The Dog functions essentially as a version of the Wolves that Set can convert with Priests. Nature (wild) Dogs can be hunted like any other animal. Unlike other predators, wild Dogs attack the player's units as well as buildings without provocation.
The Dog was meant to be in the original version of Age of Mythology according to the "dog anim.txt" located in the Anim.bar file.
There are five dog-type units featured in Age of Empires III: War Dogs, the Explorer's Dogs and Peruvian Dogs. The fourth, Fluffy, is only available via cheats. The fifth, Mad Dog, is a treasure guardian.
The War Dog is unique to the Spanish and can be trained by the Explorer. The Spanish start a random map game with one War Dog alongside their Explorer, and can train up to four more.
War Dogs can also be rescued at some treasure sites.
For the next 30 seconds, military building training and research work rate +400%, unit speed +10%
Colegio de San Nicolas
Delivers 1 Large Collection of Books (500 XP); unit Line of Sight +4; building (except Wall) Line of Sight +8; reveals enemy units' positions for 20 seconds
National Servant
Unit (except herded animals) hit points +10%; Padre heal work rate +200%
The Spanish Conquistadors brought dogs with them to the New World. These were big, fierce dogs, probably a mix of mastiff and greyhound. They were good at tracking, hunting, and killing prey (often human). Becerrillo, which means "little bull calf," was owned by Spanish Conquistador Ponce de Leon. Becerrillo sired the more famous Leoncico, "little lion," who stowed away in a wooden cask with his owner, the Explorer Vasco Nunez de Balboa.
”
—In-game history
“
Explorer Dog. Your Explorer's loyal companion.
”
—In-game description
The Explorer's Dog is available to European civilizations other than the Spanish (who have the War Dog) and the Maltese (who have the Lamb of the Creator). Like the Explorer, it cannot die when its hit points reach 0. Instead, it collapses and must be rescued when an allied unit or building is near and it has enough hit points, or ransomed.
Upgrades[]
The Explorer's Dog is automatically upgraded in every Age up.
Peruvian Hairless Dog. A smart and agile canine that obeys commands.
”
—In-game description
The Peruvian Dog is unique to the Inca. It can be obtained by the Inca and the revolutionary nation Peru via certain shipments, and trained by the Inca War Chief and in the Kancha House once the Chiribaya Dogs card has been sent. The 5 Peruvian Dogs card unlocks it only at the Inca War Chief.
Upgrades[]
Peruvian Dogs are automatically upgraded in every Age, except in the Industrial Age.
The Dog was originally cut from the original Age of Mythology, however it was meant to return as a trainable unit for the Chinese, likely as a scout, before becoming just a Scenario Editor unit, similar to the Cataphract.
When the Explorer's Dog collapses, a text box appears near it that quotes Hamlet's final line from the Shakespearean play Hamlet: "Horatio, I am dead; Thou livest; report me and my cause aright To the unsatisfied."
Although the War Dog/Explorer's Dog unit portrait shows a German Shepherd dog, the two in-game variants resemble a Belgian Shepherd Malinois and an English Mastiff.
Gallery[]
Both variations of the Dog in Tale of the Dragon
Variant 1 of the Dog
Variant 2 of the Dog
The two in-game variants of the Explorer's Dogs in Age of Empires III
Fully upgraded Explorer's Dog
War Dog portrait in the Age of Empires III beta
Dog image from the Compendium section in Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition
The two in-game variants of the Dog in Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition