The sight of an Eyeless Dog almost always brings out one of two kinds of reactions from players. It can either cause them to panic and get hunted down immediately or they crouch down and be as quiet as a church mouse. Now and then, a brave soul tries to step up and challenge the beast but that quickly devolves into crying once the howls bring together the entire pack.
This guide will tell you what you need to know to survive an encounter with the eyeless dog. I’ll also tell you if it’s possible to square up against them in open combat. Spoiler, it is possible to come out on top but, without support items like the zapper and stun grenade, you won’t like your odds very much.
What is an Eyeless Dog in Lethal Company?
Eyeless dogs are creatures that roam around the outside areas of most moons. They are dangerous creatures, that much is certain. But what makes them truly terrifying is the fact that they can start patrolling the outside areas in broad day even before the ship has landed.
I currently do not know what the conditions are for an eyeless dog to show up on a sunny day. I doubt that it has something to do with the weather. I guess it’s a random occurrence similar to that of Earth Leviathan ambushes on sandy worlds. Regardless of where they come from, when you see or hear one is close, you’d best crouch walk with your a hand over your mouth because you don’t want to make a sound while in their presence.
According to employee Sigurd:
“A large mammal of the Saeptivus. They are social, hunting in very large packs. They have also been called “breathing lions” for their recognizable sound and large mouths. They are endurance hunters and attempt to make up for their lack of sight with their sense of hearing. It’s a popular myth that they often mistake the sounds of their kind for prey, entering fights within their packs.
Their behavior is unique from other pack animals their tendency to spread cut far to cover the distance. When an eye dog has found prey, it roars to alert others in the near vicinity, who will also sound the alarm, sometimes resulting in a kind of chain reaction. Eyeless dogs can be dangerous in swarms. However, they are characteristically clumsy, taking guesses at their prey’s exact location which are often incorrect.”
How to survive an Eyeless Dog encounter
As you can see from the description of the eyeless dog above, the creatures are highly reactive to sound. The slightest vibration is enough to send them running to investigate. If an eyeless dog knows something’s up, it will produce a blood-curdling howl that summons the rest of the pack to its location. Running will do you no good as the creature is faster than you and will charge at your last known location.
To survive an encounter with the eyeless dog, you need to stop making as much noise as possible. That means crouching down and stealthfully creating some distance between you and the curious hound.
Tip: The eyeless dog will not react to your crouch walking, even if you’re extremely close. But don’t think for a second that means you can walk up and pet it at your leisure. It will kill you almost instantly if you’re within range of its gaping mouth.
If you are being chased by an eyeless dog, do not run in a straight line. If you feel like the dog is right behind you, your only option is to make a sharp 90-degree turn to avoid its sliding charge attack. It takes a second or two for it to recover from its charge. Take this opportunity and start crouch walking away. The eyeless dog will continue to aggro for a minute or two so you better be long gone from the area.
Tip: If you find yourself in a situation where eyeless dogs are swarming your ship, order the cheapest item from the terminal and wait for the item to be delivered. The sound of the ice cream truck will draw in the dogs to its locations, giving you a brief moment to slip past and head to your location.
Additionally, the eyeless dog is one of two entities that can outright kill you while on the ship. (The other one is the ghost girl.) If the doors are not closed fast enough, an eyeless dog can easily wander inside. You don’t have many places to hide besides the little cubby next to the terminal.
Important: Avoid any unnecessary movements if an eyeless dog is on the ship. Any movement will trigger the dog’s aggressive behavior. There is no place to escape in such a confined space and the livelihood of getting killed is nearly 100%. Either wait for the dog to wander out on its own or wait for the ship’s autopilot to kick in after midnight. Those are your only choices.
So what happens if you are killed by an eyeless dog? Well, all your held items will be dropped. It’s a small comfort considering outdoor encounters usually end with you losing everything, including a body to bring back for identification. It is possible to teleport back your body if the action is done early enough. But chances are you’ll be lucky to even escape with all your team’s dropped items intact.
Can you kill an Eyeless Dog?
Yes, it is possible to kill an eyeless dog in Lethal Company. But the catch is that it’ll take a good amount of matador-level dodging to pull it off. Otherwise, you’re better off using a zapper and stun grenades to keep it from moving. It takes less than half a dozen hits to kill it with a shovel.
If you are feeling brave, you can tip-toe around the charging beast and hit it in the back as it is recovering from the attack. That’s another way of killing it. Almost impossible to do if confronted by a pack of two or more dogs, however. Good luck trying to separate them, their howls will ensure that they are never apart. (Just go for an Eclipse moon if you’re hungry for a challenge.)
And that’s everything you need to know to survive an encounter with the eyeless dog. I hope you find the information useful in your future runs as you collect scrap for the Company. If you’re interested, you can also check out our other guides where we tackle other monsters you can potentially run into while exploring facilities.