==== Adoptions ====
When you take Adoption cards, keep them in your hand until you
choose to play them during one of your turns. Rescuing dogs
from the Rescue Shelter requires you to discard 2 Adoption cards
from your hand to rescue one of the face up rescued dogs next to
the Rescue Shelter deck. Place this newly rescued dog face up in
front of you. Rescued dogs are like regular Dog cards and must be
fully fed at the end of the game or you lose 2 VP. If a rescued dog
is fully fed at the end of the game, its special ability is activated.
After a dog is rescued, slide the remaining Rescued Dog cards
down and immediately refill the empty space at the top with a new face up card
from the Rescue Shelter deck. Adoption cards remaining
in your hand at the end of the game have no value.

==== Walks ====
When you take a Walk card, you must tuck it under one of your
dogs in your play area. If you tuck it, that Walk card will be worth
2 VP at the end of the game, as noted by the small VP symbol on
the top left corner of the card. Each dog can only have 1 Walk
tucked under it. If you cannot tuck it under one of your dogs by
the end of your turn, then you must discard it.

==== Food ====
Food cards are needed to feed your
dogs at the end of the game. There are
three types of food: scraps, dry bits,
and canned food. When you take a
Food card, you discard it to collect a
food cube of that color which you keep
until the end of the game. There are
also x2 Food cards. When you take one
of these cards, you collect 2 Food cubes
of that color. If you take a Wild Food
card, you must discard it and take a
wild (black) cube. Wilds can be used as
any type of food (scraps, dry bits, and
canned food).

==== Bones ====
When you take a Bone card, keep it in your hand
until the end of the game. At the end of the
game, if you only have 1 Bone you lose
1 VP. If you have 2 Bones, you gain 1 VP
for each of your fully fed dogs. If you
have 3 or more Bones, you gain 2 VP
for each of your fully fed dogs.

==== Trainings ====
When you take Training cards, keep them in your hand until you
choose to play them during one of your turns. There are two ways
to use Training cards. First, you can tuck it under one of your dogs
in your play area. If you tuck it, that Training card will be worth
1 VP at the end of the game, as noted by the small VP symbol on
the top left corner of the card. Each dog can only have 1 Training
card tucked under it.

Instead of tucking it, you can gain new dog tricks by discarding
Training cards from your hand to gain one of the face up Dog Trick
cards next to the Dog Tricks deck. The number of Training cards you discard is equal to
your chosen dog trick’s cost. Place the newly gained dog trick face up in front of you
next to your other dog tricks.

After training a new dog trick,
slide the remaining Dog Trick
cards down and immediately
refill the empty space at the top
with a new face up card from the
Dog Tricks deck. You may own
unlimited dog tricks; however,
you may only use 1 Dog Trick per
turn for retrieving cards from the
grid. Training cards remaining
in your hand at the end of the
game have no value.

==== Favorite Things ====
When you take a Favorite Things card, keep it in your hand until
the end of the game. At the end of the game, you gain VP based
on the number of ''different'' favorite things you have. You may
score for multiple sets.

{| class="wikitable" style="margin:auto"
|-
! Unique Favorite Things !! 1 !! 2 !! 3 !! 4 !! 5
|-
| VP || 1 || 3 || 6 || 10 || 15
|}

==== Traits ====
When you take a Trait card, you
must do what the card instructs,
usually attaching the trait to a dog
of a specified size. To attach a trait,
place the Trait card face up to the
left of the dog it attaches to. Each
dog can only have 1 Trait card
attached to it.

If you do not have the appropriate
dog to attach to, instead of attaching, follow the
instructions on the trait to discard itself and possibly
other cards or food. If you do not have all the items
instructed to discard, then simply discard as many
as you can.

While attached to a dog, Trait cards have abilities on
the bottom of the card that are active and may override
rules in the rulebook. At the end of the game, if the
attached dog is fully fed, you gain VP from the Trait
card equal to the number on the right side of the card.

Gamehelpdoglover

2026-07-05T13:31:09Z

Magali: Removed the link for "Card Types", since it doesn't work on the official bga website.

== How to Play ==

The game is played over several rounds. Each round, each player will take one turn
in clockwise order, beginning with the starting player. During your turn, you must
retrieve cards from the grid of Game cards by using any 1 Dog Trick you own. At the
beginning of the game, you only own your starting trick, but over the course of the
game you may accumulate more. Note, you never use up your dog tricks, instead,
you keep them throughout the game and use them again and again. Rotate your
chosen Dog Trick card and position it anywhere ''within'' the grid to represent the
cards you want to gain. You cannot mirror your Trick card, only rotate and/or shift.

'''Important: when retrieving cards from the grid, you cannot take more than 1 card from the row or column that the Watch Dog is next to.'''

After collecting cards from the grid, reference the * on the Dog Trick card that you
used. Move the Watch Dog to that spot on the grid.

During your turn, before and/or after retrieving cards from the grid, you may play any
cards that you want from your hand in any order (see Card Types). If you have retrieved
cards from the grid and have finished playing cards from your hand, end your turn
by refilling the grid with new Game cards face up from the main deck. Any empty
spots in the 3x3 grid must be filled left to right, top to bottom. Then the next player
clockwise takes a turn. Players continue taking turns until the end of the game.

== End of the Game ==

While refilling the grid, if the End Game card is drawn, this indicates that this is the
last round of the game. Discard the End Game card, then continue refilling the grid
with the Game cards that were below the End Game card. At the end of this round,
when all players have had an equal number of turns, the game ends. Use a sheet
from the score pad to add up each player’s victory points (VP) from dogs, rescued
dogs, favorite things, and bones. The player with the highest total VP wins the game!
If two or more players are tied for the highest total, the tied player who has the
most fed dogs is the winner. If there is still a tie, the tied player who has the most
fed rescued dogs is the winner. If there is still a tie, the tied player that wins the next
game of Dog Lover is the winner.

== Glossary ==

'''Attached:''' This refers to 2 cards being joined, like a dog and a trait.
Once attached, a card cannot be moved somewhere else.

'''Hand:''' This refers to cards that you hold in your hand. Any cards held in hand may be
kept hidden from all other players until you decide to play them. There is no limit to
the amount of cards you can have in your hand.

'''On this turn:''' This means anytime between gaining the card and the end of that
immediate turn. This means you can gain a Walk card without having an available
dog to tuck it under, then adopt a rescued dog, then finally tuck the walk under the
dog you just rescued.

'''Tuck:''' This refers to all cards placed under a dog, like walks and training. Once tucked,
a card cannot be moved somewhere else. You may only tuck 1 card of each type under
each dog, unless otherwise stated on cards such as Traits.

== Card Types ==

=== Fetch ===

'''''Important:''' The Fetch card
starts the game face up in the
last player’s play area. They
keep it in their play area until
they choose to play it during
one of their turns.''

Playing a Fetch card allows you
to trade the fetch with 1 of
the cards in the grid, while ignoring the Watch
Dog. Like all cards that you play, this can be done
before or after retrieving cards from the grid.
Take the chosen card from the grid, then place
your Fetch card in the grid where the chosen card
was. This is done in addition to whatever cards
you may have retrieved during your turn, and it
happens before the grid is refilled.

Once the Fetch card is in the grid, it can be taken
like any other card in the grid by any player on a future turn. Each time it is taken, it
remains face up in that player’s play area until they decide to play it. A Fetch card in your
play area at the end of the game has no value.

=== Dogs ===

When you take a Dog card, place it face up in
the play area in front of you. At the end of
the game, all of your dogs need to be fed,
represented by the food symbol(s) on the
bottom of the card. If a dog is fully fed, you
gain VP equal to the number on the left side
of the card. In addition, you score any cards
attached to it and tucked under it.

If a dog is not fully fed, you lose 2 VP
regardless of the number on the left side of
the card. Unfortunately, you also don’t score
any cards attached to, or tucked under, an
unfed dog. There are no partial points for
feeding a dog part of its needs.

Dogs come in 3 sizes: small, medium, and big. These sizes are represented by the paw
prints in the corners and may be referenced by other cards.

=== Adoptions ===

When you take Adoption cards, keep them in your hand until you
choose to play them during one of your turns. Rescuing dogs
from the Rescue Shelter requires you to discard 2 Adoption cards
from your hand to rescue one of the face up rescued dogs next to
the Rescue Shelter deck. Place this newly rescued dog face up in
front of you. Rescued dogs are like regular Dog cards and must be
fully fed at the end of the game or you lose 2 VP. If a rescued dog
is fully fed at the end of the game, its special ability is activated.
After a dog is rescued, slide the remaining Rescued Dog cards
down and immediately refill the empty space at the top with a new face up card
from the Rescue Shelter deck. Adoption cards remaining
in your hand at the end of the game have no value.

=== Walks ===

When you take a Walk card, you must tuck it under one of your
dogs in your play area. If you tuck it, that Walk card will be worth
2 VP at the end of the game, as noted by the small VP symbol on
the top left corner of the card. Each dog can only have 1 Walk
tucked under it. If you cannot tuck it under one of your dogs by
the end of your turn, then you must discard it.

=== Food ===

Food cards are needed to feed your
dogs at the end of the game. There are
three types of food: scraps, dry bits,
and canned food. When you take a
Food card, you discard it to collect a
food cube of that color which you keep
until the end of the game. There are
also x2 Food cards. When you take one
of these cards, you collect 2 Food cubes
of that color. If you take a Wild Food
card, you must discard it and take a
wild (black) cube. Wilds can be used as
any type of food (scraps, dry bits, and
canned food).

=== Bones ===

When you take a Bone card, keep it in your hand
until the end of the game. At the end of the
game, if you only have 1 Bone you lose
1 VP. If you have 2 Bones, you gain 1 VP
for each of your fully fed dogs. If you
have 3 or more Bones, you gain 2 VP
for each of your fully fed dogs.

=== Trainings ===

When you take Training cards, keep them in your hand until you
choose to play them during one of your turns. There are two ways
to use Training cards. First, you can tuck it under one of your dogs
in your play area. If you tuck it, that Training card will be worth
1 VP at the end of the game, as noted by the small VP symbol on
the top left corner of the card. Each dog can only have 1 Training
card tucked under it.

Instead of tucking it, you can gain new dog tricks by discarding
Training cards from your hand to gain one of the face up Dog Trick
cards next to the Dog Tricks deck. The number of Training cards you discard is equal to
your chosen dog trick’s cost. Place the newly gained dog trick face up in front of you
next to your other dog tricks.

After training a new dog trick,
slide the remaining Dog Trick
cards down and immediately
refill the empty space at the top
with a new face up card from the
Dog Tricks deck. You may own
unlimited dog tricks; however,
you may only use 1 Dog Trick per
turn for retrieving cards from the
grid. Training cards remaining
in your hand at the end of the
game have no value.

=== Favorite Things ===

When you take a Favorite Things card, keep it in your hand until
the end of the game. At the end of the game, you gain VP based
on the number of ''different'' favorite things you have. You may
score for multiple sets.

{| class="wikitable" style="margin:auto"
|-
! Unique Favorite Things !! 1 !! 2 !! 3 !! 4 !! 5
|-
| VP || 1 || 3 || 6 || 10 || 15
|}

=== Traits ===

When you take a Trait card, you
must do what the card instructs,
usually attaching the trait to a dog
of a specified size. To attach a trait,
place the Trait card face up to the
left of the dog it attaches to. Each
dog can only have 1 Trait card
attached to it.

If you do not have the appropriate
dog to attach to, instead of attaching, follow the
instructions on the trait to discard itself and possibly
other cards or food. If you do not have all the items
instructed to discard, then simply discard as many
as you can.

While attached to a dog, Trait cards have abilities on
the bottom of the card that are active and may override
rules in the rulebook. At the end of the game, if the
attached dog is fully fed, you gain VP from the Trait
card equal to the number on the right side of the card.