A Park on the Walk route map in Nintendogs.
- "You've reached the park. The field here is very big. It's a perfect place to practice for disc competitions."
- — In-game description upon entering, Nintendogs
The Park (Japanese: 公園 Kōen) is a location featured in Nintendogs and Nintendogs + Cats. The location can only be accessed when going on a walk. It serves as great open area for the player's puppy to meet up with the neighborhood dogs or practice for Disc Competitions. All parks have a bigger open area than the player's house.
Nintendogs[]
In Nintendogs, there are two park locations on every map. One park will always contain one or two neighborhood dogs, while the other will be empty. The player can choose to go to one or both, if their puppy's stamina allows it. The player should visit an empty park if they intend to train. They also can feed and water their dog here as well as accessorize if need be.
Once at the park, the player can stay there for about 10 - 15 minutes before a message appears telling them "(Dog Name) has played enough today."
Training[]
A flying disc can be thrown easily across the park's big field. The field in Disc Competitions is about the same size as the park, so it's the best place to train a dog to its fullest potential. Training cannot be done properly at the player's home; there is not enough space and the puppy will never return the disc unless it's prompted to.
To have the best performance during a contest, it's crucial for a puppy to learn three things:
- Run faster
- Catch the disc at far distances
- Return the disc automatically
Any delay or mishap is detrimental to the player's time limit in competitions, especially in the higher classes like Master and Championship. All three of these things can be perfected after many practice sessions at the park.
If their puppy is new to disc catching, the player will have to start off with small throws and then gradually work their way up. The touch screen can be tapped a few times to have the puppy return the disc. A dog should be praised every time-- even if it misses. This will help build its confidence.
Eventually a dog will get tired and refuse to catch the disc. When this happens, the player may give it something to eat or drink if needed. Then they can call it over and give it some affection. A puppy's mood increases with each sparkle from being pet. The player may also give out a few Dog Biscuits or Jerky Treats. After tending to the dog, it might feel up to practicing again. If not, it's best to leave the park and practice another time.
A Golden Retriever ready for another throw
With various dog breeds and sizes in the game, every dog's top speed is different. The player may have to adjust their throwing style a bit depending on the kind of puppy they own. Generally, smaller breeds like the Chihuahua start off slow but become extremely fast with training. They should have little to no issue catching up with a flying disc once having reached their top speed. The player can afford to throw the disc immediately after its returned to them. On the other hand, larger breeds like the Golden Retriever make higher jumps but might have trouble keeping up even when they're running as fast as possible. To prevent a miss, the player may have to wait a second before throwing the disc very far.
It's worth noting that any breed in the game can succeed. The player should not get discouraged if their puppy does not perform well at times. It may miss a few far throws, and there might also be a period where it only fetches every so often. With patience and persistence, this can be corrected. Once the player's puppy learns to run faster and fetch every time, it should be capable of catching straight, far throws during disc competitions.
Neighborhood Dogs[]
A German Shepherd and Fido the Sheltie playing at the park
When the player visits an occupied park, the neighborhood dogs will waste no time chasing and playing with their puppy. Toys and almost anything else can be brought out for all dogs to play with. A few features, like washing and brushing, are not available here. While training is possible, it's not advised because the other dogs will try to steal the disc.
Neighbors have their own routine with their dogs. For example, if Fido the Sheltie is seen at the park at noon, chances are he is there at noon every day. The player can keep this in mind if they hope to meet up with any puppy that gets along with theirs.
Puppies' good behavior displayed at the parks seem to have no influence on their future behavior during walks. In other words, if a dog is typically unruly with the player's puppy but acts friendly at the park, that dog will still be unruly the next time it's encountered on a walk.
Nintendogs + Cats[]
The sign to enter the Mountains park
In Nintendogs + Cats, there are now two different park locations: one on the Mountain route and one on the Seaside route. The entrance to a park is indicated by a blue sign with a white dog silhouette standing in grass. The park in the mountains is a grassy park much like the one in Nintendogs, while the one in the seaside is a sandy beach.
Again, the player can go here to interact with other owner's dogs although this time there's no way to tell if they will actually be there. Sometimes a neighbor will ask a player to go to one of the parks with them, and if they accept, they will be teleported to that park. The player can also practice for the disc competitions and play with toys with or without other dogs around. Players cannot feed their dogs food at the park, only treats, and the player can still brush their dog. Players also cannot play music records.
Often when a neighbor's dog is at the park, the player can see the neighbor's Mii standing somewhere on the edge of the park and he/she will occasionally wave.
Training[]
Practice can be done at either park, though the player will need to go to both if they want to have their puppy fully trained. It's recommended that the Mountains Park is visited first, as it's easier for a puppy to catch discs there. It is then a good idea to go to the Seaside Park. It's more difficult for a dog to chase the disc through sand, but with enough time and effort the puppy will learn not to be phased by it. This is very important, as there are sand pits in the higher classes of Disc competitions.
Besides the addition of the Seaside Park, training in this game is nearly the same as the original Nintendogs. The player will have to start off with small throws and then gradually work their way up. The touch screen can be tapped a few times to have the puppy return the disc. A dog should be praised every time-- even if it misses.
The game does not put a time limit on activities at the park, but the player must still avoid overworking their dog. Too much exercise mixed with a poor diet can make the puppy Skinny or even Underfed.
Certain breeds are faster than others. Large dogs such as Labrador Retrievers and Great Danes perform better as their legs are longer than most dogs enabling them to run fast and jump high. Personality also plays a role in how quickly puppies learn, giving them an even bigger advantage. But while some breeds and personalities may be better choices for competitions, ultimately any dog in the game is capable of winning.
Gallery[]
Nintendogs + Cats[]
