Dog

Dogs are domestic animals that make various appearances throughout the The Legend of Zelda series, usually appearing in towns or other populated areas. In some games, one particular dog will stand out from the rest. Dogs do not usually have a plot-significant relevance, save for sidequest-like events.

Link's Awakening
Dogs first appeared in Link's Awakening as Mutts who roam Mabe Village. Treated as enemies, they will attack Link if he attacks them. They can be killed using Magic Powder or the Magic Rod. Bow-Wows, animals with dog-like behavior, also appear for the first time in Link's Awakening as pets of Madame MeowMeow.

Ocarina of Time
In Ocarina of Time (and Majora's Mask thereafter), dogs are smaller and have shaggy fur, resembling Yorkshire Terriers. Dogs are often seen running around the Castle Town Market in the main plaza and the back alleys. One particular dog, Richard, is owned by Mamamu Yan, who holds her dog in very high esteem compared to the other "mutts" of the town. At night, when all the dogs roam the town, Mamamu Yan will be unable to find her dog, and will ask Link to go look for him. Richard can be found behind a stall near the entrance to the market. As thanks for returning Richard, Mamamu Yan will reward Link with a Piece of Heart.

After awakening seven years later as an adult in the Temple of Time, Mamamu Yan will have moved to Kakariko Village along with the rest of the Hylians. Mamamu will mention that Talon reminds her of her dog, Richard. Since Richard is nowhere to be seen, and she refers to him in the past tense, it is likely that Richard died in the seven year period.

Majora's Mask
Appearing exactly as they did in Ocarina of Time, the dogs of Termina are mostly found at the Doggy Racetrack near Lon Lon Ranch, operated by Mamamu Yan. In this mini-game, Link chooses a dog from the kennel that he will bet on in a race. By picking up a dog while using the Mask of Truth, Link can read the thoughts of the dog. This is especially useful while choosing a dog for the races. In addition to the white and brown colorations of Ocarina of Time, dog's coats may also be grey, yellow or even blue. Other dogs include the dog of the Cursed Man found inside the Spider House. If Link reads its mind, it will say his master's eyes are always filled with greed. There is also the dog roaming South Clock Town, who constantly thinks of Deku Link and how his face "riles him up".

Dogs react differently to each of Link's forms. When Link is in Deku form, dogs will act hostile to towards him, growling and barking and even knocking him over (this, however, does not really hurt Link). When Link is in Goron form, dogs will growl at him and run away if approached. Finally, when Link is in Zora form, dogs will give affectionate barks and whine at his feet. If Link performs the march while wearing the Bremen Mask, dogs will fall in line behind him and march along with him to the music, until he stops playing.

It is also mentioned by Guru-Guru that a dog was the leader of the animal troupe, and wore the Bremen Mask, which Guru-Guru stole.

Oracle Series
In Oracle of Ages, one unnamed dog appears once again as the pet of Mamamu Yan in Lynna City. Mamamu Yan still believes her pet to be "much cuter" than the rest, despite the fact that there are no other dogs in all of Labrynna. In the Oracle of Ages Trading Sequence, Mamamu Yan will take the Doggie Mask to hide her dog's face, whom she claims is very shy. In return, she gives Link the Dumbbell that the dog played with. After receiving a secret from Mamamu Yan's mother in a Linked Game of Oracle of Seasons, and telling this secret to Mamamu Yan, she will mention that she has lost her dog somewhere in town and will ask Link to go find it. The dog will appear randomly in Lynna City. After finding and returning the dog (who can be lifted using the Power Bracelet), Mamamu Yan rewards Link with the unnapraised Snowshoe Ring.

A dog named Flash appears in Oracle of Seasons, in eastern Horon Village. Throughout the game, he can be seen fetching a red ball thrown by his master. This dog has no plot significance or importance in the entire game.

The Minish Cap

 * ''Related Article: Fifi

Dogs are quite frequent in The Minish Cap, the most significant being Fifi (the only terrier-like dog in The Minish Cap). Fifi, owned by Stockwell, can be found in her master's vacation house in the Lake Hylia region. Stockwell claims he is too busy to visit his dog, and as such she becomes very lonely. Link can bring her the bottle of Dog Food as a favor to Stockwell, who will let Link keep the empty Bottle afterwards.

Other, more mutt-like dogs appear in Hyrule Town. One is Rolf, a dark-furred dog belong to Romio, and the other is Growler, a light-brown dog, who, in the beginning of the game, blocks a staircase leading to the southwestern part of town (where Dr. Left's house and the Figurine Shop are found).

While in Minish form, Link can speak to dogs and even fuse Kinstones with Fifi and Rolf.

Twilight Princes
In Twilight Princess, their last appearance to date, dogs serve little purpose, but can be found in Ordon Village and Hyrule Castle Town. Dogs can be picked up and played with. Link can even play catch with them using bones found lying around. If the bone is thrown into a patch of grass or near a tree, the dog may bring back a few Rupees instead of the bone.

Dogs can be spoken to while in Wolf form, and will often give Link helpful advice on his quest. One particular dog, owned by Jaggle and Pergie's family, gives Wolf Link helpful information as to how to dig and use his senses when he returns to Ordon Village for the first time in wolf form.

Stalhounds, skeletal dog-like beasts, appear roaming Hyrule Field at night. Link must defeat a pack of stalhounds in order to recover the Wooden Statue, the key to recovering Ilia's memory. Stalhounds also appear within the Cave of Ordeals.

Freshly-Picked Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland
In Freshly-Picked Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland, a dog named Barkle appears as Tingle's intelligent pet dog first encountered at Sunshine Seashore. He will fetch Tingle Rupees if he is given Bones.

Trivia

 * In certain foreign versions The Minish Cap, Rolf and Growler are given similar names (e.g., and  in Japanese). More often than not, these names are onomatopoeias for barking, in their respective languages.