7 Need-To-Know Facts About Fallout 4's Dog

Roaming the post-apocalyptic wasteland isn't nearly as fun without a canine companion, which is why we've compiled these facts about your new best friend in Fallout 4. Read on for new details, a little speculation, and a whole lot of adorable doggy pics.

A Bulletproof Pooch
I avoided Dogmeat like the plague in Fallout 3 because I couldn't bear the thought of him dying and didn't want to constantly reload old saves every time he did. That won't be a problem in Fallout 4; while not stated during the Bethesda E3 demo, Todd Howard has since confirmed that your beloved dog can't die. That may just make her the most powerful creature in the wasteland – you'd better stay on her good side.

Speak!
The wasteland can be a pretty dreary place – what better way to brighten your mood than with a good old-fashioned pup talk? Hilarious puns aside, the E3 demo revealed that you can stop and speak to your dog, complete with a variety of dialogue options just like when talking to other NPCs. Even better, the dog actually barks back! What's that, Dogmeat? A raider is stuck in a well? Let's go take potshots at him and then loot his corpse! If talking to a dog isn't considered a current-gen innovation, I don't know what is.

Play Fetch
Chatting with your four-legged friend isn't the only thing you can do. During the E3 demo, Todd Howard revealed that you can command your furry pal to go to places in the environment simply by pointing at them. Even better, if you focus the reticle on an item she'll fetch it for you – unlike Dogmeat, who would disappear for a week while hunting for random supplies in the world. I think we know who the top dog is.

Sic 'em!
Like in Fallout 3, your new pooch can attack enemies. These vicious maulings look a lot better this time around, as she realistically knocks down enemies and targets specific limbs. Thanks to the aforementioned immortality, you also don't have to worry about shooting her while attacking your enemies.

She's Got That Head-Tilt Down
Every dog needs to master the art of the adorable head-tilt, and based on the demo, this dog is already a pro. Let's just hope she doesn't do it every time you crack open a box of Sugar Bombs, because you can't really afford another mouth to feed when you're scavenging the wasteland for supplies.

She's A German Shepard
Yeah, yeah, I know Fallout dogs are traditionally mutts, and unless there's a tribe of showdog-breeding mutants in Fallout 4, your canine companion probably isn't a purebred. However, there's no way that dog isn't at least part German Shepard, and you don't have to be an expert in dog breeds to recognize the genetic similarities.

She's Probably A She
The early rumors that you couldn't play as a female character in Fallout 4 were quickly and definitively debunked during Bethesda's press conference, but no one has mentioned the gender of your canine companion. Based on my own extensive analysis, I'm pretty sure she's female, because – after scrubbing through reams of slow-motion footage in the name of journalistic integrity! – this dog doesn't appear to have any balls.

Granted, Bethesda could just have some kind of aversion to modeling dog balls, but didn't you hear Todd Howard wax poetic about how they planned out every little button and light? It seems like a pretty big omission for such a detail-oriented team – not to mention a lame explanation.

I think we can also assume that no one is going around the wasteland neutering stray dogs – if anything, dogs would probably be a good source of meat, so you'd want them to keep procreating. The most obvious explanation, then? You've got a female pooch – duh!

Granted, the vault dweller says, "Hey boy" when he first sees the dog, but that's only after a cursory glance, and afterwards he calls the dog by the gender-neutral "pal." I can't state definitively that the dog is female, but until I see dog balls, I'm working off that assumption (at the very least, I'm sure a future user mod will fill the gap...so to speak).

For more on Fallout 4, watch the Bethesda press conference in its entirety and read our list of Everything You Should Know About Fallout 4.