How to start the Thrown to the Dogs quest in Assassin's Creed Shadows

Assassin's Creed Shadows Thrown to the Dogs - Naoe crouching to face the dog Tsuki-maru.
(Image credit: Ubisoft)

In return for pre-ordering Assassin's Creed Shadows, you're treated to the frankly disappointing Thrown to the Dogs quest, which you'll need to complete to claim your pre-order bonus. It's a bit boring, but at least it's incredibly brief.

Before you can bag your goodies, you'll need to complete the prologue and unlock the new hideout system because–spoilers–your reward is a decoration, of sorts.

How to start Thrown to the Dogs in Assassin's Creed Shadows

(Image credit: Ubisoft)

To claim your pre-order bonuses, you have to complete the Thrown to the Dogs sidequest. This quest can be started by visiting the gravesite on the hill to the west of Tennoji Temple in Izumi Settsu. If you've not been to the area yet, it's to the east of Osaka.

Here, you'll find an injured dog, Tsuki-maru, sitting next to its owner's grave atop the hill. Interact with the dog to begin the quest, and then follow the dog to a nearby farm, find a key under a house, and return to the gravesite. That's it. It takes five to ten minutes to complete this quest. While it's a disappointing quest, I'm glad we're able to give some closure to Tsuki-maru.

Assassin's Creed Shadows pre-order bonus

(Image credit: Ubisoft)

Once you complete Thrown to the Dogs, you'll earn your exclusive rewards: Tsuki-maru as a pet and 1,000 experience points, which is a hefty chunk of XP in the early game.

If you haven't fiddled with the hideout base-building mechanics quite yet, then I'm sorry to have to deliver the disappointing news that pets in Shadows are effectively just decorations for your home. You can place various animals, including the admittedly adorable Tsuki-maru, back at the hideout. Unfortunately, they don't wander around as you might expect. They'll lifelessly idle in their designated spots, so just try your best to make the area look cosy, alright?

Best AC Shadows weaponsBest AC Shadows armourAC Shadows knowledge rankAC Shadows scoutsAC Shadows rationsAC Shadows hideoutAC Shadows Shadow ProjectsAC Shadows origami butterfly locationsAC Shadows change seasons

Best AC Shadows weapons: Superior firepower
Best AC Shadows armour: The best threads
AC Shadows knowledge rank: Get knowledge
AC Shadows scouts: Get more trusty recons
AC Shadows rations: Get more healing items
AC Shadows hideout: Best buildings to get first
AC Shadows Shadow Projects: Free loot
AC Shadows origami butterfly locations: Collect 'em all
AC Shadows change seasons: Weather warning

Guides Writer

Rory has made the fatal error of playing way too many live service games at once, and somehow still finding time for everything in between. Sure, he’s an expert at Destiny 2, Call of Duty, and more, but at what cost? He’s even sunk 1,000 hours into The Elder Scrolls Online over the years. At least he put all those hours spent grinding challenges to good use over the years as a freelancer and guides editor. In his spare time, he’s also an avid video creator, often breaking down the environmental design of his favourite games. If you can’t track him down, he’s probably lost in a cave with a bunch of dwarves shouting “rock and stone” to no end.

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