The Kennelmaster

A settler or intelligent Super Mutant who rescues, breeds, trains, and collects dogs could become one of Fallout 5’s most valuable recurring characters. They should not simply stand beside a kennel selling generic attack dogs. Their dogs should have distinct breeds, mutations, personalities, specialties, and relationships with the wasteland.

Version One: The Settler Dog Trainer

Appearance

The settler could be a rugged former caravan scout, animal handler, or pre-war veterinary assistant wearing:

• A patched leather bite-training suit over scavenged combat armor

• Thick forearm guards covered in old tooth marks

• A whistle made from a spent bullet casing

• Multiple leashes, collars, treats, and medical pouches hanging from a utility belt

• A weathered veterinary bag containing RadAway, antibiotics, splints, and animal medicine

• A handmade shoulder guard shaped from a dog-food sign

• Muddy boots and clothing covered in fur

• A necklace made from the identification tags of dogs they failed to save

Their coat could display embroidered names of every dog they have trained. Some names are crossed out because the animals died, disappeared, or were adopted.

Personality

The trainer may appear rough and impatient with humans but becomes gentle around animals. They distrust anyone who refers to dogs as equipment.

They could judge the player by how companions, settlers, brahmin, and captured animals are treated. A player with a history of cruelty may be denied access to their best dogs.

Possible personality traits:

• Protective

• Suspicious

• Patient with animals

• Harsh toward irresponsible owners

• Quietly sentimental

• Obsessed with finding rare canine bloodlines

Version Two: The Super Mutant Packmaster

A Super Mutant version could be far more visually memorable.

Appearance

The Packmaster could be enormous even by Super Mutant standards, but their clothing and equipment are designed around animal care rather than pure combat.

They might wear:

• A massive tire-rubber apron covered in bite marks

• Heavy welding gloves used during difficult training

• A backpack built from several connected dog crates

• Oversized pouches filled with meat, bones, medicine, and training objects

• A collection of whistles that sound too small when held in their hands

• Custom armor decorated with dog tags rather than human skulls

• A large mechanical clicker built from a railway signal switch

• A shoulder perch for a small mutated puppy

• A painted paw-print symbol across their armor

Instead of carrying a traditional Super Mutant sledgehammer, they might carry a long training staff called The Fetching Stick. It can be used to point, command dogs, retrieve trapped animals, or strike enemies who threaten the pack.

Intelligence and Speech

The Packmaster should be intelligent enough to understand breeding, scent, territory, and animal behavior, but their speech can remain blunt and humorous.

Examples:

“Humans yell too much. Dog understands smell.”

“Dog not weapon. Dog family. Family sometimes weapon.”

“You smell nervous. Dogs know. I know because dogs know.”

They may remember every dog’s name but constantly forget human names.

The Dog Collection

The Kennelmaster’s dogs should not all be ordinary German shepherd-style companions. Their collection could show how animals adapted to different regions of the wasteland.

1. Scout Dogs

Fast, alert dogs trained to:

• Detect mines

• Locate traps

• Mark hidden enemies

• Find water

• Follow blood trails

• Warn about ambushes

• Locate nearby settlements

These dogs avoid direct combat unless cornered.

2. Guard Dogs

Large dogs assigned to settlements, caravans, farms, and workshops. They can patrol established routes and react differently to raiders, mutants, wildlife, and disguised infiltrators.

Better-trained guard dogs could distinguish between:

• Hostile strangers

• Nervous travelers

• Thieves

• Synth infiltrators

• People carrying concealed explosives

• Former enemies who have surrendered

3. Rescue Dogs

Rescue dogs could locate:

• Settlers buried beneath collapsed buildings

• Wounded soldiers after faction battles

• Children trapped in caves

• Missing caravan members

• People suffering from radiation sickness

• Survivors inside toxic or smoke-filled areas

Some missions could be completed without the dog attacking anything.

4. Mutant-Hunting Dogs

These dogs are trained to track specific creatures such as:

• Super Mutants

• Feral ghouls

• Deathclaws

• Mirelurks

• Radscorpions

• Nightkin

• Mutated insects

They may become nervous near certain creatures, giving the player an early warning rather than automatically charging.

5. Truffle and Salvage Dogs

A strange but useful wasteland specialty. These dogs dig up:

• Buried ammunition

• Pre-war caches

• Lost holotags

• Medicinal roots

• Underground pipes

• Hidden graves

• Rare crafting materials

Poorly trained dogs may return with useless junk, severed limbs, or live explosives.

6. Courier Dogs

Smaller, faster dogs can carry messages and light supplies between settlements. Their effectiveness depends on the safety of the route and their familiarity with the destination.

The player could establish a Canine Courier Network, providing communication between isolated settlements before radio towers are constructed.

7. Therapy Dogs

Some dogs could improve morale instead of combat performance. They might:

• Reduce settlement stress

• Help traumatized children

• Calm former raiders

• Improve companion affinity

• Reduce arguments between settlers

• Assist wounded veterans

• Help recovering chem addicts

This would make dogs important to the human side of settlement building.

8. War Dogs

These are the most dangerous dogs and should require responsible training. They can:

• Hold an enemy in place

• Disarm certain opponents

• Pull enemies from cover

• Protect downed allies

• Drag wounded settlers to safety

• Attack on command

• Defend specific doors or objects

An undisciplined war dog may chase enemies, attack non-hostile creatures, or become uncontrollable around gunfire.

Rare and Mutated Dogs

The Kennelmaster’s ultimate goal could be to document or preserve every surviving canine line.

Two-Headed Hound

A rare mutant dog whose heads have different temperaments. One detects threats while the other tracks objects. The player must build trust with both heads separately.

Rad Mastiff

A massive dog with radiation-resistant skin. It can enter highly irradiated areas but may unintentionally expose nearby settlers to low-level radiation.

Molehound

A nearly hairless dog capable of detecting underground movement. It warns the player before mole rats or burrowing mutants emerge.

Ghost Hound

A pale nocturnal dog with reflective eyes and almost silent movement. Raiders believe it is supernatural.

Bristleback

A broad dog with porcupine-like mutated fur. It is difficult to pet but highly resistant to melee attacks.

Ghoul Dog

A long-lived irradiated dog that looks frightening but remains loyal and intelligent. Many settlements may reject it, creating a moral decision for the player.

Mini Mutant Hound

A smaller descendant of mutant hounds that can potentially be domesticated. The Super Mutant Packmaster may insist that mutant hounds are misunderstood rather than naturally evil.

Their Settlement

The trainer could operate from a location called:

• The Dog Yard

• Fort Fetch

• The Last Kennel

• Hound’s Rest

• The Packhouse

• The Barking Lot

• K-9 Junction

• Old Faithful Farm

The compound should look like a functioning canine sanctuary rather than rows of cages.

It could include:

• Training courses

• Scent-testing stations

• A veterinary clinic

• Puppy shelters

• Quarantine pens

• Dog bathing areas

• A memorial garden

• Breeding records

• Exercise wheels

• Observation towers staffed by dogs and humans

• Underground tunnels used for scent training

• Separate areas for aggressive or traumatized animals

Dogs should freely interact with the environment. They may sleep, dig, fight over toys, bark at strangers, follow handlers, protect puppies, or react to nearby weather and creatures.

Gameplay Importance

A Regional Early-Warning Network

The trainer could establish dog patrols around the map. Once trained dogs are assigned to settlements, the player receives earlier warnings about attacks.

A settlement without dogs might report:

“We’re under attack!”

A settlement with trained dogs could report:

“The southern patrol detected raiders moving toward the bridge. Estimated arrival: six hours.”

That gives the player time to prepare defenses, evacuate civilians, negotiate, or ambush the attackers.

Settlement Specialization

Dogs could receive actual jobs:

• Gate guard

• Night patrol

• Crop protector

• Child companion

• Caravan escort

• Medical responder

• Contraband detector

• Tracker

• Hunting partner

• Messenger

• Mine detector

• Livestock guardian

A dog’s effectiveness would depend on its breed, temperament, health, training, handler, and environment.

Companion Development

Instead of simply purchasing a fully trained dog, the player could adopt and develop one.

Training categories might include:

• Obedience

• Tracking

• Protection

• Retrieval

• Stealth

• Rescue

• Combat discipline

• Social behavior

• Radiation tolerance

The player would not be able to maximize every category. A rescue dog should feel different from a war dog.

Dog and Handler Pairing

Dogs assigned to settlers should form relationships with their handlers. A nervous settler may become braver when paired with a confident dog. An aggressive settler might mishandle an anxious animal.

Strong pairs gain bonuses and unique behaviors. If one dies, the survivor may suffer grief, reduced performance, or behavioral changes.

Major Questline: Every Dog Has Its War

The Kennelmaster believes someone is deliberately capturing trained dogs across the region.

The missing dogs are being used for one of several purposes:

• Raider fighting pits

• Military experiments

• Super Mutant tracking

• Synth detection research

• Chem testing

• Breeding an uncontrollable war-hound army

• Hunting escaped slaves or prisoners

The player investigates abandoned kennels, follows scent trails, interviews caravan owners, and identifies stolen collars.

The questline could force the player to choose between several outcomes.

Preserve the Pack

Rescue the dogs and expand the sanctuary. This unlocks settlement training and non-combat canine roles.

Weaponize the Pack

Give a major faction access to the Kennelmaster’s training knowledge. The faction gains powerful war dogs, but peaceful uses become less important.

Free the Pack

Release most dogs into protected wilderness zones. Wild canine populations increase, but settlements lose access to advanced training.

Commercialize the Pack

Turn the sanctuary into a profitable breeding operation. The player earns caps, but animal welfare depends on how the business is managed.

Build the Canine Corps

Create an independent regional rescue and patrol organization. Dogs and handlers appear dynamically during attacks, disasters, missing-person missions, and caravan emergencies.

The Character’s Deeper Importance

The Kennelmaster could represent one of Fallout’s central questions:

Does rebuilding civilization mean restoring humanity’s control over nature, or learning to cooperate with what survived?

Dogs remained beside humans even after nuclear war. They protect settlements, search ruins, comfort children, and die in conflicts they do not understand. The Kennelmaster sees how people treat dogs as evidence of what kind of civilization they are building.

The settler version would emphasize human responsibility and compassion.

The Super Mutant version would challenge wasteland prejudice. A creature feared as a monster may understand loyalty, patience, and family better than many humans.

Best Overall Version

The strongest concept would be an intelligent Super Mutant called Mister Pack, Houndmaster Brutus, or simply Uncle Dog. Humans initially assume he collects dogs to eat them or turn them into mutant hounds. In reality, he rescues abused animals, studies their behavior, and runs one of the safest sanctuaries in the wasteland.

His importance would extend across companion development, settlement security, rescue missions, caravan travel, creature tracking, and regional communication. He would be humorous at first, but gradually become one of Fallout 5’s most emotionally meaningful characters.

Expanded Concept: The Wasteland Kennelkeeper

The dog trainer should be more than a merchant, companion recruiter, or settlement decoration. They could anchor an entire animal-handling system involving breeding, rescue, tracking, settlement defense, hunting, medicine, faction warfare, and the moral treatment of wasteland creatures.

The settler and Super Mutant versions could even coexist as rival trainers with very different philosophies.

Two Competing Dog Trainers

Mara Venn, the Settler Breeder

Mara believes dogs should be selectively bred, disciplined, registered, and assigned useful roles in rebuilding civilization.

She runs her kennel like a military academy.

Her dogs wear numbered collars, receive structured training schedules, and are evaluated for:

• Intelligence

• Loyalty

• Aggression

• Scent ability

• Endurance

• Pain tolerance

• Social behavior

• Radiation resistance

• Handler compatibility

Mara is not necessarily cruel, but she can become overly clinical. She may treat dogs as valuable working assets rather than family.

Grumble, the Super Mutant Packfather

Grumble believes dogs should choose their handlers.

He rescues wild dogs, mutant hounds, abandoned puppies, injured guard dogs, and animals rejected by human settlements.

He rarely cages them. His compound is built around open yards, caves, scrap shelters, and fenced wilderness.

Grumble says:

“Human says dog belongs to human. Wrong. Human hopes dog stays.”

He sees loyalty as something earned rather than commanded.

The player could support either philosophy, merge their methods, or turn them into bitter rivals.

Expanded Visual Design

Settler Trainer Appearance

The settler trainer could wear a layered outfit that reflects years of working with dangerous animals:

• Leather bite sleeves

• Reinforced chest padding

• A torn veterinarian coat

• A utility belt filled with whistles and clickers

• Handmade tranquilizer darts

• Dog treats stored in ammunition pouches

• A radio used to coordinate patrol dogs

• A backpack kennel for injured puppies

• A face mask for entering diseased kennels

• Thick knee and shin guards

• Multiple scars from failed rescues

Their Pip-Boy could be modified into a canine tracking terminal called the Pup-Boy.

It displays:

• Dog locations

• Health

• Hunger

• Stress

• Training progress

• Assigned handlers

• Last known scent trail

• Settlement patrol status

Super Mutant Trainer Appearance

The Super Mutant should look intimidating from a distance but strangely gentle up close.

Possible equipment:

• A massive padded training arm

• Armor made from kennel doors and road signs

• A chain of dog tags around the neck

• A giant barrel filled with food

• A backpack carrying three puppies

• A salvaged veterinary lamp mounted to one shoulder

• A huge bedroll that several dogs sleep on

• An old police K-9 vest tied around one arm

• A collection of chew toys attached to the belt

• A faded children’s book about dogs tucked into the armor

He may have painted every dog’s paw print somewhere on his armor.

When one of his dogs dies, he does not remove the print.

Dog Personality System

Every dog should have its own behavioral profile rather than functioning as a reskinned combat companion.

Core Temperaments

Loyal

Stays close to the handler and protects them aggressively.

Independent

Scouts farther ahead and may ignore repeated commands.

Timid

Avoids combat but excels at detecting danger.

Dominant

May challenge other dogs and resist inexperienced handlers.

Playful

Learns retrieval and social skills quickly but can become distracted.

Protective

Bonds strongly with children, wounded settlers, or vulnerable companions.

Aggressive

Effective in combat but difficult to manage around strangers.

Curious

Searches containers, ruins, tunnels, and hidden passages.

Stubborn

Requires more training but resists fear and intimidation.

Sensitive

Responds strongly to shouting, explosions, death, and mistreatment.

Food-Motivated

Trains quickly when properly fed but may steal supplies.

Pack-Oriented

Receives bonuses when working beside other dogs.

A dog’s temperament should affect animations and decision-making.

A timid dog may lower its body and hesitate before entering a dark tunnel. A dominant dog may stand between the player and another animal. A playful dog may bring back random objects without being ordered.

Bond and Trust System

Dogs should not immediately obey every player.

Trust could be built through:

• Feeding

• Medical treatment

• Grooming

• Successful missions

• Protecting the dog

• Avoiding unnecessary violence

• Playing fetch

• Allowing rest

• Choosing compatible training methods

• Returning lost dogs to their handlers

• Refusing to sell dogs to cruel factions

Trust could be lost through:

• Friendly fire

• Starvation

• Abandonment

• Overworking

• Using excessive punishment

• Sending dogs repeatedly into lethal situations

• Selling puppies to fighting pits

• Killing non-hostile animals

At low trust, a dog may refuse commands, hide, growl, or run home.

At high trust, a dog may:

• Defend the player without being commanded

• Find the player after separation

• Drag the player from danger

• Bring medicine when health is low

• Alert nearby allies

• Remain beside the player when frightened

• Track someone using only a personal item

Dog Training Minigames

Training should involve actual interaction instead of selecting perks from a menu.

Scent Courses

The player places or follows scent markers through a training field. The dog must identify the correct trail while ignoring distractions.

Higher difficulty courses may include:

• Crossing water

• Multiple overlapping scents

• Radstorms

• Wild animals

• Decoy tracks

• Old scent trails

• Chemically masked targets

Obedience Drills

The player teaches:

• Sit

• Stay

• Come

• Guard

• Follow

• Heel

• Quiet

• Release

• Search

• Retreat

Dogs with poor discipline may break position during combat.

Combat-Control Training

This should focus on restraint, not only attack damage.

Dogs could learn to:

• Attack limbs

• Hold an enemy

• Release on command

• Avoid civilians

• Ignore fleeing enemies

• Protect a specific person

• Guard a doorway

• Disengage from heavily armored enemies

• Avoid grenades and fire

• Circle around gunfire

Noise Conditioning

Dogs become accustomed to:

• Gunfire

• Explosions

• Power armor

• Vertibirds

• Thunder

• Sirens

• Super Mutant roars

• Deathclaw sounds

Poorly conditioned dogs may panic during loud encounters.

Search-and-Rescue Courses

Training areas could include collapsed structures, smoke, darkness, buried mannequins, and injured actors.

The dog learns to bark, dig, retrieve help, or guide rescuers.

Expanded Dog Roles

Sentry Dog

Assigned to a settlement entrance. Detects suspicious visitors and alerts guards.

Perimeter Dog

Walks a boundary route around a settlement and identifies approaching threats.

Night Dog

Works primarily after dark and receives bonuses to stealth detection.

Livestock Guardian

Protects brahmin, rad-chickens, and other domesticated animals from predators.

Crop Protector

Drives away mole rats, insects, and scavenging wildlife.

Salvage Dog

Locates buried containers, metal, wiring, ammunition, and hidden caches.

Medic Dog

Carries stimpaks, bandages, RadAway, and emergency supplies.

Rescue Dog

Finds injured or trapped settlers after attacks.

Child Guardian

Protects children, follows them around the settlement, and raises happiness.

Caravan Dog

Reduces ambush risk and helps locate lost cargo.

Tracker Dog

Follows specific human, animal, or creature scent profiles.

Contraband Dog

Detects chems, explosives, stolen goods, and hidden weapons.

Ghoul Detection Dog

Warns when motionless feral ghouls are nearby.

Synth Detection Dog

Some factions claim specially trained dogs can detect synthetic humans by smell, body temperature, or behavior.

Whether this actually works should remain uncertain. False accusations could become a major problem.

Tunnel Dog

Small enough to enter narrow pipes, vents, and collapsed passageways.

Messenger Dog

Carries letters or small holotapes between settlements.

Mourning Dog

Stays with grieving settlers and improves emotional recovery after deaths.

Dog Handler Profession

Settlers should be able to become trained handlers.

A handler’s statistics could include:

• Animal affinity

• Patience

• Authority

• Courage

• Medical skill

• Tracking skill

• Combat judgment

• Emotional stability

• Compassion

• Discipline

Poor handler pairings could cause problems.

For example:

• A fearful handler may make a nervous dog more anxious.

• A cruel handler may increase aggression but reduce loyalty.

• A calm handler may rehabilitate a traumatized dog.

• A reckless handler may send the dog too far ahead.

• A skilled medic may improve the survival of injured dogs.

Handlers and dogs should train together and gain shared experience.

Canine Commands

The player should have a dedicated command wheel.

Possible commands:

• Stay close

• Scout ahead

• Search area

• Track target

• Guard position

• Protect ally

• Attack

• Hold target

• Disarm target

• Retreat

• Stay silent

• Find exit

• Find shelter

• Find water

• Find medicine

• Return home

• Get help

Advanced commands could be unlocked through training rather than perks alone.

Canine Communication

Dogs should communicate through body language.

Warning Behaviors

• Ears raised: unusual sound

• Nose down: active scent

• Low growl: hidden hostile

• Whining: radiation or disease

• Tail tucked: overwhelming threat

• Scratching ground: buried object

• Looking repeatedly behind: being followed

• Refusing to proceed: trap or environmental danger

• Circling: nearby injured person

• Barking upward: threat on roof or cliff

A skilled player could learn to read these behaviors without a HUD icon.

Breeding System

Breeding should not simply generate stronger dogs.

The player would need to consider:

• Health

• Temperament

• Genetic defects

• Radiation exposure

• Size

• Intelligence

• Endurance

• Aggression

• Fertility

• Mutation risk

• Compatibility

Overbreeding for combat traits could create unstable or unhealthy dogs.

Breeding only for obedience could produce animals that lack survival instincts.

The strongest bloodline may not be the healthiest one.

Puppy Development

Puppies could progress through stages:

1. Newborn

2. Nursing

3. Socialization

4. Basic training

5. Adolescent testing

6. Specialization

7. Adult assignment

How puppies are raised affects their future temperament.

Puppies exposed to kind settlers become more social.

Puppies raised around gunfire become less fearful.

Puppies isolated too long may develop behavioral problems.

Mutation and Adaptation

Radiation could create useful and harmful canine mutations.

Useful Mutations

• Enhanced smell

• Night vision

• Radiation resistance

• Thick hide

• Improved hearing

• Toxin resistance

• Large lung capacity

• Heat tolerance

• Cold tolerance

• Improved digging

Harmful Mutations

• Blindness

• Joint deformities

• Unstable aggression

• Reduced fertility

• Skin disease

• Chronic pain

• Poor coordination

• Sensitivity to light

• Compulsive behavior

The trainer may ask the player whether mutated dogs should be bred, treated, protected, or prevented from reproducing.

Disease and Veterinary Care

Dogs could suffer from:

• Radiation sickness

• Parasites

• Infected bites

• Broken limbs

• Heat exhaustion

• Malnutrition

• Poisoning

• Mange

• Lung disease

• Chemical exposure

• Psychological trauma

The kennel should include a veterinary station where the player can:

• Examine animals

• Clean wounds

• Remove parasites

• Set broken bones

• Administer medicine

• Craft vaccines

• Treat radiation exposure

• Build prosthetic limbs

• Rehabilitate traumatized dogs

Some dogs could receive mechanical replacements.

A three-legged dog with a scrap-metal prosthetic could become one of the trainer’s most beloved animals.

Dog Equipment

Dogs should have customizable equipment based on their function.

Armor

• Leather harness

• Kevlar vest

• Scrap-metal barding

• Raider spike armor

• Radiation suit

• Fire-resistant coat

• Night camouflage

• Snow camouflage

• Super Mutant-made heavy armor

Utility Gear

• Medical pouches

• Ammunition bags

• Water canteens

• Radio beacon

• Flashlight

• Camera

• Mine detector

• Scent sample container

• Grappling line

• Rescue blanket

• Small cargo pack

Non-Lethal Gear

• Reinforced muzzle

• Restraint harness

• Smoke marker

• Loud alarm collar

• Targeting beacon

• Flash collar

• Tracking transmitter

Cosmetic Items

• Bandanas

• Painted armor

• Faction patches

• Named collars

• Bells

• Protective goggles

• Scarves

• Pre-war police badges

Equipment should affect movement, heat, fatigue, and stealth.

Heavy armor protects the dog but reduces speed and scent performance.

The Kennel as a Settlement System

The player could construct multiple kennel structures.

Basic Dog House

Provides shelter for one dog.

Communal Kennel

Supports several settlement dogs.

Training Yard

Allows obedience and combat training.

Scent Course

Improves tracking ability.

Veterinary Clinic

Treats injuries and disease.

Breeding House

Allows controlled breeding.

Quarantine Pen

Prevents disease spread.

Puppy Nursery

Improves puppy survival and socialization.

Memorial Wall

Records dogs lost during settlement service.

Observation Tower

Lets trained dogs watch the perimeter from an elevated position.

Underground Shelter

Protects animals during bombardments, radstorms, and settlement attacks.

Dog Kitchen

Produces specialized food and treats.

Handler Barracks

Houses settlers assigned to canine duty.

Dog Food and Nutrition

Dogs should require better care than feeding them random meat.

Food categories could affect performance:

• Raw meat

• Cooked meat

• Dry pre-war food

• Vegetable mix

• Bone broth

• Protein mash

• Medicinal food

• Radiation-cleansed meat

• High-energy travel ration

• Puppy formula

Low-quality food could increase illness and aggression.

High-quality food could improve recovery, coat condition, endurance, and trainability.

Some factions may feed dogs human remains, creating moral and behavioral consequences.

Dynamic World Events

The dog trainer could generate recurring encounters.

Missing Dog

A settlement dog has vanished after following an unknown scent.

Injured Courier

A messenger dog arrives with a bloody collar and damaged package.

Wild Pack Migration

A large pack is moving through settlement territory.

Puppy Theft

Raiders steal puppies to train as fighting animals.

Disease Outbreak

A contagious illness spreads through the kennel.

Handler Death

A dog refuses to leave its dead handler.

False Alarm

A dog repeatedly reacts to something no one else can detect.

Abandoned War Dog

A faction left behind an injured military dog after a failed operation.

Mutant Hound Rescue

A young mutant hound appears frightened rather than hostile.

Dog at the Door

A wounded dog arrives carrying a child’s scarf.

Major Quest: The Collar Route

A legendary pre-war K-9 breeding program allegedly existed beneath an abandoned police academy.

The trainer believes the facility contains:

• Veterinary records

• Preserved canine embryos

• Training manuals

• Genetic data

• Police dog equipment

• Automated training systems

• A functioning canine medical scanner

The player discovers the facility is still operated by a malfunctioning artificial intelligence called WARDEN-K9.

WARDEN-K9 believes every human is an escaped suspect and every dog must remain in service.

The facility contains descendants of pre-war police dogs that have lived for generations under automated training.

The player can:

Shut Down the Program

Release the dogs and destroy the system.

Reprogram WARDEN-K9

Turn the facility into a regional dog-training academy.

Give the Facility to a Faction

Allow a military faction to produce elite attack dogs.

Preserve the Bloodline

Use the genetic records to improve canine health.

Sell the Data

Provide breeding information to wealthy traders and private armies.

Let the Dogs Choose

Open the facility and allow the pack to leave or remain without human control.

Major Quest: All Dogs Go Somewhere

The trainer asks the player to investigate reports of dogs disappearing from settlements.

The culprit is not initially obvious.

Possible responsible groups include:

• Raiders running fighting pits

• A military faction building a K-9 corps

• Scientists studying mutation

• Cannibals using dogs to track victims

• Slavers training pursuit animals

• A wealthy collector preserving rare breeds

• A settlement secretly killing dogs after attacks

• A Super Mutant clan attempting to create new mutant hounds

The player may discover that multiple groups are involved in a regional dog trade.

The questline could expose an entire black market built around:

• Breeding dogs

• Fighting dogs

• War dogs

• Tracking dogs

• Rare mutations

• Puppy sales

• Stolen veterinary medicine

Faction Relationships

Brotherhood-Style Faction

Wants armored patrol dogs trained to detect explosives and mutants.

Raider Faction

Wants aggressive dogs for fighting pits, intimidation, and prisoner hunting.

Scientific Faction

Wants genetic samples and controlled mutation studies.

Merchant Republic

Wants courier dogs and caravan escorts.

Farming Coalition

Wants livestock guardians and crop protectors.

Ghoul Settlement

Wants dogs that do not react aggressively to radiation damage or ghoul appearance.

Super Mutant Tribe

Wants to rehabilitate mutant hounds and prove they are trainable.

Underground Faction

Wants small dogs capable of navigating tunnels and ventilation shafts.

The trainer’s reputation changes depending on who receives trained dogs.

Dog Fighting Pits

Dog fighting should be presented as cruel and morally serious rather than harmless entertainment.

The player could:

• Shut down pits

• Infiltrate them

• Buy injured dogs to save them

• Poison the business financially

• Convince handlers to defect

• Rescue breeding animals

• Expose faction involvement

• Take control and convert the arena into a training facility

A darker player could support or profit from the pits, but this should have severe consequences:

• Companion disapproval

• Lower settlement happiness

• Aggressive dog behavior

• Refusal from ethical trainers

• Increased raider respect

• Access to illegal breeding stock

Super Mutant and Mutant Hound Lore

A Super Mutant trainer could have an especially important connection to mutant hounds.

He might argue that mutant hounds were not born evil. They were created, starved, abused, and conditioned for violence.

He could attempt the first large-scale mutant hound rehabilitation program.

Most human settlements refuse to accept them.

The player would need to decide whether to:

• Build a separate sanctuary

• Train them as guards

• Release them into the wild

• Use them in war

• Sterilize the population

• Eliminate them

• Prove they can coexist with humans

Some mutant hounds may never be safe.

Others could become deeply loyal companions.

This would prevent the story from becoming unrealistically sentimental while still exploring rehabilitation.

Unique Named Dogs

Button

A tiny dog that repeatedly activates floor switches and hidden mechanisms.

Graves

A large black dog trained to locate buried bodies and hidden graves.

Lantern

A pale dog with a glowing radioactive collar used during nighttime rescue missions.

Jury

A former courthouse security dog that growls at anyone carrying stolen property.

Crater

A scarred mutant hound that survived an explosion and fears grenades.

Whisper

A nearly silent tracker used for stealth missions.

Siren

A loud rescue dog that can call nearby settlers for help.

Lucky

A dog with terrible statistics that somehow survives every dangerous mission.

Mayor

A friendly old dog that wanders around the settlement and is treated as its unofficial leader.

Splinter

A three-legged dog with a wooden and metal prosthetic.

Twice

A two-headed dog whose heads respond to different names.

Parcel

A courier dog that has memorized routes between distant settlements.

Old Smoke

An elderly rescue dog capable of finding survivors in fires and collapsed buildings.

Unique Super Mutant Pack Structure

The Super Mutant trainer may organize dogs into specialized packs.

The Nose Pack

Trackers and scouts.

The Iron Pack

Heavy guard dogs and mutant hounds.

The Quiet Pack

Stealth and infiltration dogs.

The Little Pack

Small dogs used for tunnels and retrieval.

The Mercy Pack

Rescue and therapy dogs.

The Lost Pack

Traumatized animals not yet ready for adoption.

The Last Pack

Old or terminally ill dogs allowed to live peacefully.

The Last Pack area could be one of the most emotional places in the settlement. The trainer refuses to abandon animals that can no longer fight or work.

Moral Dilemmas

The Dangerous Dog

A dog has attacked several settlers, but evidence suggests it was abused by its handler.

The player must decide whether to:

• Rehabilitate it

• Exile it

• Transfer it

• Euthanize it

• Punish the handler

• Cover up the incident

The Rare Mutation

A mutated puppy may hold the key to radiation resistance, but studying it could be invasive or lethal.

The Starving Settlement

A settlement wants to kill its dogs for food during a famine.

The Unwanted Pack

A group of rescued dogs is consuming resources that nearby humans desperately need.

The Child and the Hound

A child has bonded with a mutant hound that adults consider dangerous.

The Military Contract

A faction offers enormous resources in exchange for exclusive access to trained war dogs.

The Failed Rescue

A dog died because the player sent it into a dangerous area. The handler may blame the player permanently.

Dog Death and Injury

Dogs should not be treated as disposable equipment.

Optional settings could include:

• Dogs cannot die

• Dogs can be injured but not killed

• Full canine mortality

• Permanent scars

• Retirement after serious injury

• Recovery periods

• Prosthetic replacement system

When a dog dies, the settlement may hold a small memorial.

Handlers may:

• Mourn

• Retire

• Become reckless

• Refuse another dog

• Adopt the dead dog’s puppy

• Build a marker

• Seek revenge

Canine Reputation

The player could develop a reputation among handlers and animal-focused settlements.

Possible titles:

• Pack Friend

• Dog Saver

• Wasteland Handler

• Kennel Builder

• Hound General

• Puppy Thief

• Pit Master

• Pack Butcher

• The One Dogs Follow

Dogs may react to reputation even when humans do not.

A cruel player entering a kennel could cause dogs to bark, retreat, or growl.

A trusted player might be immediately surrounded by friendly animals.

Endgame Importance

By late game, the Kennelkeeper could influence the entire region.

Canine Patrol Network

Dogs patrol roads and reduce random ambushes.

Courier Network

Settlements exchange messages, medicine, and small supplies.

Rescue Corps

Dogs and handlers appear after major battles and disasters.

Regional Breeding Registry

Genetic defects and disease become less common.

Mutant Hound Sanctuary

Some Super Mutants become less hostile after seeing mutant hounds treated peacefully.

Military K-9 Program

A faction gains powerful tracking and guard units.

Independent Pack Territory

Wild dogs occupy protected areas where hunting is forbidden.

Settlement Happiness System

Children, veterans, and traumatized settlers gain morale from trained companion dogs.

Possible Endings

The Civilized Pack

The settler trainer standardizes breeding and establishes licensed kennels throughout the region.

Dogs become central to trade, security, and settlement life, but strict control reduces wild canine populations.

The Free Pack

The Super Mutant trainer creates protected territory for dogs and mutant hounds.

Humans must negotiate access to pack-controlled roads and hunting grounds.

The War Pack

A major faction takes control of the kennel system.

Armored dogs and mutant hounds appear throughout the region as military units.

The Merchant Pack

Dogs become expensive commodities.

Rare bloodlines create wealth, theft, smuggling, and exploitation.

The Mercy Pack

The player builds a regional rescue network focused on rehabilitation, medical care, and adoption.

The Broken Pack

The kennel is destroyed, the dogs scatter, and aggressive wild packs begin appearing across the map.

Best Story Arrangement

The strongest version would include both trainers.

Mara Venn represents structure, controlled breeding, discipline, and civilization.

Grumble represents freedom, rehabilitation, instinct, and earned trust.

Neither should be completely right or completely wrong.

Mara’s system may produce safer and more reliable working dogs, but it risks treating living creatures like equipment.

Grumble’s system is compassionate and respectful, but some of his rescued animals may remain dangerous.

The player’s final canine program could combine their strengths:

• Ethical breeding

• Open sanctuary areas

• Professional handlers

• Mutant hound rehabilitation

• Medical treatment

• Settlement patrols

• Rescue corps

• Adoption standards

• Restrictions on military use

• Individual choice for handlers and animals

That would turn the dog trainer into a major Fallout 5 world-building character rather than another person standing beside a cage selling Dogmeat replacements.

Further Expansion: The Dog Collector as a Regional Power

The dog trainer should gradually become more than an eccentric kennel owner. Depending on the player’s choices, they could develop into a respected breeder, rescue leader, intelligence broker, caravan protector, military contractor, or dangerous pack commander.

Their real importance is that dogs can go where human scouts, robots, and radio signals cannot. A well-trained canine network could quietly become one of the most powerful information systems in the wasteland.

Their Origin Story

Settler Version: Elian “Leash” Mercer

Elian grew up in a caravan family that used dogs to guard wagons and detect ambushes. During a major raid, the caravan guards panicked and fled, but the dogs remained beside the wounded.

Elian survived because an injured dog dragged him beneath an overturned wagon and kept raiders away until help arrived.

Afterward, Elian became obsessed with preserving every useful canine bloodline he encountered.

He does not merely collect dogs because he likes them. He believes humanity would have collapsed completely without them.

His personal saying could be:

“People rebuilt walls. Dogs rebuilt trust.”

Elian keeps detailed handwritten records of every dog:

• Place of origin

• Breed or mutation

• Temperament

• Known handlers

• Injuries

• Training history

• Bloodline

• Preferred food

• Fears

• Successful missions

• Cause of death

His records eventually become the foundation of a regional canine registry.

Super Mutant Version: Hound-Father Moss

Moss was once part of a Super Mutant warband that used mutant hounds as disposable attack animals.

Unlike the others, Moss noticed that the hounds responded better when fed, spoken to calmly, and treated with patience. When his leader ordered the pack killed after a failed assault, Moss attacked the warband and escaped with the surviving hounds.

He now considers every abandoned animal part of his family.

Moss does not think of himself as a trainer. He calls himself a listener.

“Dog already knows how to be dog. Moss teaches humans how not to ruin dog.”

His sanctuary includes ordinary dogs, mutant hounds, wolf-like animals, ghoul dogs, and several creatures whose canine ancestry is questionable.

The Collection Ledger

The trainer could maintain a large illustrated book called The Great Wasteland Dog Ledger.

The player helps document different canine populations across the map.

Each entry contains:

• Common name

• Regional nickname

• Physical description

• Known mutations

• Average temperament

• Training potential

• Natural habitat

• Diet

• Threat level

• Preferred role

• Historical origin

• Known bloodlines

• Current population status

Completing entries could unlock practical benefits rather than functioning only as collectible lore.

For example:

• Studying tunnel dogs improves detection in underground locations.

• Documenting snow hounds unlocks cold-weather harnesses.

• Studying mutant hounds unlocks anti-FEV veterinary treatment.

• Finding pre-war police records improves obedience training.

• Discovering feral pack behavior improves settlement defenses.

Regional Canine Types

Dogs should look different depending on the environment in which they evolved.

Ash Hounds

Thin, dark-coated dogs found near burned cities and industrial ruins.

They have excellent heat tolerance and can detect smoke, fire, and unstable structures.

Possible uses:

• Fire rescue

• Furnace settlements

• Volcanic areas

• Burned-building searches

• Detecting chemical leaks

Mire Dogs

Broad-pawed dogs adapted to swamps and flooded ruins.

They can:

• Swim through contaminated water

• Detect mirelurk nests

• Retrieve objects from shallow water

• Locate stable ground

• Warn about submerged threats

Their oily coats protect them from moisture but make them smell terrible.

Dust Runners

Lean desert dogs with large ears and high endurance.

They excel at:

• Long-distance courier work

• Heat survival

• Caravan scouting

• Detecting sand-buried mines

• Following trails across dry terrain

Ironjaw Mastiffs

Massive dogs descended from guard and military breeds.

They are powerful but require careful handling. A poorly trained Ironjaw can become a serious settlement threat.

Pipe Crawlers

Small dogs capable of entering vents, drainage systems, collapsed tunnels, and maintenance shafts.

They are valuable for:

• Fetching keys

• Activating switches

• Scouting small passages

• Finding trapped children

• Carrying wires through inaccessible areas

Frostbacks

Thick-coated dogs from colder regions.

They can sleep outside during severe weather and carry light supplies through snow.

Glass-Eyed Hounds

Dogs affected by radiation that developed cloudy but highly reflective eyes.

They see poorly during daylight but function extremely well at night.

Thorn Dogs

Dogs with hardened, bristle-like fur along their backs. They can push through thorn fields, dense vegetation, and certain insect nests.

Echo Hounds

Nearly blind dogs with highly developed hearing.

They detect:

• Movement behind walls

• Underground creatures

• Distant footsteps

• Mechanical traps

• Approaching aircraft

• Changes in structural stability

Glow Pups

Small, mildly radioactive dogs whose fur produces a faint glow.

Some settlements treat them as lucky. Others consider them dangerous contamination sources.

Their glow can illuminate dark spaces, but it also makes stealth difficult.

Dog Collection Without Making It Feel Like Pokémon

The player should not simply capture every dog encountered.

Different acquisition methods could include:

• Rescuing an injured animal

• Earning the trust of a wild pack

• Negotiating with an owner

• Adopting an abandoned dog

• Saving puppies after their mother dies

• Trading medicine for a rare bloodline

• Convincing a faction to release military dogs

• Rehabilitating an aggressive animal

• Following a dog back to its hidden den

• Recovering a lost dog for a settlement

• Finding frozen embryos in a pre-war facility

Some dogs should refuse to leave their original homes.

Others may prefer the trainer over the player.

The collection should therefore feel like a network of relationships rather than ownership.

The Adoption System

The trainer could operate a real adoption program.

Settlers looking for dogs would have preferences and limitations.

Examples:

• A farmer needs a livestock guardian.

• A widow wants a calm companion.

• A caravan master wants two alert scouts.

• A child wants a playful puppy.

• A guard wants an aggressive war dog.

• A doctor needs a quiet medical-support animal.

• A ghoul settlement wants dogs that will not react negatively to ghouls.

• A small settlement cannot afford to feed a large dog.

The player must decide whether each adoption is appropriate.

A bad placement may lead to:

• Neglect

• A dog running away

• A settler being bitten

• Livestock being killed

• The dog being sold

• The dog being forced into combat

• Settlement conflict

A good placement can create long-term bonds and new world encounters.

Months later, the player might meet the same handler and dog traveling together.

Failed Adoptions

Not every adoption should succeed.

A dog might return to the kennel because:

• It could not tolerate children

• It repeatedly escaped

• The owner died

• It feared gunfire

• It attacked brahmin

• The settlement lacked food

• The handler became abusive

• The dog refused to leave another animal behind

These situations create emotional continuity and make the system feel alive.

Dog Retirement

Older dogs should eventually lose speed, stamina, eyesight, or hearing.

The player can assign retired dogs to lighter roles:

• Nursery companion

• Therapy dog

• Kennel mentor

• Settlement mascot

• Puppy socializer

• Indoor guard

• Trainer’s companion

• Memorial grounds caretaker

Older dogs may teach younger dogs certain behaviors more quickly.

This makes retired animals valuable rather than useless.

Canine Mentorship

Experienced dogs could help train younger animals.

A veteran rescue dog may pass on bonuses to:

• Search discipline

• Confidence

• Handler responsiveness

• Threat recognition

• Route memory

A poorly behaved older dog could also teach bad habits:

• Food theft

• Chasing wildlife

• Ignoring commands

• Fence jumping

• Aggression toward strangers

The player must decide which dogs are allowed to train together.

Pack Dynamics

Dogs should form relationships with one another.

Possible relationships include:

• Bonded pair

• Rivalry

• Parent and offspring

• Protective relationship

• Fear

• Dominance dispute

• Playmate

• Hunting partnership

• Shared trauma

• Separation anxiety

Breaking up bonded dogs could reduce morale.

Keeping rival dogs in the same enclosure could lead to injuries.

A brave dog may help a timid dog gain confidence.

An aggressive dog may corrupt a young pack if left unsupervised.

Pack Formation System

The trainer can organize dogs into teams.

Scout Pack

Fast and quiet dogs used to detect threats and map routes.

Rescue Pack

Calm dogs trained to locate survivors and retrieve medical help.

War Pack

Armored dogs with strict attack-and-release discipline.

Search Pack

Dogs trained to find objects, people, hidden entrances, or contraband.

Herding Pack

Protects brahmin, rad-goats, and other livestock.

Night Pack

Dogs with strong hearing and night vision used for perimeter patrols.

Feral Rehabilitation Pack

Stable adult dogs used to teach rescued wild dogs social behavior.

Mutant Pack

Mutant hounds and radiation-adapted dogs unsuitable for ordinary settlements.

Each pack could have a lead dog whose personality influences the group.

Lead Dog Traits

A lead dog might be:

• Fearless

• Cautious

• Loyal

• Territorial

• Reckless

• Patient

• Protective

• Dominant

• Intelligent

• Unpredictable

A reckless lead dog may pursue enemies too far.

A cautious lead dog may retreat too early.

A strong leader can keep frightened pack members organized during explosions or creature attacks.

The Dog Trainer’s Personal Companion

The trainer should have one famous dog known throughout the region.

Settler Companion: Ledger

Ledger is an old, scarred tracking dog that carries a harness containing maps, tags, and medical supplies.

Ledger is partially deaf and responds primarily to hand signals.

The player eventually learns that Ledger once belonged to a raider chief. The dog abandoned the raiders after being ordered to attack civilians.

Super Mutant Companion: Little Brother

Little Brother is an enormous mutant hound that Moss insists is “small.”

Despite his appearance, Little Brother is calm around children and wounded animals.

He becomes violent only when:

• Someone threatens Moss

• A dog is abused

• A cage is opened aggressively

• He smells certain members of Moss’s former warband

The player can temporarily travel with Little Brother during major quests.

A Dog-Based Intelligence Network

Dogs could transport information without relying on functioning radios.

Each dog can carry:

• Written notes

• Holotapes

• Medicine

• Keys

• Small weapons

• Blood samples

• Scent cloths

• Coded tags

The trainer eventually creates a hidden communication network called The Collar Line.

Different collar colors communicate basic messages:

• Red: settlement under attack

• White: medical emergency

• Blue: missing person

• Yellow: contamination warning

• Black: hostile faction movement

• Green: route safe

• Silver: message for the player

This system becomes especially important if radio towers are destroyed or intercepted.

Canine Route Memory

Messenger and patrol dogs should memorize routes.

Routes could have statistics:

• Distance

• Radiation exposure

• Hostile activity

• Water availability

• Shelter

• Terrain difficulty

• Familiar scent markers

• Weather risk

The player can improve routes by:

• Clearing enemies

• Building dog shelters

• Placing water stations

• Marking safe crossings

• Installing scent posts

• Building tunnels

• Negotiating passage through faction territory

Dogs may discover shortcuts that are unavailable to humans.

Scent Mapping

The Kennelmaster could teach the player to view the wasteland through scent.

Using a trained dog, the player can identify:

• Recent human movement

• Blood trails

• Chem use

• Hidden corpses

• FEV contamination

• Animal territory

• Water

• Fire

• Explosives

• Illness

• Fear responses

• Familiar individuals

Scent trails should weaken over time and be affected by:

• Rain

• Wind

• Radiation storms

• Water crossings

• Fire

• Chemicals

• Crowded locations

• Multiple overlapping tracks

This could create an entirely new style of investigation quest.

Canine Detective Missions

The Scent of the Killer

A settlement murder has no witnesses. The dog tracks several overlapping scents, but the suspected killer deliberately handled another settler’s clothing.

The player must determine whether the dog was deceived.

The Empty Caravan

A caravan is found abandoned with no bodies. The dogs refuse to follow the obvious footprints and instead react to a drainage tunnel.

The Wrong Child

A rescue dog locates a child matching a missing-person report, but the child claims to belong to another settlement.

The Chem Trail

A dog trained to detect chems uncovers a smuggling route running through supposedly respectable settlements.

The Scent That Should Not Exist

A dog reacts to someone officially declared dead years ago.

Dogs and Disguises

Dogs could weaken disguise systems.

A human wearing faction armor may fool guards, but a trained dog could recognize:

• Unfamiliar scent

• Hidden blood

• Fear

• Weapons residue

• Chem use

• Previous contact with enemies

However, dogs should not be perfect.

A disguised infiltrator may fool them using:

• Stolen clothing

• Scent-masking chemicals

• Familiar food

• Specialized repellents

• Synthetic scent emitters

This creates a quiet arms race between infiltrators and handlers.

Synth Detection Controversy

A faction may claim dogs can identify Synths.

The trainer strongly disputes the claim, arguing that dogs detect stress, chemicals, or unfamiliar biology rather than “souls.”

Several innocent people may be accused after dogs react to them.

Possible reasons for the reaction include:

• Hidden illness

• Experimental medicine

• Fear of dogs

• Synthetic replacement

• Radiation exposure

• Contact with a Synth

• Scent planted by another person

The player can support responsible investigation or allow canine reactions to become a tool of persecution.

Dog Sports and Competitions

Not every canine activity should involve combat.

Settlements could hold dog competitions that improve morale and attract traders.

Wasteland Agility Trials

Dogs run obstacle courses made from:

• Pipes

• Car wrecks

• Collapsed walls

• Tires

• Scrap ramps

• Narrow beams

• Water trenches

Scent Trials

Dogs identify specific objects among decoys.

Retrieval Contests

Dogs recover objects from dangerous or difficult terrain.

Herding Trials

Dogs guide brahmin through gates without causing panic.

Guard Demonstrations

Handlers demonstrate restraint, positioning, and threat control.

Long-Route Race

Courier dogs race between settlements.

Best Companion Show

A humorous wasteland version of a dog show in which judges value strange categories such as:

• Most useful mutation

• Best improvised armor

• Loudest bark

• Most heroic scar

• Strongest tail

• Best raider detector

• Ugliest beautiful dog

These events could become settlement festivals.

Underground Dog Racing

A morally questionable faction may operate dog races through abandoned subway tunnels.

The races are not necessarily lethal, but they involve:

• Traps

• Radiation

• Aggressive wildlife

• Gambling

• Illegal chems

• Stolen dogs

• Sabotage

The player can expose corruption, compete ethically, rig races, or convert the tunnels into a courier-training course.

Dog-Related Settlement Laws

The player may help establish regional rules.

Possible laws include:

• Mandatory collar registration

• Ban on dog fighting

• Limits on war-dog breeding

• Handler licensing

• Quarantine requirements

• Protection of service dogs

• Restrictions on mutant hounds

• Compensation when a dog kills livestock

• Penalties for abandonment

• Required food reserves for kennel settlements

Different factions will support different policies.

A farming faction may demand strict liability for dog attacks.

A military faction may oppose restrictions on war dogs.

A freedom-oriented group may reject registration entirely.

Dog Economy

Dogs could affect trade and settlement production.

Economic Benefits

• Safer caravan routes

• Reduced livestock loss

• Faster message delivery

• Improved hunting

• Better salvage discovery

• Lower theft

• Faster rescue response

• Increased settlement morale

Economic Costs

• Food

• Veterinary medicine

• Training labor

• Kennel space

• Handler wages

• Disease control

• Equipment

• Replacement after casualties

A settlement with too many dogs and too little food may become unstable.

Dog Theft

Rare dogs should become valuable enough to attract criminals.

Thieves may target:

• Puppies from famous bloodlines

• Trained courier dogs

• Mutant hounds

• Military dogs

• Scent specialists

• Fertile breeding animals

• Dogs bonded to wealthy people

The trainer can develop security measures:

• Hidden kennel entrances

• Identification tattoos

• Coded collars

• Scent-based tracking

• Guard rotation

• Decoy kennels

• Puppy relocation plans

Counterfeit Breeders

Dishonest merchants could sell:

• Sick puppies

• Aggressive dogs labeled as trained

• Ordinary dogs marketed as rare breeds

• Drugged animals

• Sterile breeding stock

• Stolen dogs with altered collars

• Dogs exposed to dangerous mutations

The trainer asks the player to investigate fraudulent breeders damaging the reputation of legitimate kennels.

Canine Medical Research

A scientific faction may want access to the kennel because dogs display unusual resistance to certain diseases.

The research could lead to:

• Better vaccines

• Radiation treatment

• Anti-parasite medicine

• FEV detection

• Improved prosthetics

• Safer animal food

• Disease-resistant bloodlines

But unethical researchers may attempt:

• Forced breeding

• Lethal testing

• Behavioral conditioning

• FEV experimentation

• Cybernetic control implants

• Cloning

Cyber-Hounds

A pre-war or post-war laboratory may have created cybernetically enhanced dogs.

Possible modifications include:

• Mechanical legs

• Reinforced jaws

• Optical targeting systems

• Radio communication

• Scent-analysis implants

• Armor plating

• Shock collars

• Remote-control modules

The Kennelmaster considers remotely controlled cyber-hounds a form of slavery.

The player can remove the control systems, preserve the technology, or hand it to a faction.

Prosthetic Dog System

Severely injured dogs could receive improvised prosthetics.

Possible replacements:

• Scrap-metal leg

• Hydraulic rear limb

• Reinforced jaw

• Mechanical eye

• Hearing amplifier

• Protective spine brace

• Wheeled hindquarter frame

Prosthetics should offer benefits and drawbacks.

A hydraulic leg improves jumping but requires maintenance.

A mechanical eye may detect heat but produce noise.

A heavy jaw replacement increases bite force but makes eating difficult.

Emotional Rehabilitation

Traumatized dogs should need more than medical treatment.

Trauma sources could include:

• Fighting pits

• Explosions

• Abusive owners

• Long-term caging

• Starvation

• Mutant experiments

• Loss of handler

• Pack destruction

Rehabilitation methods include:

• Quiet housing

• Consistent feeding

• Stable companion dogs

• Gentle handlers

• Controlled exposure

• Play

• Scent familiarity

• Time away from combat

Some animals may never become suitable companions, but they can still live safely in sanctuary areas.

Sanctuary Zones

The trainer could ask the player to establish protected wilderness areas.

These zones allow:

• Wild dogs to live without being hunted

• Mutant hounds to remain separated from settlements

• Retired dogs to roam safely

• Packs to reproduce naturally

• Researchers to observe behavior

• Rangers to prevent poaching

The player must decide how much land can be protected when nearby settlements want farmland or salvage access.

The Kennelkeeper’s Enemies

The Collar Men

A gang that steals dogs and sells them to military groups, raiders, and fighting pits.

They wear chains of stolen collars as trophies.

The Clean Blood Society

A breeder faction obsessed with preserving “pure” pre-war breeds.

They destroy mutated dogs and consider mixed breeds worthless.

The Meat Wardens

A famine-stricken settlement that raises dogs as livestock rather than companions.

The Howling Company

A mercenary force using heavily armored attack dogs and scent-tracking teams.

The Quiet Hand

An assassination network that uses poisoned bait, scent masks, and silent dog whistles.

The Shepherd

A charismatic cult leader who believes dogs are divine judges of human morality.

Followers allow trained dogs to determine guilt or innocence.

Major Antagonist: The Master of Collars

A former military animal-behavior scientist has developed control collars capable of overriding fear, pain, and independent behavior.

The controlled animals fight without retreating.

The scientist argues that free will is inefficient in war.

Their army could include:

• Dogs

• Mutant hounds

• Wolves

• Radstags

• Yao guai

• Experimental creatures

The Kennelmaster sees the collars as the ultimate corruption of the bond between humans and animals.

Major Questline: No Dog’s Master

Act One: Missing Animals

Several trained dogs disappear from settlements.

Their collars are found cut away, and scent trails end near military checkpoints.

Act Two: The Silent Pack

The player encounters attack dogs that do not bark, retreat, or respond to pain.

They wear prototype neural collars.

Act Three: The Kennel Below

An underground facility contains hundreds of caged animals subjected to behavioral conditioning.

Act Four: The Choice

The player can:

• Destroy the collar technology

• Reprogram it for nonviolent veterinary use

• Give it to a faction

• Use it to control dangerous mutant hounds

• Free every animal immediately

• Transfer the animals gradually to sanctuary

• Allow the scientist to continue under restrictions

Final Consequences

Destroying the technology preserves animal independence but loses potentially useful medical research.

Using it creates safer military animals at the cost of autonomy.

Reprogramming it may help treat seizures, trauma, and pain, but factions could later weaponize it.

Super Mutant Pack Politics

Moss’s work could affect relations among Super Mutants.

Some Super Mutants respect him because he commands many hounds.

Others view compassion as weakness.

A rival Super Mutant called Jaw-King claims mutant hounds exist only for war.

The player may help Moss prove that hounds can perform:

• Rescue work

• Guard duty

• Tracking

• Hunting

• Search operations

• Nonlethal restraint

This could slowly change the behavior of a Super Mutant settlement.

Human Prejudice Against the Super Mutant Trainer

Many settlements initially refuse to work with Moss.

Rumors claim:

• He eats dogs

• He kidnaps children

• He breeds monsters

• He trains hounds to hunt humans

• His sanctuary spreads FEV

• He commands a hidden Super Mutant army

The player can investigate or challenge these rumors.

Some accusations may be completely false.

Others may contain uncomfortable truths, such as a few rehabilitated mutant hounds attacking livestock.

Moss should not be portrayed as perfect. His compassion sometimes makes him underestimate danger.

Settler Trainer’s Darker Side

The settler trainer may also have serious flaws.

Elian could become obsessed with preserving rare bloodlines.

He may justify:

• Excessive breeding

• Separating puppies from mothers

• Rejecting mixed-breed dogs

• Selling animals to questionable buyers

• Hiding genetic defects

• Keeping dogs alive through painful procedures

• Treating failed working dogs as wasted resources

The player can push him toward compassion or efficiency.

A Three-Way Philosophy Conflict

The story could feature three major approaches.

Elian: Controlled Breeding

Dogs must be organized, documented, and selectively bred to serve civilization.

Moss: Earned Partnership

Dogs should retain choice and be trained through trust.

The Master of Collars: Total Control

Animals are tools, and obedience should be mechanically guaranteed.

The player’s final system can support one philosophy or create a compromise.

Companion Perks Connected to the Trainer

Nose Before Eyes

Your canine companion detects hidden enemies and traps sooner.

Old Trail

Scent tracks remain detectable for longer.

Pack Discipline

Dogs are less likely to chase fleeing enemies or break formation.

Mercy Command

Dogs can disable human enemies without killing them.

Find Home

A dismissed canine companion can independently return to the nearest allied kennel.

Second Bark

A trained dog automatically alerts allies when the player is incapacitated.

Handler’s Calm

Nearby animals are less likely to panic during explosions.

The Pack Remembers

Dogs previously encountered may recognize and help the player later.

Player-Controlled Dog Training Philosophy

The player could choose a training method.

Reward-Based

Produces loyal, social dogs that learn steadily.

Command-Based

Produces disciplined dogs that respond quickly but may depend heavily on handlers.

Survival-Based

Produces independent dogs with strong instincts but weaker obedience.

Military Conditioning

Produces combat-effective dogs with greater stress and aggression.

Pack Learning

Produces strong cooperation between dogs but may reduce individual responsiveness.

Chem-Assisted

Speeds training but risks dependency and health problems.

Dog AI Behaviors

Dogs should have richer autonomous behavior than standard companions.

They could:

• Drink from water sources

• Find shade

• Shake off rain

• Sniff unfamiliar characters

• Avoid open flames

• Bark at hidden enemies

• Investigate corpses

• Dig at buried objects

• Follow children

• Sleep beside heaters

• React to food preparation

• Growl at aggressive dialogue

• Hide during artillery attacks

• Comfort crying settlers

• Play with other dogs

• Mark patrol boundaries

• Return dropped objects

• Refuse contaminated food

Environmental Reactions

Dogs should react differently to world conditions.

Radstorm

Dogs seek shelter, whine, or refuse to continue without protective equipment.

Heavy Rain

Scent tracking becomes harder, but water-seeking behavior becomes less important.

Snow

Some dogs thrive while short-haired dogs lose stamina.

Heat Wave

Large and heavily armored dogs fatigue quickly.

Night

Nocturnal dogs become more alert.

Blood Moon or Strange Radiation Event

Mutated dogs may behave unpredictably or become temporarily aggressive.

Dog-Specific World Navigation

A canine companion could access routes unavailable to the player.

Examples:

• Small vents

• Broken fences

• Drainage pipes

• Collapsed gaps

• Narrow ledges

• Under vehicles

• Through ruined walls

• Across scent-marked paths

The player may send the dog to:

• Unlock a door

• Retrieve an item

• Distract an enemy

• Carry a wire

• Find another entrance

• Lead trapped survivors out

Dog-Triggered Discoveries

Some locations only become visible after a trained dog reacts.

Possible discoveries:

• Hidden graves

• Buried bunkers

• Forgotten wells

• Smuggler tunnels

• Lost children

• FEV disposal sites

• Secret raider camps

• Pre-war kennels

• Mass casualty sites

• Hidden caches

• Underground creature nests

Canine Memorial System

The kennel should maintain a memorial for animals lost in service.

Each dog’s plaque could show:

• Name

• Handler

• Role

• Years active

• Settlement served

• Major rescue or battle

• Cause of death

The player can place:

• Collars

• Toys

• Photographs

• Paw prints

• Tags

• Small statues

Some handlers may visit the memorial automatically.

Legendary Dogs

Legendary dogs should not merely have stronger statistics. Their reputations should shape the world.

The Bell Dog

A wandering dog with a bell around its neck appears before major disasters. Settlers debate whether it predicts danger or causes it.

General

An old war dog that still patrols a battlefield decades after its unit died.

Mother Ash

A female dog that repeatedly rescues orphaned puppies from burned settlements.

The White Tracker

A pale dog said to follow any scent across the entire region.

King Mange

A diseased-looking wild dog that leads an enormous feral pack.

Saint

A calm dog that remains beside the terminally ill and dying.

Red Mouth

A feared fighting dog that has never lost but refuses to attack children.

A Legendary Pack Hunt

A massive feral pack called The Hundred Tails migrates across the region.

The pack is blamed for:

• Livestock deaths

• Missing travelers

• Settlement attacks

• Spread of disease

However, investigation reveals that the pack is being displaced by a larger underground threat.

The player can:

• Exterminate the pack

• Redirect its migration

• Remove the real threat

• Capture key pack leaders

• Establish protected territory

• Use the pack against a hostile faction

Boss Encounter Without Killing the Dog

A legendary dog or mutant hound boss should allow alternatives to combat.

The player could:

• Remove a control collar

• Distract it with a familiar scent

• Find its former handler

• Use calming medicine

• Defeat it nonlethally

• Separate it from its aggressive pack

• Treat an injury causing its rage

This would demonstrate the Kennelmaster’s philosophy through gameplay.

Dog Companion Creation

The player could eventually create a custom canine companion.

Choices include:

• Body size

• Coat type

• Ear shape

• Tail

• Scars

• Mutation

• Temperament

• Primary role

• Secondary role

• Training style

• Armor

• Name

• Voice and bark type

The player should not freely maximize every trait.

A large armored dog may be slow.

A tiny scout may lack combat strength.

A highly independent tracker may ignore close-follow commands.

New Settlement Structures

Scent Beacon

Marks a safe path for messenger dogs.

Dog Gate

A small entrance allowing dogs to enter while keeping larger creatures out.

Wash Station

Removes radiation and parasites.

Cooling Shelter

Protects dogs during heat waves.

Heated Kennel

Protects against winter conditions.

Training Tunnel

Improves confidence in confined spaces.

Noise Yard

Conditions dogs to gunfire and explosions.

Adoption Office

Matches dogs with settlers and caravans.

Canine Archive

Stores bloodline, medical, and training records.

Recovery Garden

A quiet area for injured and traumatized animals.

Pack Watchtower

Allows dogs to detect threats farther away.

Settlement Attack Behavior

During an attack, trained dogs should not all charge blindly.

Their behavior depends on assignment.

• Guard dogs hold gates.

• Rescue dogs search for wounded settlers.

• Messenger dogs run for reinforcements.

• Medic dogs carry supplies.

• Herding dogs move livestock to safety.

• Child guardians escort children to shelters.

• Scout dogs mark enemy flanking routes.

• War dogs engage only on command.

• Retired dogs bark warnings from protected areas.

This would make a kennel settlement feel fundamentally different from a normal settlement.

Regional Canine Emergency Service

At its highest level, the kennel can establish the Wasteland Canine Corps.

The Corps responds to:

• Settlement attacks

• Collapsed buildings

• Missing caravans

• Fires

• Radstorms

• Floods

• Creature migrations

• Disease outbreaks

• Minefields

• Lost children

Its units could appear dynamically throughout the world.

Final Importance to Fallout 5

The dog collector should embody several Fallout themes simultaneously:

• Loyalty in a disloyal world

• The difference between ownership and partnership

• Whether dangerous beings can be rehabilitated

• The exploitation of living creatures for war

• The tension between freedom and safety

• Prejudice against Super Mutants and mutations

• The practical realities of rebuilding civilization

• The emotional cost of survival

A well-designed Kennelmaster could affect exploration, settlement building, faction politics, companion development, investigations, communication, rescue operations, trade, and warfare.

They would not just be “the person with many dogs.”

They could become the founder of the first post-war canine institution, a Super Mutant protector proving monsters can show mercy, or the leader of a regional pack network powerful enough to change who controls the wasteland.