To tame a dog in Minecraft, you need to find a wild wolf and feed it bones until hearts appear. Once tamed, the dog becomes a loyal companion that follows you, attacks most hostile mobs, and can be commanded to sit or stand.
How to tame a dog in Minecraft
Wild wolves are the only animals that can be tamed into dogs in Minecraft. Taming a wolf requires bones, and the resulting dog will defend you by attacking any hostile mobs (except Creepers) that threaten you. A tamed dog will also follow you across the world, making it a valuable ally for exploration and combat. If you want a flying companion that perches on your shoulder instead, you can also tame birds in Minecraft.
Step 1: Find a wolf
Wolves spawn naturally in forest biomes and taiga biomes. They often travel in packs, so you may encounter several at once. Wolves have distinctive gray or black fur and a somewhat blocky appearance. Look for them roaming through trees or across snowy ground in taiga biomes.
Step 2: Gather bones
Bones are the essential item required for taming wolves. You can obtain bones by killing skeletons, which drop them upon death. Bones can also be found inside loot chests in dungeons, mineshafts, and desert temples. Collect several bones before attempting to tame a wolf, as some wolves may require multiple attempts.
Step 3: Tame the wolf with bones
- Equip the bones in your hand so they appear on your hotbar.
- Approach the wolf slowly. Do not run or make sudden movements, as wolves are neutral and will not attack unless provoked.
- Right-click on the wolf with the bones selected. This feeds the bone to the wolf.
- Watch for hearts to appear above the wolf's head. When you see hearts, the taming is successful. A red collar will also appear around the wolf's neck, confirming it is now a tamed dog.
If the wolf does not show hearts, it has not been tamed yet. Simply feed it another bone and repeat until hearts appear. The number of bones needed varies per wolf.
Step 4: Command and care for your dog
Once tamed, you can control your dog by right-clicking on it. Right-clicking makes the dog sit or stand. A sitting dog will stay in place and not follow you, but it will still defend you if you are attacked. A standing dog will follow you closely and attack any hostile mobs that come near, as well as any mob or player that you attack. Note that dogs will not attack Creepers, so keep your distance from those green explosives.
To heal your dog after battle, feed it any type of meat, such as raw beef, pork chops, chicken, or cooked versions of these meats. Each piece of meat restores some of the dog's health. If you want to give your dog a custom name, you can put a name tag on a dog in Minecraft by using an anvil to rename the name tag and then right-clicking the dog with the renamed tag equipped.
