When you start up your Nintendogs + Cats cartridge for the first time, you are automatically taken to the kennel. Here, you can get your first puppy.
Choosing a Breed
When you arrive in the kennel, you are shown a list of puppy breeds that you can choose from. The breeds that are available to you will depend on which version of the game you are playing. However, you can unlock all of the breeds eventually, even if you do not connect to other players. Here are the starting breeds:
| Game | Starting Breeds |
|---|---|
| Nintendogs + Cats: French Bulldog & New Friends |
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| Nintendogs + Cats: Golden Retriever & New Friends |
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| Nintendogs + Cats: Toy Poodle & New Friends |
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Choosing a Color and Playing with your Prospective Puppy
After you choose a breed, you will be prompted to choose a color pattern. You can choose from one of the listed options (which will be different depending on the breed that you choose), or you can pick "Surprise Me" to see a random assortment of puppy color patterns from the breed that you chose.
After you pick a color, you will see three puppies walking around the yard of the kennel. The game will call them over to you, and you can pet whichever one you want. You can also call over the puppies again with the button in the corner.
Petting the puppies can give you an idea of their temperament. You an also tap "Choose this Puppy" to see the information about that puppy. The screen that comes up will tell you if it is a boy or a girl, and it will briefly describe that puppy's personality.
Once you have found the puppy that you want to take home, click the button in the screen that describes the puppy, and your puppy will be sent home to you.
Calming Down your New Puppy
When you first bring your puppy home with you, it will be a little nervous about its new surroundings. To calm your puppy down, call it over and pet it. Whenever you pet a puppy or kitten, there is always a particular spot that the puppy or kitten wants you to pet. You can tell if you are petting the right spot if the puppy reacts by closing its eyes and panting with its tongue out. Keep petting this spot until it gives off some glowing shapes.
Naming your Puppy
After the game tells you that your puppy has calmed down, the game will prompt you to teach your puppy its name. When the microphone symbol is displayed on the screen, say your puppy's name. If the puppy understood, it will bark, and the microphone will turn into a lightbulb. You will have to say your puppy's name a total of three times, and afterward, it will know its name. The game will then ask you to use the on-screen keyboard to type in your puppy's name. Make sure it matches what you said!
Have Fun with Your Puppy
After you have given your puppy a name, you can do whatever you want! You can teach your puppy tricks, feed and water your puppy, brush or bathe it, and more.