Resident Evil 4 remake: Can you save the dog?

The original Resident Evil 4 allowed Leon to save a distressed dog leading to the grateful pooch returning the favor at a crucial point. The question is, does this happen again in the remake?

Anyone who’s played the original Resident Evil 4 will remember seeing a dog caught in a bear trap early in the first chapter of the game. Players then have a choice to make, do you free the poor creature, ignore it and go about your business, or callously shoot the helpless animal? Those who choose to rescue the dog will be rewarded later in the game when Leon is confronted by the colossal El Gigante boss monster.

Appearing several minutes into the fight, the dog appears at the cliff edge and howls, distracting the El Gigante and buying some Leon precious seconds to damage the monster, making the whole battle much easier. It’s a memorable moment and a fitting reward for those who choose kindness and mercy at the start of the game. However, fans are worried the Resident Evil 4 remake may have cut this content, and worse yet, may have killed Leon’s four-legged buddy offscreen. But is that really true?

Where’s that dog?

The promotional materials for the Resident Evil 4 remake failed to show any indication of Leon’s K9 companion, even more troubling, in the area where Leon rescues the injured pup from a bear trap, there’s only a dog’s corpse instead of a living but injured dog. This led to fans speculating that the remake had killed the dog, and therefore Leon wouldn’t be able to rescue it, meaning the dog wouldn’t return later in the game to save Leon.

Fortunately, in the remake, the dog is alive and well. It’s still caught in a bear trap, only this time, Leon rescues it much later in the game rather than at the very start. Like in the original, the dog returns to aid Leon during the battle with the El Gigante. Once it makes its triumphant return it then stays to fight alongside him until the battle is over.

After the fight, Leon can approach the dog for one final farewell and to express his thanks to the loyal creature. So, fans of the dog from the original Resident Evil 4 can rest easy. Not only is he okay, but he’s also more helpful than ever.

For more Resident Evil 4 content, check out the following guides below:

RE4 ending explained | Where to find the Shotgun | Where to find the Golden Egg | Can you save the dog? | Separate Ways | The Mercenaries | Changing costume | How Spinels work | Achievements & Trophies | Remake differences | Resident Evil 4 review | Resident Evil 5 remake | Code Veronica remake