Hair of the Dog Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Before Your First Game
• Component List
• Game Setup
• Taking a Turn
• Turn Details
  • Sips & Player Actions
  • Toast [Optional]
  • Staff Movement
• Check for New Dogs
  • 2-3 Players
• Player Action Details
  • Move
  • Take Toy or Treat
  • Beckon
  • Pet That Dog
  • First Pet
    • 2-3 Players
  • Share
• Refills
• Fetch Quests
• Game End & Scoring
• Pro Tips
• Can I Pet Your Dog?
  • Place Icons
  • Gift Icons

Before Your First Game

Hair of the Dog includes several optional modules for experienced players. These add new playstyles and biodiversity to the pub. Separate out these additional components and get the hang of the base game, then try all the modules.

Return the following to the box:

• Pub Patrons Cards
• Behavior Cards
• Cat Pet Cards
• Chameleon Pet Cards
• Chameleon Tokens
• Table Number Tokens
• The (6) Fetch Quests, (2) Toy Tokens, (5) Treat Tokens, and (24) Pet Condition Tokens marked with the dog, cat and chameleon icons.

Component List

• 24 double sided Bar Tiles
• 192 Pet Cards (3 cards per dog)
• 8 Player Mats
• 19 Fetch Quest Cards
• 22 Place Pet Condition Tokens
• 20 Gift Pet Condition Tokens
• 30 Shame Tokens
• 3 Toy Tokens
• 6 Treat Tokens
• 8 Player Pawns
• 8 Drink Glasses
• 72 Sip Tokens (8 colors to mix custom drinks)
• 1 First Player Token
• 1 Server Token

Game Setup

1. Give each player: a. A Player Pawn. b. A Player Mat. c. 8 Sips in a glass for a full drink. d. 2 random Fetch Quests. Each player should secretly pick one to keep and discard the other.

2. Make the Doggie Guest List: a. Throughout setup, keep the 3 Pet Cards for each dog together. Each set of 3 cards represents a single dog and all the ways it likes to be pet. Each dog has 3 cards, keep them together until you start petting. b. Have each player select 2 dogs (or select 9 dogs total in a 2 or 3-player game). This selection could be based on Fetch Quest objectives or dog cuteness. The rest of the dogs have the day off and return to the box. c. Shuffle each dog and stack them on top of each other to form the Doggie Guest List.

   Try a shorter game for new players and 7+ players.

   • Have everyone pick 1 dog.
   • Then, randomly add 1 more for every 2 players.

3. Set up the bar: a. Pick Bar Tiles. Always include the Bar Counter, Treat Stand, and Toy Bin.

   • 2-4 Players = 12 Bar Tiles
   • 5-6 Players = 16 Bar Tiles
   • 7-8 Players = 20 Bar Tiles b. Lay out the Bar Tiles. For your first game, we recommend a rectangular bar with the Bar Counter, Treat Stand, and Toy Bin on the sides. The other tiles can be anything, but a variety of tiles is better. c. Place the Toys and Treats face-up on their respective tiles. d. Place your Player Pawn and the Server Token at the Bar Counter. e. Assign the First Player Token to the person who most recently pet a stranger's dog. f. Place 1 dog (all 3 cards) per player in the pub (see the Check for New Dogs section for differences in a 2-3 player game).

   Dogs can't be placed at the Bar Counter, Treat Stand, Toy Bin, or in a tile with another dog.

4. Begin!

Our recommended 4-player setup for your first game.

Taking a Turn

Beginning with the starting player and proceeding clockwise, each player takes turns. A turn consists of the following steps:

1. Sip for actions: Take 1 action per Sip.
2. Toast [optional]: Choose another player and the number of Sips you both spend.
3. Move server: Move the server.
4. Check for new dogs: Welcome new dogs to the pub when there is space.

Turn Details

Sips & Player Actions

Players get actions by drinking: 1 action per Sip. You can take as many actions as you have Sips. If you're out of Sips at the start of your turn, immediately go to the Bar Counter and get a full refill. You can still take actions after a refill.

Actions include:

• Move
• Take treat or toy
• Beckon
• Pet dog [ends actions]

Toast [Optional]

Feeling social or vindicative? Toast another player! You decide how many Sips both you and the other player consume. The initiator of the toast must have the stated amount of beverage left, lest the toast be rude. If the target player runs out of drink from the toast, that's a shame, isn't it?

If the receiver of the toast doesn't have enough Sips, there is no additional penalty.

Staff Movement

The waitstaff patrol the bar looking for freeloading customers. After taking their actions, the current player moves the server to an adjacent (non-diagonal) tile. The server must move, to prove they are actually working.

If the server encounters a player with an empty glass, they politely remind them to buy a beverage. That player:

• Is filled with intense shame (and receives a Shame Token).
• Immediately goes to the Bar Counter.

Players cannot gain Shame Tokens while at the Bar Counter. They are clearly in line and the server needs to do their job instead of judging them.

Check for New Dogs

Hair of the Dog limits the number of dogs in the pub to discourage fights. The pub's capacity is 1 dog per player (or 2 dogs per player in a 2-player game). If a dog left during your turn, add a dog from the Doggie Guest List. There are two restrictions for placing dogs:

• Dogs cannot be placed in the same tile as other dogs.
• Dogs cannot be placed on the Bar Counter, Treat Stand, or Toy Bin.

New dogs must mind where they sit.

2-3 Players

When you add a dog in a 2-3 player game, take the top Pet Card and place it face-up outside of the bar. Put a face-up Pet Condition on top of that card. That Pet Condition must be met to pet that dog. This also happens to the dogs placed during setup.

Player Action Details

Each player gets 1 action per Sip they take:

Move

Move to any tile in the pub.

1 Sip to go to anywhere in the bar.

Take Toy or Treat

Take a Toy or Treat of your choice when at their respective tiles. Place the token face-down on your Player Mat. You can only have 1 Treat or Toy at a time. Use this action to return your current Toy or Treat to the matching tile (or exchange your item for a new one from that tile).

Only one treat or toy at a time (your drink is in your other hand).

Beckon

Call a dog or server towards you. They move 1 tile in your direction (not diagonally).

Dogs have two restrictions when being beckoned:

• They cannot be beckoned into tiles containing other dogs.
• They cannot enter the Bar Counter, Toy Bin, or Treat Stand tiles. That's a tripping hazard.

Other players cannot be beckoned. They have free will.

If the Yellow Player wants to beckon, their options are currently limited.

Pet That Dog

Try to pet the dog in the current tile. If you succeed, take the top Pet Card from that dog. Announce to the group with pride how you pet the dog.

The first time a dog is pet, the action is always successful. Every time a Pet Card is taken, that dog gets a Pet Condition that must be met before it can be pet again. The dogs get more agitated as strangers pet them.

When you succeed in petting the dog:

• Take the top Pet Card and place it face-up by your Player Mat.
• Add a Pet Condition face-down to that Pet Card.
  • The first condition for a dog can be either a green "Gift" condition or a pink "Place" condition.
  • The second condition must be the other type.
• Any Treats needed by conditions are fed to the dog.
  • Miraculously, the Treat Stand gets restocked at the same time.
  • Toys are not eaten by the dog. You keep the Toy.
• When the last Pet Card for a dog is taken, that dog leaves and its Pet Conditions are discarded.

When you attempt to pet a dog, every player with a Pet Card from that dog looks at the condition on their card. They tell you if you meet the Pet Condition, but not what the condition is. Show these players your Toy or Treat as appropriate.

If a condition is not possible with your current pub setup (such as "Outside" in a pub with no such tiles), discard that Pet Condition Token and draw a new one.

You cannot pet the same dog twice. Your goal is to touch all the floof.

The Pet action ends your actions for the turn. You're either living the doggie dream or forced to make awkward small talk with the person holding the leash.

First Pet

The Yellow Player gets the first pet — a Head Pat — and puts a green "Gift" condition token on their Pet Card.

Red discovers from Yellow that Chance wants bacon. Bringing it with them, Red gets the second pet (after Yellow confirms the condition is met) and puts a pink "Place" condition token on their new Butt Scratch Pet Card.

Purple has to meet both conditions (bacon treat and no water bowl), to get the final Pet Card. After the third pet, Chance leaves the bar, Yellow and Red discard their Pet Conditions, and Purple adds the next dog on the Doggie Guest List to the bar.

2-3 Players

Dogs in a 2-3 player game start with one Pet Card on the side that has one Pet Condition. This replaces the first "free" pet. That Pet Condition and Pet Card are face-up.

Share

You need the insider knowledge your rivals have gleaned to pet all the dogs. You may share with someone when you're in the same tile as them. Shares include showing each other Pet Conditions or trading Toys and Treats. Future favors can be part of the deal, but no one is bound to them.

Discuss the terms of the share with the player first. If they agree to the terms, this is a free action (no Sips needed). If the other player does not agree to the deal, you can Sip your beverage to make them share. That player can block the share by taking their own Sip. These Sips can go back and forth until someone yields or runs out of drink. Someone must give in to end the awkward conversation.

Shouting across the pub is rude. Don't ask people if they'll share before you move. It's also rude to take forever to share. Don't overthink petting dogs.

Toys and Treats may change owners, but Pet Conditions always remain with the same player and dog. Sharing those means that you show the tokens to each other.

Refills

You refill your drink in only two situations:

• You start your turn at the Bar Counter.
• You start your turn without Sips. Immediately go to the Bar Counter and refill.

Refills replenish your Sip stash to 8 Tokens. Refilling gets you more of whatever you're drinking (beer, cider, wine, soda, coffee, tea, or anything else that's not free tap water). Players must publicly announce what drink they are getting when they refill.

You can take actions after getting your refill. You've waited long enough.

Yellow survived a full round without bumping into the server. At the start of their turn they head to the bar and immediately get a refill.

Fetch Quests

Each player has a Fetch Quest: a secret way to score more points. Some help with certain pets; others give bonuses for playing a certain way. Here are some Fetch Quest facts to help you decide who wins:

• If you tie with another player for most or fewest, that's good enough to score the quest.
• Dogs with any amount of the mentioned fur color qualify.
• Small and big dogs look small and big on the cards. If there's a debate, the person with the rule book decides.

Game End & Scoring

The final round is triggered when a dog needs to be added and the Doggie Guest List is empty. After that, the game continues until it is the starting player's turn. This gives players a fair shake with an equal number of turns.

Points are awarded as follows:

• Pet Card Set (Belly Rub, Head Pat, and Butt Scratch): 5 points.
• Pet Card (not in a set): 1 point.
• Shame Token: -2 points.
• Fetch Quest: +/- X points.

This player has 6 points.

As with any good competitive sport, the winner of dog petting is the player with the most points. Ties are discouraged in dog petting and are broken in the following ways:

1. Most total Pet Cards.
2. Fewest Shame Tokens.
3. Worst ID photo.

Pro Tips

• Everyone's first turn is usually a move and pet. Once Pet Conditions are in play, things get more intense.
• Don't bother to toast people at the Bar Counter. They'll just refill on their turn.
• Some people consider it worse to have 1 Sip than an empty glass. Be careful when you take your drink that low.
• If remembering shared Pet Conditions isn't fun for your group, either let people take notes or double-check conditions they've previously seen. It's hard remembering things after you've had a few and you shouldn't let that make the game drag.
• Dogs with more conditions may be harder to pet, but since they have fewer Pet Cards, you can choose dogs that have the pets you need. Look around to see what Pet Cards are already taken. The extra points from a set are worth the extra effort.
• A lopsided share with someone who has an empty drink is easy, if you're willing to spend a Sip.

Can I Pet Your Dog?

Place Icons

The Place icons read:

• Nearby (in this or an adjacent, but not diagonal, tile)
• No/Not
• Either
• Any Other Player
• Server
• Any Other Dog
• Corner Tile (corner of the bar)
• Beckon Dog (during this turn)
• Bar
• Toy Stand
• Treat Stand
• At a Green, Round Table
• At a Pink, Rectangular Table
• Plant in this Tile
• Water Dish in this Tile
• Inside (Blue Tile or Stone Floor)
• Outside (Wooden Deck or Grass)

Gift Icons

If all three icons are shown, any [Treat/Toy] can be used.

• Biscuit
• Bone
• Bacon
• No [Treat/Toy]
• Tennis Ball
• Rope Toy
• Squeaky Toy