
- BGG rank
- BGG #8,649
- BGG rating
- 5.9
Schrödinger's Cats
- 2–6 players
- 10–30 min
- Complexity 1.3/5
- 2015

2020
Rules assistance for Pavlov's Dogs
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 2 players

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Pavlov's Dogs is a board game released in 2020 for 2–8 players, 20–45 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Heather O'Neill and its main mechanics are Memory.
Pavlov’s Dogs is a pseudo-psychological card game of memory and conditioning. A fast, engaging game of following the rules and acting like fools! You’ll be drooling for more! Players are dogs working together during a series of tests (rounds) given to them by famous Dogtors such as Sigmund Fetch, Collie Jung, and Bark F. Skinner! Each round one player is the Dogtor and ensures that the dogs are following the rules. All players start with 3 bones. If they ever make a mistake they lose a bone and if one player is out of bones the game ends immediately. However, The dogs (players) are tested each round by being dealt 5 cards from the test desk which they do not look at. The test deck consists of numbered cards in 3 suits (BLUE,YELLOW and BROWN) each featuring 6 different dog commands (SIT,SHAKE,SPEAK, FETCH,ROLLOVER and BEG). There are also 6 BELL cards in the test deck which are WHITE and valued at zero. On a player’s turn they will flip one of their dealt test cards and say the total value of the test. The first player may flip a YELLOW SHAKE ONE and they would state “ONE”. The second player may flip a BROWN BEG TWO and they would state “THREE”, and so on. The parameters/rules may change the value of a card or add an action requirement when a card type is played. Example rules are: SIT commands = ZERO or Bark when any BLUE card is played. Each round another parameter/rule is added making it more challenging to complete the full series of test. It is the Dogtor's job each round to ensure the dogs are following the rules. If a dog announces the total value of the test correctly, the Dogtor will say GOOD DOG. This signifies that the dog was correct and the next dog (player) may go. In the event that a dog is incorrect, the Dogtor will say BAD DOG. Whenever you are a bad dog, you lose one bone. The Dogtor then resets the total test value to zero and play continues until all dogs are out of test cards. The game end immediately once one dog is out of bones and all players fail. However, players may share bones in between rounds as long as each player has at least one bone but no more than 3 bones. If all players still have bones at the end of your final round, you pass! Your collective score is based on the total number of bones at the end of the game. Pavlov's Dogs has 3 levels of difficulty: Puppy (3 rounds), Dog (5 rounds) or Wolf (8 rounds). All players decide their level at the beginning of the game to determine the number of rounds they will play. There is also a fun TEAM VARIANT in which players split into 2 teams and play 4 rounds to determine who did better. —description from the publisher
Pavlov's Dogs supports 2–8 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Pavlov's Dogs is 20–45 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Pavlov's Dogs for ages 8 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Pavlov's Dogs has a complexity rating of 1.5 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Pavlov's Dogs belongs to these categories: Animals and Action / Dexterity. Its main mechanics are Memory. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Pavlov's Dogs are: Heather O'Neill. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Pavlov's Dogs as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.