- Primary Subject: Nintendogs (Nintendo DS)
- Key Update: A retro features retrospective on the lingering emotional guilt of leaving childhood virtual pets behind and the community's desire for a modern revival.
- Status: Confirmed (Reflective personal essay / Features piece)
- Last Verified: July 16, 2026
- Quick Answer: Leaving Nintendogs unattended for long periods causes them to resent you, leading to decades of player guilt and a growing demand for a modern remake.
My very first console (that was actually mine and not something I would steal off my older sister) was a DS Lite.
One of the first games my parents ever got me was Nintendogs. While they probably got it because they didn't want to get me a real dog while I was still immature, I loved my digital Yorkshire Terrier, Lovey, as much as I would have an actual pet.
I had my DS Lite for years. I passed the console to my younger sister, who eventually broke it by dropping it too many times. Along the way, the Nintendogs cartridge went missing, and I've lived with the guilt ever since.
I Regret Abandoning My Nintendogs
I had not just one, but three dogs in my Nintendogs. My first dog was a Yorkshire Terrier; then I adopted a Dalmatian and a Beagle. I loved all of them - it filled the void my parents left by refusing to let me have a dog. I enjoyed giving them pets, spoiling them with treats, and having them compete in pedigree competitions.
But as I got older, I started getting new hobbies. I started enrolling in extracurricular activities such as acting classes and voice lessons. I made friends and would play outside rather than stay inside with my DS Lite. Eventually, I decided to check Lovey into the Pet Hotel, while the other dogs would stay at the apartment.
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And that was the last time I saw them.
I always thought I'd be able to go back whenever I wanted, and they'd be there, excited to see me again. However, when my sister lost most of my cartridges, I had to accept that I had abandoned my virtual dogs.
Now, I am aware that these dogs have no actual feelings. They aren't real dogs. But it definitely didn't help that the game had love and hate spectrums. If you abandon your pets for an extended period, dogs end up resenting you. They growl, refuse to be pet, and won't respond when you call their names. I experienced this firsthand after I went on vacation and didn't bring my console for a week.
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The fact that they'd probably despise me for leaving them for decades sometimes hits me, and I feel a twinge of guilt in my chest. Who is feeding them now? Bathing them so they don't have fleas? Making sure they aren't parched? Who is taking them out for walks? No one. And I'm in shambles over it.
The fact that we haven't gotten a Nintendogs remake for the Switch is criminal - I need that redemption arc. I have an actual dog now, and I'm making sure to take extra good care of him so they don't experience what my Nintendogs felt.
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