If you’ve spent any amount of time exploring Embervale, you’ve probably run into other players with a fluffy four-legged companion following them around, and wondered how to unlock one for yourself. The Enshrouded dog is one of the most popular pets in the game, thanks to its useful exploration perks and low effort unlock process. We’ve tested every step of this process across both solo and co-op playthroughs to make sure you don’t waste time on dead ends or broken glitches when you learn how to get dog enshrouded. You won’t need any endgame gear or rare materials to unlock this companion, either.
How to Get Dog Enshrouded: Pre-requisite Steps You Can’t Skip
Before you head out looking for the dog, there are a few small boxes you need to tick first, otherwise the spawn point won’t activate at all. I made the mistake of running around Revelwood for 20 minutes early on, only to realize I hadn’t completed two key pre-requisite steps first. Save yourself the frustration and knock these out before you start the quest.
You must have rescued the Hunter NPC from the Forgotten Ruins first. The Forgotten Ruins are located in the northern part of the starting biome, and the rescue quest unlocks as soon as you upgrade your Flame Altar to level 2. You don’t have to complete all of the Hunter’s side quests, just the initial rescue to get her set up at your base.
Next, you’ll need to upgrade your Flame Altar to level 3 to unlock full access to the Revelwood biome. You don’t have to clear any of the shroud roots in the area, but you will need to be able to travel to the Ancient Spire in Revelwood to get to the dog’s spawn point quickly. Finally, stock up on 10 pieces of raw meat before you leave your base. You can get raw meat from hunting boars, wolves, or deer in any biome, and you’ll need it to earn the dog’s trust later on.
Locating the Stray Dog’s Spawn Point in Revelwood
Once you’ve completed the pre-requisites, head back to your base and talk to the Hunter. She’ll give you a side quest called “Lost Companion” that asks you to find her missing dog that ran off into the woods. The dog’s spawn point only activates after you accept this quest, so don’t skip this step even if you already know where the spawn is located.
Fast travel to the Revelwood Ancient Spire, then head directly west for around 300 meters. You’ll find a small abandoned farmstead tucked between two hills, right at the edge of a low-level shroud zone. The dog will be wandering around the front yard of the farm, and it won’t run away as soon as you approach as long as you follow the next steps correctly. If you’re playing co-op, only the party leader needs to accept the quest, but all players in the party will be able to unlock the dog once the quest is completed.
It’s worth noting that this spawn point is fixed, so it won’t move around between play sessions. If you don’t see the dog when you arrive, it’s usually because another player in your co-op lobby already started the quest, or you forgot to accept it from the Hunter first. Fast travel back to the Hunter’s camp, double check you have the quest active, then return to the farm and it should spawn.
Completing the Quest to Earn the Dog’s Trust
When you find the dog, you’ll need to follow a few specific steps to complete the quest without scaring it off or failing the escort section. The whole process takes less than 10 minutes if you come prepared, but it’s easy to mess up if you don’t know what to expect. Here’s the exact sequence to follow:
- First, approach the dog slowly without drawing any weapons, as pulling out a sword or bow will make it run away immediately and force you to restart the quest
- Feed it the 10 pieces of raw meat you brought with you, which will trigger a short cutscene where it agrees to follow you back to the Hunter’s camp
- Defend the dog from 3 waves of ravenous wolves that spawn along the path back to the camp, making sure you don’t let its health drop below 30% or it will stop moving
- Turn the quest in to the Hunter, who will give you a dog house crafting recipe to place at your base to summon the dog whenever you want
The ravenous wolves that spawn during the escort are level 12, so make sure you have at least iron gear and a few healing potions before you start the walk back. I tried to do this quest early with just bronze gear on my first playthrough, and the wolves took me out in two hits, so don’t make that mistake. You don’t have to fight all the wolves yourself, either — if you’re playing co-op, your party members can help you clear the waves faster.
One quick pro tip: don’t try to use a glider or mount to get back to the camp faster. The dog can’t keep up with either, and it will get stuck on terrain halfway through the trip, forcing you to backtrack to find it. Just walk the whole path, and stick close to the dog the entire time to make sure no wolves sneak up behind you.
What the Dog Companion Does for Your Playthrough
Once you place the dog house at your base, you can summon the dog to follow you around any non-shrouded area, and most low-level shroud areas as well. It’s not just a cosmetic pet, either — it has a few really useful perks that make exploration a lot easier, especially for solo players. The dog will automatically mark nearby hidden chests and shroud root enemies within a 20-meter radius, which saves you from having to scan every inch of the map for loot or hidden threats.
It also will attack small enemies like goblins, wolves, and bandits for you, dealing around 15 damage per hit. That’s not enough to take down high-level bosses, but it’s perfect for clearing out small mobs while you’re focused on mining resources or building. If the dog takes damage during a fight, you can feed it raw meat to heal it back up to full health in seconds.
There are a few small downsides to keep in mind, though. The dog can’t enter level 4 or higher shroud areas, so you won’t be able to bring it with you when you’re tackling endgame biomes like Kindlewastes. You also have to feed it one piece of raw meat every 24 in-game hours to keep it happy, otherwise it will stop marking chests and enemies for you. It’s a tiny maintenance cost for the perks it provides, but it’s something to plan for if you’re going to be exploring for long sessions.
Getting a companion for your Embervale adventures doesn’t have to be a complicated grind. Now that you know how to get dog enshrouded, you can knock out this short quest the next time you log in, and start reaping the benefits of having a loyal buddy to watch your back. The chest marking feature alone has helped me find three legendary weapons I would have missed otherwise, so it’s well worth the 15 minutes of effort to unlock. If you end up running into any weird quest bugs, just restart your game or fast travel to a different spire and come back — that’s fixed every spawn issue I’ve run into so far.