Quick Answer
Find the dog’s map icon in each zone, reach her bed, then search the nearby roof, alley or inverted surface for the dragon toy. Return the toy at all seven encounters and visit the Gap to finish the story.
The toy is close to its dog in map distance but sometimes separated by height, lasers or gravity. Treat the return trip as part of the puzzle: before picking up the toy, look back at the dog and identify a safe path for carrying it.
The game calls this Side Story Every Dog Has Her Day. The dog icon becomes useful once you enter the relevant area. The purple or blue-green dragon plush is the object to retrieve; billboards and lighting often point toward the correct roof.
Dog and Toy Locations by Zone
There is one encounter in each major zone. The table is a route reference; the short notes that follow explain the awkward return paths.
These are regional encounters, not seven toys scattered around one apartment. Once a dog has accepted her toy, move to another zone and use its local map icon. Going back to the same bed cannot advance a different zone’s objective.
| Zone | Dog landmark | Toy landmark |
|---|---|---|
| Downtown | Southwest elevated rooftop | Opposite rooftop near dog-food advertising |
| Central | Rooftop east of the Field Office | Laser-filled alley to the north |
| West Incursion Zone | Northwest of Parking Garage on altered gravity | Southern rooftop by dog-food billboard |
| Evacuation Zone | Above rooftop northeast of Sinkhole | Roof below the dog’s inverted surface |
| The Park | Far northeast of the zone | Higher roof reached by exterior elevator |
| Underpass | Large structure north of Research Site | Ceiling route near the dog |
| Unknown | Northwest island garden rooftop | Balcony beside BAR sign and dog billboard |
Step-by-Step Route
Begin with Downtown if you are following the zones naturally, but the important rule is to solve each local dog-and-toy pair before leaving.
Downtown and Central
Downtown places the dog on an elevated southwest roof. From her position, inspect the opposite roof and the dog-food advertisement; the toy is near a stairwell door. Cross to it, pick it up and retrace the route. In Central, the dog is east of the Field Office. Look north into the narrow alley with laser barriers and take the plush from near the billboard at its far end. Move carefully through the beams on the way back.
West Incursion and Evacuation
West Incursion bends the environment into a wall near the Parking Garage. The dog is northwest of that garage; the toy sits on an air-conditioning unit on a southern roof by dog advertising. Align your gravity route before picking it up. In the Evacuation Zone, the dog is above a roof northeast of the Sinkhole. Reach the lower roof and use the changed surface orientation to carry the toy back to her.
The Park, Underpass and Unknown
In The Park, the dog is toward the northeast and the toy is on a higher roof accessed with an exterior elevator. Restore the lift’s power if it is inactive, then return the toy by the same route. The Underpass encounter puts the toy on a ceiling near a structure north of the Research Site. Use the raised side path to get onto that gravity plane, collect it, and return to the dog on her own plane. In Unknown, look for the dog on the northwest island; the toy sits on a balcony indicated by a BAR sign near a multi-dog billboard.
What Happens After All Seven Returns
After the seven local returns, head to the Gap. The Mysterious Dog appears there, which is the final visit associated with Every Dog Has Her Day and the Dog’s Best Friend trophy or achievement.
A separate completion guide also records a Trusted Spanner Artifact as the Side Story reward. The dog’s arrival in the Gap is the clearest visual check that you have closed the seven-zone route. If the dog has not appeared, open your map and review which regional encounter still has an active icon.
This is a side-content route, so it can be paired with other zone-spanning activities without mixing their objectives. Speaker markers belong to The Complete Set, while camera icons belong to Freeze Frame. The dog toy itself belongs back at the bed for that zone.
Common Reasons Players Get Stuck
The dog is easy to see while the toy is often hidden by geometry. Change your viewpoint rather than searching at street level only.
The plush can look teal, blue-green or purple under different lighting. Identify it by shape and interaction prompt, not by trying to match one screenshot’s color. In some zones the toy is visible from the dog’s position if you pause and look outward before moving.
- Central: the toy is in the laser alley north of the rooftop, not on the dog’s roof.
- The Park: the exterior elevator must be usable before the higher roof is practical.
- Underpass: the toy is on an inverted surface; return to the dog’s plane after collecting it.
- Unknown: the BAR sign points down toward the correct balcony.
Last Reviewed
September 26, 2026.
FAQ
How many Mysterious Dog encounters are there? Seven, one in each major Manhattan zone.
Where is the Central dog toy? In the laser-filled alley north of the dog’s rooftop, near the dog-food billboard.
What is the final step? After returning all seven toys, visit the dog in the Gap.