In Dog Lover, you fetch cards, collect bones, and gather food for your lovable dogs. You rescue them from the shelter, teach them new tricks, and admire their unique traits. The player who best cares for their dogs scores the most victory points, and wins!
Each player starts the game with a random dog card and a random "special trick" card. During set up, display a 3 x 3 card grid. You and the other players will make important choices about which cards to draft, and how to use them.
The card types all have special abilities:
- Dog cards sit in front of you immediately. Good boy!
- Food cards are exchanged for one of four types of food.
- Adoption cards go in your hand, and you can exchange two for a rescued dog, which comes with a special power or endgame bonus.
- Favorite Things cards are dog toys that are more valuable when you collect them in sets.
- Training cards can be tucked under a dog for bonus points, or you can exchange several of them to gain a new trick, which gives you more card-grabbing options each turn.
- Walk cards are worth bonus points when tucked under a dog.
- Bone cards give you a bonus, if you collect enough of them.
- Trait cards give you an ongoing power and an endgame bonus, but you must attach it to a dog on the same turn during which you claim it.
When the "End Game" card appears in the deck, complete the round so that each player has the same number of turns, then tally points.
The player who scores the most points is the ultimate dog lover (and winner)!
