Players have discovered that you can now give a little affection to Sanctuary’s creatures, but the method isn’t obvious at first. Here’s how Diablo 4 quietly hides one of its most charming secrets-petting the animals that wander its dark streets.
In this Diablo 4 guide, we’ll teach you how to pet your furry friends around town and what you get out of it.
How to interact with dogs and cats
Dogs and cats in Diablo 4 react warmly to friendly gestures, adding charm to the darker atmosphere of the game. To interact, approach the animal and use the “Hello” emote from your emote wheel. Your character will automatically pet the creature, showing a brief, wholesome animation. There’s no gameplay advantage, but it’s a fun way to enjoy small moments between battles and feel more connected to the world around you.
Petting dogs and cats is very easy in Diablo 4, but it’s also never explained in-game – which is a crime! You’ve been walking around Sanctuary not petting animals for potentially hundreds of hours already
If you want to start being a productive member of society (i.e. an animal lover), all you need to do is walk up to a cat or dog and use the “Hello” emote at them. Do so while close enough to a dog, and your character will reach down and pet them when they say hello. You can do the same for cats, but there is no petting animation – another crime from Blizzard! Instead, they will flop on the floor and present their tummy for belly rubs.
If you’re unfamiliar with how to use emotes like “Hello,” it’s very easy. Open your Action Wheel (the d-pad on controller and whatever your custom keybind is on PC) – like you do for several side quests – and simply select the part of the wheel that says “Hello.” Hit confirm and you’ll do the emote.
On the off chance that you don’t see “Hello” on your wheel, you may need to change pages (the shoulder buttons) or customize your wheel, which you’ll have a prompt for on the menu. If you hit customize, you’ll see a long list of emotes that you can place on the blank parts of your wheel. Find “Hello” and move it to a convenient spot. Then hit confirm and you’ll be able to do it whenever you want.
What does petting dogs and cats do?
Petting dogs and cats in Diablo 4 grants players a small XP boost for their character and companion, plus a bit of gold. These animals appear in specific spots across the game’s zones, like near camps or settlements. Interact with them by approaching and pressing the prompted key-dogs wag their tails while cats purr in response. The bonus stacks with other activities, making it a quick reward during exploration. Repeat visits to the same pet yield diminishing returns after a short cooldown.
At the moment, there’s no tangible benefit to petting animals in Diablo 4 is. At least for now. (It’s possible that Blizzard could add a Trophy or Achievement at some point. Or it could be an objective on a Season’s Journey.)
However, petting dogs does cause them to follow you around until you leave town. If you’re in a large town with many dogs, you can become a little dog Necromancer and walk through town with an army following behind you. Cats, much like their real-world contemporaries, just flop down in front of you and will not follow you outside no matter how nice you are – they have cat stuff to do, and you were but a momentary distraction for them.
If you’re looking for dogs and cats to pet, travel to basically any town in the game. You should see at least one dog walking around somewhere. Cats are certainly harder to find, but you can definitely find one in the inn in Kyovashad, as well as in other cities.
Can you get a pet in Diablo 4?
Yes, Diablo 4 lets players claim pets through the battle pass or by purchasing them from the in-game shop. These companions follow your character, pick up loot, and add flair to Sanctuary’s battles. Unlock them via free or premium battle pass tiers, or grab bundles with cosmetics during seasonal events.
Unfortunately, Diablo 4 doesn’t have any kind of permanent pet system the way Diablo 3 did.
For those who never played Diablo 3, Blizzard eventually implemented a pet system in that game where you could unlock cosmetic animals to pick up gold dropped by enemies. This actually helped speed the game up considerably, as you wasted less time clicking on the ground to fill your coffers.
How do I unlock the Faithful Companion quest in Kyovashad
Finding the Quest
Travel to Kyovashad, the main hub in Fractured Peaks. Head to the northwest corner near some houses, where a marker labeled “Well-Behaved Dog” appears on your map-zoom in if needed. The dog may bark or wag its tail upon approach.
Starting the Quest
Approach the dog closely to trigger an interact prompt (platform-dependent, like F on PC). Select it to pet the dog, which plays a short animation and completes the “Faithful Companion” quest instantly, unlocking the pet feature. No prior quests are required; it’s available early on new characters.
Post-Quest Steps
Visit a wardrobe in Kyovashad (near the stash), open the new Pets tab, and equip your first pet like Asheara. For alts, check the wardrobe directly if the dog isn’t visible.
Do I need to meet any level or story requirement first
No, the Faithful Companion quest in Diablo 4 has no level or story prerequisites.
Availability Details
Players can access it immediately upon arriving in Kyovashad during the early Fractured Peaks campaign, often around level 1-5 on new characters. No main quests, campaign chapters, or minimum player level block the “Well-Behaved Dog” from appearing in the northwest area.
Potential Issues
On alternate characters, the quest may not trigger if already completed on the account-check your wardrobe’s Pets tab instead for direct access. Bugs reported in past patches (e.g., 2024) were fixed, making it reliably available in 2026.
