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Dog
Dog
Creature Type
(Subtype for creature/tribal cards)
Beeble Scale 3[1]
Statistics
125 cards
{W} 24.8% {U} 4% {B} 12% {R} 23.2% {G} 19.2% {W/U} 1.6% {B/R} 2.4% {R/G} 0.8% {G/W} 0.8% {W/B} 0.8% {M} 3.2% {artifact symbol} 7.2%
10 Dog creation cards
{W} 20% {U} 10% {B} 10% {G} 20% {R/W} 10% {M} 30%
as of Fallout
Scryfall Search
type:"Dog"

Dog (previously Hound) is a creature type used for cards that depict carnivorous domestic canids closely related to the gray wolf, as well as sapient dogfolk. Their appearance is bred in many varieties. For gaming reasons, Wolves, Jackals, and Foxes are kept separate. Dogs appear in all colors.

History[ | ]

The first creature with the type Dog was Snow Hound in Ice Age. The first creature to bear the type Hound was Ghost Hounds in Homelands (though the Hurr Jackal from Arabian Nights and Snow Hound from Ice Age, were later issued errata to become Hounds as well).

Hyenas were made Hounds in the Grand Creature Type Update, but this was reverted in the Update from the Grand Update, probably for taxonomic reasons. Jackals were reinstated as a creature type with the release of Amonkhet.[2]

In Core Set 2021 Hound was changed to Dog.[3] Mark Rosewater previously had argued numerous times with Creative to apply the change. He argued that a hound is a type of dog much like a poodle is a type of dog. He stated that all hounds are dogs but not all dogs are hounds.[4][5][6][7][8][9][10] The Dog versus Hound debate was referenced earlier on the Unhinged card B-I-N-G-O and on the Mystery Booster test card Ruff, Underdog Champ.

In the creature update, each Hound creature card received errata to replace that subtype with Dog. Those cards kept their other subtypes. Similarly, cards that became Hounds or created Hound tokens received errata to replace that one word with Dog. No other cards received errata to become Dogs.[11]

Storyline[ | ]

Innistrad[ | ]

There are regular (Cathar's Companion, Thraben Purebloods), elemental (Pyre Hound, Hound of Griselbrand) and zombie (Hound of the Farbogs, Thraben Foulbloods) hounds.

Ixalan[ | ]

The Legion of Dusk uses hounds as camp keepers (Encampment Keeper).

Lorwyn/Shadowmoor[ | ]

Demonic hounds appear when Shadowmoor is an ascendance.

Phyrexia[ | ]

The Phyrexian Hollow Dogs showed up in New Phyrexia as well.[12]

Ravnica[ | ]

The Boros Legion features mastiffs.

The Golgari guild of Ravnica features Mossdogs, plant hounds.[13]

The Rakdos guild of Ravnica features elemental hounds.

Nightmare hounds live in the undercity of Ravnica.

Tarkir[ | ]

Ainok[ | ]

Ainok are sapient, humanoid Dog folk of Tarkir. Affiliated with the Abzan Houses and the Temur Frontier, they are a highly variable species, mirroring actual canine species and breeds. The Abzan Ainok, resembling jackals, are the original inhabitants of the desert and experienced in sand-based magic, having taught the Abzan on how to survive in the desert; they prefer to live on the fringes of human-dominated society.[14]

Temur Ainok resemble Tibetan Mastiffs. Like the Abzan Ainok, these are the original inhabitants of their environment, the Qal Sisma mountains. Eager to fight for any reason, they enjoy carnage for carnage's sake, and blood-crazed Ainok may even devour chunks of flesh from a fallen opponent, though such is considered an embarrassing lack of self-control. Well established and trusted among Temur families and sharing the same rights and responsibilities, some nonetheless feel resentment towards human domination in the clan, and the veteran Baihir Torn-Of-Ear and the semi-Mardu-affiliated Kharkhel seek to murder the khan himself to achieve dominance.[15]

Rath[ | ]

Vampire Hounds are used as watchdogs in Stronghold. Mossdogs inhabited the Skyshroud Forest.

Theros[ | ]

The Cerberi of Theros are two-headed (Two-Headed Cerberus) or three-headed (Underworld Cerberus and Wildfire Cerberus) hounds.

Ulgrotha[ | ]

The Ghost Hounds are intangible dogs that haunt Ulgrotha in and around the Dark Barony.

Notable Dogs[ | ]

Trivia[ | ]

Tokens[ | ]

Token Name Color Type Line P/T Text Box Source Printings
Dog White Creature — Dog 1/1
Green Creature — Dog 1/1
Green Creature — Dog 3/1 Vigilance
Mowu Green Legendary Creature — Dog 3/3
Tiny Green Legendary Creature — Dog Detective 2/2 Trample
Dog Illusion Blue Creature — Dog Illusion */* This creature's power and toughness are each equal to twice the number of cards in your hand.

References[ | ]

  1. Mark Rosewater (2021-10-11). "As of last update, the Dog creature type...". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  2. Eli Shiffrin (April 28, 2017). "Amonkhet Update Bulletin—Oracle Changes". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  3. Mark Rosewater (June 15, 2020). "But Wait, There's Core". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  4. Mark Rosewater (November 11, 2013). "The difference between a dog and a hound.". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  5. Mark Rosewater (September 20, 2014). "You know hound is the original English word for dog right?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  6. Mark Rosewater (December 31, 2014). "Could I get some trivia on hounds?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  7. Mark Rosewater (May 12, 2015). "Couldn't we just say that, in the multiverse of MTG, Hound is the word people use for Dog?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  8. Mark Rosewater (November 07, 2015). "What are your thoughts on Zodiac Dog from Portal Three Kingdoms being printed with the type line "Creature - Dog", only to be errata'd to "Creature - Hound"?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  9. Mark Rosewater (December 18, 2015). "Can you explain the dog/hound situation?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  10. Mark Rosewater (January 22, 2016). ""You ain't nothing but a hound, dog?"". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  11. Eli Shiffrin (June 20, 2020). "Core Set 2021 and Jumpstart Release Notes". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  12. Monty Ashley (May 12, 2011). "Who Filled the Dogs Up?". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  13. Trick Jarrett (May 6, 2013). "The Mossdog". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  14. Magic Creative Team (September 3, 2014). "Planeswalker's Guide to Khans of Tarkir, Part 1". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  15. Magic Creative Team (September 11, 2014). "Planeswalker's Guide to Khans of Tarkir, Part 2". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  16. Greg Weisman (June 5, 2019). "War of the Spark: Ravnica – Operation Desperation". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
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