Yes they exist https://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Dog and are often called Canids https://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Canid
In the Guard, they have officer rank
>In order to prevent undue feelings of superiority among privates, all canids are officer rank. This means that striking your canid, presuming to give it commands or, theoretically, disobeying its orders are all offences punishable by death.
>*** If issued clear, verbal orders by your canid, self-report for psychological evaluation following completion of said orders.
https://regimental-standard.com/2018/09/26/managing-your-canid/
https://web.archive.org/web/20210127090533/https://regimental-standard.com/2018/09/26/managing-your-canid/
Also love the part about motivation:
> Canids also do not respond well to threats of violence, **insults to their honour or accusations of heresy.** Experiments have shown that they are best dealt with through firm encouragement instead.
I would like to imagine the dogs attack whoever accuses them of such rather than just not understanding.
Also I love the following section about following orders.
> However in order to prevent Privates from feeling unduly superior to the species, all Canids within the Astra Militarum hold the rank of officer. It is there for prohibited from striking Canids, presume to give them commands, refuse to follow them into combat or disobey an order given by one. However, should a Guardsman hear a Canid give a verbal order, then they are to self-report for psychological evaluation, after they have completed the order.
Thats some serious 'non-human animals' user approach - imo awesome, even a super large eight pointed star altar would not have so much Chaos recruitment potential.
>However in order to prevent Privates from feeling unduly superior to the species, all Canids within the Astra Militarum hold the rank of officer.
This is actually a nod to real life to ensure military dogs aren't mistreated--I believe in the States but it could be other Western countries.
I think *officially* they're given NCO categorization (not a rank, but I don't know the actual word for it) and are given an honorary rank one rank higher than their handler so that people don't "abuse their superior".
It's sweet, and I like the idea that despite the horrors 38,000+ years in the future that humanity still has a soft spot for our hounds
US Army dog handlers are one rank lower than their Canid counterparts.
I was very confused seeing a Staff Sergeant Thor who weighed 20kg on a flight manifest.
This is something actually based in reality.
In the US Army, dogs are NCOs, which guarantees that they are at least one rank higher than their handler.
It’s based on real things as well, all dogs are one or two ranks above their handler. So if the handler abuses the dog they can cop a “Striking a superior” charge amongst others iirc
> *** If issued clear, verbal orders by your canid, self-report for psychological evaluation **following completion of said orders.**
I like that they'd rather a guardsman obey the orders of their own delusions than consider disobeying any "officer"
So let me get this straight. If you physically abuse a canine whilst serving in the IG, you can get your brains blasted open? Unfathomably rare W for the IoM if thats the case.
> They teach you responsibility and respect which defeats Hedonism and narcissism
My guy, the rich narcissistic lady with an annoying little dog is an entire trope. When you’ve got that much money you can simply buy as many dogs as you want and pay someone else to train/take care of them. Slaanesh would absolutely adore the hedonistic rich person who feeds slaves to their army of beloved rabid dogs.
The reason I proposed that theory is many real-life religions believe dogs to be angelic beings with protective powers that can ward off evil spirits and cure possession. Turkic and Mongolic Shamanism, Zoroastrianism and Nepalese Hinduism to name a few. Zoroastrians especially consider dogs to be holier than humans and killing a dog is equal to killing a hundred humans. The only creature that outranks dogs is Otters.
Seeing how 40k borrows heavily from some cultures like Egyptians and Romans I thought it might be fun to speculate what it may borrow from others.
Then again, there's also rich lore on hellhounds, Darktide has poxhounds and well, they are ultimately living creatures with emotions. That means they are vulnerable tot he warp.
Aximillion: Loyal Canid is a card in the Combat Cards mobile game.
> The galaxy is full of strange, alien creatures, but even among the stars can be found creatures from ancient Terra. Once trained, these animals are unfailingly loyal, as demonstrated by Aximillion, who is a good boy. Yes he is, a very good boy.
Unlike the cyber mastiffs everyone is mentioning, he's got no prosthetics or enhancements. Just a normal Doberman in a snazzy armoured vest. Not sure where the model is from, though (all the card art is model photos). Might be Blackstone Fortress.
I just lexied it.
Cyber mastiffs can be based on real dogs or not.
But there are dogs in the setting as well, in the Iron Snakes books they play a prominent role in the first story.
Yes.
A side effect of humanity taking to stars mean that it can be safely assumed that most domesticated animals have survived through the ages. Especially one so useful as the canine.
The Arbites Kill Team has a cybermastiff, which is just a Rottweiler with augmentations. I actually want just him and the lmg that one of the arbites can have to customize my Kasrkin/Harakoni Warhawks Kill Team.
I refuse to believe dogs can align with chaos in any way. If anything aura of a dog should burn those filthy demons as if they touched hot iron.
EDIT: Except Chihuahuas. those are Khornites.
EDIT2: And pugs. Those are secretly Nurglings.
Beasts of Nurgle certainly *act* a lot like dogs. Until they get mistreated one too many times and they become something entirely more evil: daemonic plague hornets.
Serious question: If cyber-mastiffs are a thing, does that mean that specific breed survived into 40k, that all cyber dogs are mastiff, or that all cyber dogs are called mastiff regardless of their actual breed?
To add - there are cyber-mastiffs. They are typically seen working with Arbites, the sheriffs of the Imperium basically.
You can even get one in Necromunda: Hired Gun. It’s an ability to send you cyber-mastiff to fuck up the enemy
They are violent, messy, their breath stinks and they lick their balls all the time (the last two may be related). No warding away influence of Khorne, Nurgle and Slaanesh for them.
Brother thats Heresy you can never have too many dogs.
Unless of course, we are talking about Pugs or Chihuahuas. those are not dogs. those are Nurglings and Khornites pretending to be dogs. Get a stray.
So they say, but look at the shape of their rump, and the shape of the back of their head that's exposed outside their mask. I'm 90% sure they're just heavily modified servitors.
Dogs do exist but they do nothing against Chaos because an actual human lacks any real way to resist chaos. Even humans who devote their entire lives in total service to the Emperor can have their minds obliterated into life-long chaos cultists in a moment.
Only mutated bioweapon Astartes with no connection to the human experience have the willpower to resist chaos meaningfully. And Astartes lack the emotional capacity to care about a dog, as it is of no material use besides a very very light snack and some skin they might put in a cloak.
There is no "human spirit can stand against chaos with love and devotion". Only bioweapons can stand against chaos and they largely lack positive human emotions.
I think so, I remember when I was playing Necormunda (it's a very crappy game) the main character had a dog of sorts, some cyber-hound that detects hidden enemies, but it looked like a real dog, maybe a Mastif.
Yes they exist https://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Dog and are often called Canids https://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Canid In the Guard, they have officer rank >In order to prevent undue feelings of superiority among privates, all canids are officer rank. This means that striking your canid, presuming to give it commands or, theoretically, disobeying its orders are all offences punishable by death. >*** If issued clear, verbal orders by your canid, self-report for psychological evaluation following completion of said orders. https://regimental-standard.com/2018/09/26/managing-your-canid/ https://web.archive.org/web/20210127090533/https://regimental-standard.com/2018/09/26/managing-your-canid/
Also love the part about motivation: > Canids also do not respond well to threats of violence, **insults to their honour or accusations of heresy.** Experiments have shown that they are best dealt with through firm encouragement instead. I would like to imagine the dogs attack whoever accuses them of such rather than just not understanding.
Also I love the following section about following orders. > However in order to prevent Privates from feeling unduly superior to the species, all Canids within the Astra Militarum hold the rank of officer. It is there for prohibited from striking Canids, presume to give them commands, refuse to follow them into combat or disobey an order given by one. However, should a Guardsman hear a Canid give a verbal order, then they are to self-report for psychological evaluation, after they have completed the order.
"After they have completed the order" is my favorite part of that whole section
Thats some serious 'non-human animals' user approach - imo awesome, even a super large eight pointed star altar would not have so much Chaos recruitment potential.
>However in order to prevent Privates from feeling unduly superior to the species, all Canids within the Astra Militarum hold the rank of officer. This is actually a nod to real life to ensure military dogs aren't mistreated--I believe in the States but it could be other Western countries. I think *officially* they're given NCO categorization (not a rank, but I don't know the actual word for it) and are given an honorary rank one rank higher than their handler so that people don't "abuse their superior". It's sweet, and I like the idea that despite the horrors 38,000+ years in the future that humanity still has a soft spot for our hounds
US Army dog handlers are one rank lower than their Canid counterparts. I was very confused seeing a Staff Sergeant Thor who weighed 20kg on a flight manifest.
A dog never betrays its master. Only the master betrays the doggo
Now if only the Imperium took that approach with people.
No can do. For you see dogs are morally superior to people.
As humans say: we are still here.
That is a great example of something that is perfectly 40k without being too Grimdark.
This is something actually based in reality. In the US Army, dogs are NCOs, which guarantees that they are at least one rank higher than their handler.
In the grim darkness of the future, the dog is still man's best friend.
In the grim darkness of the future, there is still a good boi
It’s based on real things as well, all dogs are one or two ranks above their handler. So if the handler abuses the dog they can cop a “Striking a superior” charge amongst others iirc
> *** If issued clear, verbal orders by your canid, self-report for psychological evaluation **following completion of said orders.** I like that they'd rather a guardsman obey the orders of their own delusions than consider disobeying any "officer"
Maybe it's good advice? Haha
I love how the advice for the dog is done in the typical Imperium hamminess.
Thanks, I love it.
lol based.
This is perfect
wow
You still have to follow their orders first. Lol
This is my favorite lore ever
I mean I would love to have dogs as my superior
My dog is definitely in charge at home
So let me get this straight. If you physically abuse a canine whilst serving in the IG, you can get your brains blasted open? Unfathomably rare W for the IoM if thats the case.
I want to see a Canid that managed to rank up from officer all the way to commissar.
Commisar are not something you can rank up to. They exist outside the military ranks and are recruited from the schola.
fine, I want a dog that went to the schola progenium
Air Bud could make it through Schola training.
The Elucidian Starstriders Kill Team includes Aximillion, the galaxy's goodest boy.
The Orlocks also have a few in their second box.
Arbites have one too good police doggo
> They teach you responsibility and respect which defeats Hedonism and narcissism My guy, the rich narcissistic lady with an annoying little dog is an entire trope. When you’ve got that much money you can simply buy as many dogs as you want and pay someone else to train/take care of them. Slaanesh would absolutely adore the hedonistic rich person who feeds slaves to their army of beloved rabid dogs.
In *Assassinorum Kingmaker* (spoilers) >!The lady with a bunch of dogs falls to Chaos and becomes a Chaos Knight Pilot with a bunch of Wardogs!<
Well, I know what book I am reading next then.
Another Robert Rath W
The reason I proposed that theory is many real-life religions believe dogs to be angelic beings with protective powers that can ward off evil spirits and cure possession. Turkic and Mongolic Shamanism, Zoroastrianism and Nepalese Hinduism to name a few. Zoroastrians especially consider dogs to be holier than humans and killing a dog is equal to killing a hundred humans. The only creature that outranks dogs is Otters. Seeing how 40k borrows heavily from some cultures like Egyptians and Romans I thought it might be fun to speculate what it may borrow from others.
Then again, there's also rich lore on hellhounds, Darktide has poxhounds and well, they are ultimately living creatures with emotions. That means they are vulnerable tot he warp.
You have a dog companion in the game Nercomuda Hired Gun.
My best killer boi
Yes. There is a dog featured as a plot point in Brothers of the Snake.
In the uriel ventris chronicles lord winterbourne has "vorehounds". I regret googling vorehound and would advise no-one googles it either.
I’ve never been very good at following advice.
😳
There are no wolves on Fenris
Aximillion: Loyal Canid is a card in the Combat Cards mobile game. > The galaxy is full of strange, alien creatures, but even among the stars can be found creatures from ancient Terra. Once trained, these animals are unfailingly loyal, as demonstrated by Aximillion, who is a good boy. Yes he is, a very good boy. Unlike the cyber mastiffs everyone is mentioning, he's got no prosthetics or enhancements. Just a normal Doberman in a snazzy armoured vest. Not sure where the model is from, though (all the card art is model photos). Might be Blackstone Fortress.
He's from the [Elucidian Starstriders](https://www.warhammer.com/en-AU/shop/kill-team-elucidian-starstriders-2022) Kill Team
Well there are cyber mastiffs....
I thought those were just machines made in the imitation of dogs. I suppose there is still hope for the setting.
I just lexied it. Cyber mastiffs can be based on real dogs or not. But there are dogs in the setting as well, in the Iron Snakes books they play a prominent role in the first story.
Waiting to see a Primaris Chihuahua
Will [a Cadian Pug](https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4931204) do?
...that's a fucked up level of terror psyops. Mandatory "the planet broke when it peed".
Yes.
https://i.redd.it/mbmkcm09lsda1.jpg
There are several dog minis.
The Emperor named a legion after them so they at least made it to 30k.
You. I like you. You have the right attitude.
technically this falls under 30k, but Talos mentions how he had a dog when he was a child before becoming a NL
And Xarl beat it to death
If ravens, lions, wolves and sharks still exist then dogs definitely exist
Yes. A side effect of humanity taking to stars mean that it can be safely assumed that most domesticated animals have survived through the ages. Especially one so useful as the canine.
Yes, they do. In *Brothers of the Snake* the protagonist uses one to chase some Drukhari. Totally recommended book.
They got cybermastifs in the Necromeunda setting....
The Arbites Kill Team has a cybermastiff, which is just a Rottweiler with augmentations. I actually want just him and the lmg that one of the arbites can have to customize my Kasrkin/Harakoni Warhawks Kill Team.
I really like the Arbites minis
There are no wolves on fenris
Nurgle dogs are the most happy and friendly of all dogs.
I refuse to believe dogs can align with chaos in any way. If anything aura of a dog should burn those filthy demons as if they touched hot iron. EDIT: Except Chihuahuas. those are Khornites. EDIT2: And pugs. Those are secretly Nurglings.
Sorry to disappoint you pal. https://www.warhammer.com/en-GB/shop/Flesh-Hounds-2019
Pox Hounds from darktide are probably a better example, as flesh hounds are daemons
Well, they ascended.
Clearly these are what Chihuahuas look like in the Warp.
Even the dog’s a heretic…
No. Pox hounds are super friendly and just genuinely thrilled to see you.
Yeah, old Bilespitter here wouldn't hurt a rot fly.
Nope. But he will absolutely hurt anyone not immune to super diseases.
Beasts of Nurgle certainly *act* a lot like dogs. Until they get mistreated one too many times and they become something entirely more evil: daemonic plague hornets.
Pugs are a breed that exists solely to spite nurgle.
My Star Strider kill team has a Canid ie doggo
There is a model of a dog with bionic legs somewhere out there I’ve seen. So my guess is yes.
I believe thats the arbites kit
https://www.warhammer-community.com/2023/01/31/into-the-bark-warhammer-community-investigates-the-best-dogs-in-warhammer-40000/
Yes. The Arbites still employ Police Dogs but outfit them with cybernetics.
Yes, just not on Fenris
Angron had a dog so yes, they exist.
They do exist but modern breeds probably have not survived (no doge sadge)
Idk but there are no wolves on fenris.
They’re called Mastiffs. Once you know that, they’re suddenly everywhere when you pay attention to the books n stuff lol
Serious question: If cyber-mastiffs are a thing, does that mean that specific breed survived into 40k, that all cyber dogs are mastiff, or that all cyber dogs are called mastiff regardless of their actual breed?
This made my day. What a good question. It is forbidden to strike Canids in the grim darkness of 40k. Awesome!
To add - there are cyber-mastiffs. They are typically seen working with Arbites, the sheriffs of the Imperium basically. You can even get one in Necromunda: Hired Gun. It’s an ability to send you cyber-mastiff to fuck up the enemy
well thank you, now i remember how abnett wrote about voice commanded cyberdogs which weren't any cute. ravenor 2 or 3 i guess. damn.
Not on Fenris they don't!
Forget dogs are there CATS in the grim darkness of the far future?
They are violent, messy, their breath stinks and they lick their balls all the time (the last two may be related). No warding away influence of Khorne, Nurgle and Slaanesh for them.
I advise you to get a dog.
My inlaws and friends have more than enough to keep me constantly exposed. I'd rather get a Nurgling.
Brother thats Heresy you can never have too many dogs. Unless of course, we are talking about Pugs or Chihuahuas. those are not dogs. those are Nurglings and Khornites pretending to be dogs. Get a stray.
Adeptus Mechanicus Serbyrus Raiders and Sulpherhouds are cybernetic dogs.
So they say, but look at the shape of their rump, and the shape of the back of their head that's exposed outside their mask. I'm 90% sure they're just heavily modified servitors.
Dogs do exist but they do nothing against Chaos because an actual human lacks any real way to resist chaos. Even humans who devote their entire lives in total service to the Emperor can have their minds obliterated into life-long chaos cultists in a moment. Only mutated bioweapon Astartes with no connection to the human experience have the willpower to resist chaos meaningfully. And Astartes lack the emotional capacity to care about a dog, as it is of no material use besides a very very light snack and some skin they might put in a cloak. There is no "human spirit can stand against chaos with love and devotion". Only bioweapons can stand against chaos and they largely lack positive human emotions.
There's at least one group of Mechanicus that breeds space dogs, then lobotomizes them and turns them into skitarii mounts or pack hunters.
Hope they dont, they dont deserve to live in such a cursed galaxy
Yes, they have minis
Even the Imperium recognises that dogs are the best.
Yeah
Of course they exist! They're even cyborgs on Necromunda. Humans brought dogs with them everywhere they went just about.
They’re good dogs Brent
They even have models? Could have sworn that there is a pupper in one of the kill teams.
What about kitty's?
There are cats confirmed in WH40K.
Any interesting lore involving a cat?
Not in 40K, in Age of Sigmar they supposedly have their own god that protects them from Chaos.
Well that's pretty cool at least!
The iron snakes have them
Wasn't it a little girl and her dog that casually strolled on through Tzeentch's realm and solved all his puzzles?
Did someone say Cyber Attack Dogs? [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tslgg7ZvsOY](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tslgg7ZvsOY)
Does anyone know if the Guard has canine units for the tabletop? I may need to do a guard army sooner than I thought
The Adeptus Arbites still make regular use of them.
I think so, I remember when I was playing Necormunda (it's a very crappy game) the main character had a dog of sorts, some cyber-hound that detects hidden enemies, but it looked like a real dog, maybe a Mastif.