Nintendogs: Encyclopedia II - Nintendogs - Available dog breeds

Nintendogs - Available dog breeds

Nintendo, likely based on the success of this method with Pokémon, chose to release Nintendogs in multiple versons with minor variations from one another. While all versions of the same language are able to link to one another, each release of Nintendogs features a different set of dog breeds that are available at the beginning of each game. The Japanese editions each start with five breeds, while the North American and European editions each have six.

When the player first starts the game, he or she is brought to the kennel to choose a dog. The player then selects one of five or six available breeds, and is shown three dogs of that breed, varying in gender, personality, and color. Once the player comes to a final decision, the dog is taken home, and the player is allowed to name his or her new pet.

The different versions of Nintendogs have different breeds initially available to the player. The dogs can range from German Shephards and Yorkshire Terriers to Shiba Inus and Labrador Retrievers. For example, in the American/European version of Dachsund & Friends, the Beagle, Golden Retriever, Miniature Dachshund, Pug, Shih Tzu, and Siberian Husky are available from the start. (The Japanese versions have slightly different selections; for example, the Japanese Dachsund & Friends has the Miniature Schnauzer and Yorkshire Terrier instead of the Beagle and Shih Tzu.) Except for the hidden breeds (one in the Japanese release, two in other releases), all of the breeds are available in at least one version of the game, and in each game the breeds not initially available can be unlocked by earning points or by linking with a different version of Nintendogs.

As the player accumulates funds throughout the game, more dogs may be purchased from the kennel. However, only three dogs may be kept at the player's in-game dwelling, and five dogs may be stored (but not interacted with) at the "Dog Hotel". The player may not have any more than eight dogs at a time, but dogs may be "donated" to free up space for more pets. Donating a dog removes it from the player's possession and is an irreversible action.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Available dog breeds", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki