According to statistics from theAmerican Veterinary Medical Association, about 45.5% of households in the United States had at least one dog in them in 2024.
Suffice it to say, people like dogs, and why wouldn’t they? Dogs are affectionate, loyal, and cute as all get out.
10 Most Loyal Anime Dogs, Ranked
Who doesn’t love anime dogs?
Not only do we like having dogs by our sides, but we love to see them in our media, usually in helpful companion roles like tracking scents and fighting baddies.
Dogs have been helping us out in games for decades, and no matter what situation they show up in, they are always exceptionally good boys and girls.
Mega Man 3
Originally introduced inMega Man 3, Rush is the Blue Bomber’s trusty canine sidekick, expressly developed by Dr. Light for support purposes.
What Rush lacks in Mega Man’s combat capabilities, he makes up for with his numerous helpful functions.
In his first appearance, Rush could deploy a jumping spring and transform into a hoverboard or submersible.
In subsequent appearancesthroughout the series, he also gained a search function, a bike mode, and even the ability to combine with Mega Man into several powered-up forms.
It’s a safe bet that wherever Mega Man goes, Rush won’t be too far behind.
Haunting Ground
In the early hours ofHaunting Ground, Fiona goes through some… troubling occurrences as she meets the staff of Belli Castle.
After a nightmare in her bed, she spots a German Shepherd tied up outside. Feeling pity for the dog, Fiona sets him free and he runs off.
During a subsequent encounter with Debilitas, the dog, Hewie, comes to Fiona’s rescue, scaring the giant man away.
Hewie not only helps Fionafind valuable items with his trusty nose, but when she’s being pursued, he’ll growl at and attack anyone who tries to give her grief.
Metal Gear Solid V
Metal Gear Solid 5 The Phantom Pain
InMetal Gear Solid V, Venom Snake happens to come across an orphaned wolf pup while out on a mission.
One Fulton Recovery later, and the pup has been brought to Mother Base for tutelage under Revolver Ocelot.
After some time and an impressive growth spurt, the puppy grows into a trustworthy companion for Snake and something of a mascot for the Diamond Dogs. Naturally, he’s named D-Dog, DD for short.
Thanks to Ocelot’s training, DD is the perfect military hound, able to sniff out enemy troops and resources and ping them on Snake’s radar.
On Snake’s command, DD can even covertly knock out or kill unsuspecting soldiers.
Canine companions by the name of Dogmeat have been appearing inFalloutgames since the very first entry.
Out of all the Dogmeats, though, the most developed one is the one encountered shortly after leaving Sanctuary inFallout 4.
Not only is this Dogmeat immediately very friendly and loyal to the Sole Survivor, he plays a vital role in the main story quest.
OnNick Valentine’s suggestion, the Sole Survivor has Dogmeat track the scent of Institute mercenary Conrad Kelogg, eventually managing to corner him at his hideout.
As Dogmeat cannot be affected by karma, he is the only companion who will always be on your side, no matter where your journeys take you.
Boney is the loyal, if somewhat put-upon dog to Flint’s family inMother 3.
He originally plays a small role in the story, helping Flint track down Duster, but when Lucas becomes the protagonist, he joins as a fullparty member.
While Boney lacks the powerful PSI abilities of Lucas and Kumatora or Duster’s thief tools, his sense of smell allows him to identify enemy weaknesses and resistances.
Boney is incredibly loyal to Lucas, even dressing up as a person and walking upright for an extended period to enter a club, much to his personal displeasure.
InPikmin 4, in addition to the usual race ofhelpful plant people, your little explorer is accompanied by a rescue pup named Oatchi.
Oatchi is one of a species of space dogs employed by the Rescue Corps, originating from the planet Giya before being trained for service by the Shepherd Family.
Pikmin 4: All Oatchi Abilities, Ranked
Oatchi, your adorable Rescue Pup, in Pikmin 4 has some great abilities. Here they all are ranked.
Oatchi isn’t particularly fond of the Pikmin when they first meet, but once he grows in size and experience, they can work in perfect harmony on your commands.
Besides being a tracker, Oatchi’s relatively larger size allows him to serve as a powerful steed and weapon against the planet’s larger predators.
Persona 3 Reload
InPersona 3, Koromaru is an albino shiba inu who lives in the shrine and playground near the Iwatodai Dorms.
He’s a well-known figure in the neighborhood, loved by all the locals for his nightly safety patrols.
By chance, Akihiko happens to encounter him during the Dark Hour on the heels of a stray Shadow, only to find Koromaru defeated it all on his own.
Despite being a dog, Koromaru has a fierce, noble will, strong enough to manifest the Persona Cerberus.
For his skill and bravery, he’s drafted into S.E.E.S., becoming a vital party member in the exploration of Tartarus.
3Hero’s Dog
Near the beginning ofFable 2’s story, the child who would become the Hero of Bowerstone encounters a stray dog under attack by a bully.
When they save the dog, he immediately becomes a lifelong companion, following them on all their adventures.
Your dog will help you in combat by finishing downed enemies, as well as sniff out and dig up items in the wild.
He’s so fiercely loyal to the Hero, that when Lucien Fairfax attempts to shoot them, the dog jumps in and takes the bullet, dying a hero.
Tales of Vesperia
Tales of Vesperia: Definitive Edition
Repede is Yuri’s trusty canine sidekick inTales of Vesperia, the first party member to join you besides Yuri himself.
Repede used to belong to one of the royal knights, who was killed while defending a small town.
After Yuri left the knights, Repede went with him, carrying a pipe from his late owner as a memento.
Obviously, he doesn’t have much to say on the story’s overall events, but he’s always there for Yuri and willing to throw down in combat.
With the help of his late owner’s Bodhi Blastia, Repede is capable of performing a variety of combat Artes, valiantly swinging a dagger in his teeth.
Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective
InGhost Trick, Missile is the faithful companion to Lynne’s surrogate sister, Kamila.
He’s quite smart for a dog, though he also can’t help but obey his instincts to bark at anything that catches his attention.
Missile ends up being killed by an assassin that takes Kamila hostage, but thanks to Sissel, his spirit persists and the two of themundo his death.
Missile comes and goes throughout the story, sometimes alive and sometimes a spirit, but he’s always down to offer a helping paw when he shows up.
Darkest Dungeon 2: 10 Best Pets, Ranked
Pets are invaluable companions that give your Heroes buffs in Darkest Dungeon 2. Here are the best ones available for the player.
