ZED ZONE pets: how to get and raise a dog
A dog follows you, bites what attacks you, digs up small gifts and carries a saddlebag. It cannot die. The pet system arrived in October 2026 and was buffed twice before 1.0.
- Hold the interact key on a dog cage at a Scavenger Camp.
- Up to 3 pets at once since 0.9.99.8.
- Pets never die: they fall unconscious and wake up.
How to get a dog in ZED ZONE
- Find a dog cage at a Scavenger Camp, such as the one at the Abandoned Station. Official The roadmap describes cages spawning near hostile camps. Official
- Hold the interact key (F) at the cage to rescue the dog. Official If you destroy the cage outright, the dog becomes a stray you can still adopt. Official
Each cage holds a random breed: Border Collie, Golden Retriever, German Shepherd or Poodle. The German Shepherd bites hardest; the Poodle is small and bites lightest. Official Old saves got 1–3 extra Scavenger Camps marked on the PDA map. Official
You can keep up to 3 pets since Beta 0.9.99.8 (it was 1), and pets do not take a companion slot. Official
Commands and combat modes
- Open the pet panel with the “Commands” interaction or the pet bar at the top left: health, food, Affection, skills, gear, name. Official
- Commands: Follow / Stay. Combat: Passive / Defensive / Aggressive. A staying pet holds its spot and only attacks what comes close. Official
- An enemy your pet bites focuses on the pet for a few seconds; each pet holds off up to 2 enemies. Official
- Pet with Z (RB on a pad). Pets ride in your vehicle. Throw a Tennis Ball from the throwable slot to play fetch. Official
The eight ZED ZONE pet skills
Affection rises from feeding, petting, protecting you and bringing gifts, and grants skill points. The level cap went from 8 to 23 in Beta 0.9.99.9.1, enough to learn every skill. Official
| Skill | Effect |
|---|---|
| Keen Nose | Finds gifts more often, more meat and fish; treats from Lv.2. |
| Hunter | Chases nearby rats and crows; +25% bite damage per level. |
| Guardian | Barks to draw aggro when you are attacked or chased; Lv.2 pulls every enemy within 12 tiles. |
| Toughness (was Sentinel) | Damage taken −10% / −20% / −30%. |
| Shred | Bite bleed chance 25% / 50% / 75%. |
| Saddlebag | Lets it wear a Dog Saddlebag: 6×8, 8×10, 10×12 slots at Lv.1/2/3. |
| Iron Stomach | Food level drops more slowly. |
| Second Wind | Shorter unconsciousness, wakes with more health. |
Values from Beta 0.9.99.1, 0.9.99.8 and 0.9.99.9.7. Official
Gear and food
| Item | Effect |
|---|---|
| Leather Collar | +50 max health |
| Bell Collar | +20% Affection gain, but the jingle alerts nearby zombies |
| Tactical Collar | Lights up at night |
| Cloth Dog Vest / Ballistic Dog Vest | −15% damage / −35% damage and −10% speed |
| Canned Dog Food, Jerky Treat | Never spoils / extra Affection; bones, raw meat and fish work too |
Pets never die
At zero health a pet falls unconscious and wakes on its own; a Bandage or First Aid Kit wakes it sooner. Hunger slows it and weakens its bite but never kills it. Released pets return their gear and saddlebag contents, and wander where you left them until you adopt them again. Official Health and bite damage grow with Affection since Beta 0.9.99.8. Official
Human helpers work differently; see companions.
Checked against version 1.0.4Last verified 2026-11-07
Sources
- Patch notes: Beta 0.9.99.1 (pet system, Giant Mutant Lizard) · 2026-10-02 · official
- Patch notes: Beta 0.9.99.8 (downed and revive, lizard bait, handbrake) · 2026-10-07 · official
- Patch notes: Beta 0.9.99.9.1 (voxel building, bicycles, companion gear, controller) · 2026-10-23 · official
- Patch notes: Beta 0.9.99.9.7 (tutorial, character saves, forklift, waypoints) · 2026-11-03 · official
- Announcement: full release roadmap (turrets, skills, companions) · 2026-09-30 · official
