How to Get a Dog in Skyrim
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Horses are the more well-known animal companion in Skyrim, but did you know you can also have a faithful canine? Dogs follow you and assist in battle. They can go places horses can't, such as into caves, cities, and buildings. They are large, shaggy creatures bred for hunting, and look very similar to the Irish Wolfhound.
There are numerous ways to get a few different dogs, ranging from free to a bit costly. Below are the dogs capable of being owned in Skyrim, and how to find or buy them.
Vigilance
Vigilance can be purchased outside of of Markarth. Simply travel to the stables, and then find Banning, who should be somewhere around the horses. You'll see Vigilance nearby and can offer to buy him for 500 gold. It's that simple!
Meeko
Meeko can be found in a shack near Solitude, aptly named 'Meeko's Shack.' His owner has died of Rockjoint, leaving the poor pup to fend for himself. He is generally lying down near his master's corpse, waiting for him. If you speak to him, you can offer to let him come with you, which he'll be happy to do.
Barbas
Barbas is....quite the beast. To find him, you will need to enter Falkreath, where a guard will ask you if you've seen a strange dog about. Talk to the blacksmith in Falkreath who is looking for him, then head out to the road. Barbas won't be far. When you see him, talk to him and he will explain that he is the banished companion of a Daedra. His absence has weakened his master considerably, so you will need to make a journey to speak to the demon. He will tell you to fetch an axe to return Barbas to his favor.
However, if you want to keep Barbas, ignore the axe quest and the hound will stay faithfully by your side. He's a rather amusing animal to have around.
Stray Dog
This dog appears as a random event. Usually he is being attacked by wolves and must be rescued. When safe, you will have the option of bringing him along with you. Note that if you tell the stray dog to stop following you, it will head off to an unknown place and may not be found again.
And that's it! Finding or buying a dog in Skyrim isn't difficult, but it adds a sort of completeness to your little group that I find oddly comforting. Dogs are formidable battle companions, capable of taking down the weaker monsters, but always watch his health in a fight. I can tell you right now, losing a dog is one of the saddest moments you'll have in Skyrim. Hopefully, you can avoid that and instead have many a happy adventure with your new, faithful sidekick!
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The human companions in Skyrim bug me, so I haven't run across this scenario myself. I would guess that you have a certain window to take the dog along that closed itself when you had a follower?
I got the stray dog and when I fast travelled he disappeared.
cool! didn't know you could get dogs in Skyrim that's awesome
Rachael - I've found that companions are the buggiest part of the game. My Lydia disappeared off the face of the Earth, my horse got rocketed into the atmosphere and subsequently died, and when I dismissed Vigilance to write this article, I didn't realize he'd be unfindable again,
RadAdMusic- I love traveling around with just a horse and a dog. :) Makes for a great team, and they don't irk me like human followers.
i went to get meeko and didnt find him there
Sometimes he is out wandering. You may also have had a companion/other dog, which might prevent him from showing. I went to the cabin with a follower and he wasn't there. Came back alone and took that screenshot.
I found meeko out near the road that's next to the shack
i don't know if this is true but i think the dog will go to one of your houses when dismissed so recomend having one befor dismissing...
Found Meeko dead near his hut, almost cried :(
you can also go to missing people or pet's locations. bring up the command line - for a computer it's the ~ button - and type: player.moveto
then add a space after "moveto" and type the characters code name. to find google skyrim (person's name) charactor code name. it will look like: a2c94 for example.
i used this to find my missinf spouse after I got married. maybe this can be used to find missing pups?
whenever i get vigilance after i leave him at m house for a little bit and come back hes gone.i go back to the markarth stables and vigilance is for sale again. whats with that?
Will I be able to get barbas back after dismissing him?
i keep travelling to falkreath and none of the guards talk to me do you need to go at a certain time of day or need to be a specific level to get barbas?
i told vigilence to wait some place and now dont know were he went
I had vigilance but he died in battle so I went to meekos shack and found meeko I read owners diary and almost cried but anyway got lydia and meeko and went to sleeping tree camp and fought a giant and they both died
I have a pet dragon he is located when you reach 100000 gold .
To Los: I have 438,901 septims and haven't seen the option to own a dragon.
i left meeko and vigilance at home once and left and i came back and i got a message saying meeko left your house and vigilance left your house
Where did u get your pet dragon because I have over 100000?
you cant get a pet dragon stupid nonsense you can only get horse dog follower and i dont know if this counts but i guess the charachter you marry ???????????????
When i went 2 go get meeko a dragon killed him and the 2nd time i went lydia attacked him 4 no freakin reason!!!
how do i get 2 dogs?
You can pretty much get a pet dragon after you defeat alduin a second time a dragon said he would be yours or something like that
How do you get a cat
Those dogs are so freeking annoying all the do is bark bark bark. mine didnt help very much in combat,I was fighting Two silverhands ingaging them with dual swords then out off nowhere my dogs jumps right in front of me and the silverhand and my sword comes down on my dog killing him because of course that sword was enchanted... anyways are their othere species of dog in skyrim I dont like how those dogs look and I preffer a more combat intelligent dog.
You cant get a pet dragon.. Its just a "call dragon" shout u learn and can use like sum one above said u can use it after u realy kill alduin.. Its awesome tho.. When he comes after u shout for him he will fight for u
My Meeko died ):
Aisha 6 months ago
Found a stray dog that saved itself... I can talk to it but it won't join me. I'm not sure if it's because I have a companion already or not. I've tried dismissing said companion then talking to the dog, same problem, the dog will not join be but I can talk to it. Any ideas?