Mystery behind Elden Ring’s “friendly dog” solved by YouTuber after 2 years

An Elden Ring YouTuber has uncovered the mystery of the game’s “friendly dog” and uncovered how to trigger its animation sequence.

There’s a reason dogs often take the top spot when it comes to mobs worth fearing in a Souls game. With quick move sets and small hit boxes, they can be difficult to overcome, especially for unseasoned players.

But in Elden Ring there’s one dog with such a mellow disposition it’s earned the nickname of the “friendly dog.”

But is it really a good boy? One Souls YouTuber by the name of Zullie the Witch decided to find out once and for all.

Elden Ring’s friendly dog is located in Leyndell, and unlike most mobs in Souls games, this dog doesn’t aggro when a player approaches. Leading many to consider the canine an improbable ally, or at the very least, worthy of pats.

But why exactly is the “friendly dog” so friendly? The answer lies in the way animation sequences are triggered by a player’s entry into an event area.

As the video explains, the dog in Leyndell’s animation sequence requires a player to enter a different zone first, before encountering the dog.

If the player enters an area just outside Leyndell’s coliseum and then heads to the location of the friendly dog without reloading, this will trigger it to attack the player as a normal mob would.

Exactly why this sequence of events needs to be followed to trigger the dog’s attacks is still a bit of a mystery. The video suggests the explanation could even be something as simple as a typo in the code listing the wrong event area.

Regardless of the reasons, players who want to keep Elden Ring’s friendly dog approachable had best avoid heading into Leyndell after exploring the coliseum.