🐕 Outbound Dog Companion Guide: Fetch, Backpack, Commands & Full Mechanics

The Meadows Paws & Whiskers Lodge is located in the central-eastern Meadows biome, marked on your map once within 300m range (the paw icon 🐾). It is typically reachable within the first 30–45 minutes of play.

Adoption requirements: - 1× Dog Bowl (crafting recipe: 3x Metal Component + 1x Wood — Basic Workbench) - 2× Kibble (found in Supply Crates at most Meadows POIs, or purchased at Meadows Trading Post for 2x Leafy Greens each) - The Dog Bowl must be installed in an Interior or Side slot before you can complete adoption

The adoption process: 1. Install the Dog Bowl on the van 2. Drive to the Meadows Paws & Whiskers Lodge (marked 🐾) 3. Interact with the Lodge NPC 4. Select your dog's name (cosmetic, affects nothing mechanically) 5. The dog spawns on/near the van and follows you from that point

First actions after adoption: - Interact with the dog to trigger the "Good Dog" tutorial sequence (teaches Sit, Stay, Come) - Feed the dog immediately (Kibble or any cooked food) to start building happiness - Take the dog to a resource-rich area and issue your first Fetch command to see the mechanic in action

The dog backpack is crafted at the Textile Station and worn by the dog to provide additional carrying capacity. It has three upgrade tiers.

| Backpack Tier | Recipe | Capacity | Notes | |---|---|---|---| | Basic Backpack | 2x Leather Strip + 2x Cloth Roll (Textile Station) | +8 item slots | First tier — available after Textile Station unlock | | Standard Backpack | 2x Leather Strip + 3x Canvas + 1x Iron Component | +14 item slots | Significant upgrade — priority after Textile unlock | | Expedition Pack | 3x Leather Strip + 4x Canvas + 2x Advanced Metal + 1x Insulation Panel | +20 item slots | Max capacity — late game |

How backpack items work: - Items in the dog's backpack count toward your personal carry capacity while the dog is following you - If you issue a Stay command, backpack items become inaccessible until you return and issue Come - The dog automatically deposits backpack items into the van storage when you interact with the Storage Chest while the dog is nearby - During Fetch runs, the dog fills both its natural "mouth carry" slot AND its equipped backpack before returning

The Fetch command is the dog's primary game-changing utility. Issue it by pressing [F] (PC default) while looking at a resource node or open ground, then choosing a resource type from the radial menu.

| Command | Fetch Target | Radius | Return Time | Notes | |---|---|---|---|---| | Fetch: Wood | Fallen logs, branches | 80m | ~90 sec | Most common early-game use | | Fetch: Stone | Rock outcrops, loose stones | 80m | ~90 sec | Also gathers flint | | Fetch: Berries | Berry bushes | 100m | ~2 min | Includes all berry types in range | | Fetch: Mushrooms | Mushroom clusters | 100m | ~2 min | Gathers ripe mushrooms only | | Fetch: Herbs | Herb plants | 100m | ~2 min | Ideal for Farming/Cook role | | Fetch: Fiber | Tall grass, reed beds | 80m | ~90 sec | Coast biome essential | | Fetch: Scavenge | Mixed — debris piles, crates | 60m | ~3 min | Retrieves random components from scrap | | Fetch: Locate | No gathering — POI detection | 150m | ~2 min | Marks undiscovered POIs on minimap |

Fetch: Locate is the standout Scout tool. Sending the dog on a Locate run while the van is parked reveals hidden POIs within 150m — campfire sites, blueprint chests, and Cairn locations all appear before the base detection radius would show them. Pair with the Hedgehog pet's passive detection bonus for a 180m effective radius.

Stacking Fetch in co-op: Two players can independently issue Fetch commands simultaneously. The dog executes them sequentially — not in parallel — so the second command queues after the first completes. To parallelize gathering, issue commands for different resource types from different ground positions so the dog optimizes its path.

Commands unlock progressively through the Happiness system and use count. All are taught at the van's Dog Bowl interaction point.

| Command | Unlock Condition | Use | |---|---|---| | Sit | Default (no unlock needed) | Dog holds position, stops following | | Stay | Default | Dog waits at exact location (doesn't drift) | | Come | Default | Dog returns to your position immediately | | Fetch | Happiness Level 2 (feed 5 meals) | Resource gathering (see Fetch table above) | | Heel | Happiness Level 3 | Dog walks right next to you — no independent movement | | Shake | Happiness Level 4 (cosmetic) | Dog shakes paw — triggers happiness bonus animation | | Search | Happiness Level 5 | Enhanced Locate Fetch — 200m radius POI detection | | Roll Over | Happiness Level 6 (cosmetic) | Cosmetic trick — unlocks Expedition Pack recipe |

Happiness system: - Happiness is measured 1–10 internally, displayed as a filled heart icon (🤍→❤️) - Actions that raise happiness: feeding (+1–2 per meal), petting (+0.5 per interaction, 3× daily limit), playing fetch (+0.5 per completed run), sleeping nearby (+0.5 per overnight) - Actions that lower happiness: not feeding for 24+ game hours (−1), leaving dog with Stay active overnight (−0.5), temperature extremes without Cooling Module (Desert) (−1 per game hour in extreme heat) - Keep happiness at 7+ for consistent Fetch efficiency — below 5, the dog's fetch radius reduces by 20% and return time increases

Technique 1 — Overnight Fetch Loop: Before sleeping, issue a Fetch: Wood or Fetch: Stone command. The dog completes 3–4 runs overnight while you sleep (each run ~90 seconds game-time, and in-game time accelerates during sleep to 8× speed). Wake up to a pile of resources at the storage chest. Requires happiness 5+ or the dog rests instead.

Technique 2 — Desert POI Chain with Locate: In the Arid Desert, visibility is high but POIs are spread far apart. Issue Fetch: Locate every 2–3 minutes of driving to maintain a 150m POI detection bubble ahead of the van. Combined with Tier 3 Solar in the Desert's 1.3× sunlight multiplier, the van powers itself while the dog maps the route.

Technique 3 — Backpack + Herb Rack synergy: Equip the Standard Backpack and assign the Farmer role in co-op. Issue Fetch: Herbs near any Herb-dense meadow (Meadows starting area has the highest herb density). The dog returns herbs directly to the Herb Rack slot if you configure auto-deposit. One Farmer + one dog produces enough dried herbs for the full group's food buffs daily.

Technique 4 — Dog + Hedgehog stacking: Place the Hedgehog habitat on the van (see Pets Guide). The Hedgehog grants a passive +30m to all pet and player detection radii. This stacks with the dog's Search command (200m base) for a combined 230m POI detection radius — the widest area knowledge tool available in the game outside of high viewpoints.