Set in rural midwest US countryside, Dog's Life sees its hero embark on an epic journey that spans the US, taking in everything from ski resorts to vibrant cities along the way. Playing as the nimble-pawed protagonist Jake, a plucky pup with a nose for adventure, the player must sniff out a sinster dog-napping plot involving the canine-hating Miss Peaches and Jake's pedigree chum, Daisy.
Dog's Life allows the player to take the role of a lifelike hound, able to fetch, sniff out food, chase chickens and explore.[9] An American Foxhound named Jake is the main character and his overall objective is to save Daisy, a Yellow Labrador Retriever whom Jake is keen to impress, and a lot of other dogs from a crooked cat-food company CEO, Miss Peaches and her two henchmen, Wayne and Dwayne. Bones must be collected to advance through the game and they can be obtained by digging them up, by beating other dogs in a variety of challenges, by completing tasks given by human characters, and by collecting special smells. After Jake has rescued all the other dogs, he proceeds to the catfood processing plant where Daisy is held.
The game allows the player control or interact with over 15 breeds each with distinct traits and abilities. They handle things in a different way, that can also be used in challenges or puzzles.
The game is divided into three areas: Clarksville, a rural town; Lake Minniwahwah, a ski resort; and Boom City.[9] These are then divided into smaller areas such as districts or farms. In every area are humans willing to give missions in exchange for bones. Bones can also be found buried underground or hiding somewhere.
Certain smells picked up through the game's "Smellovision" will activate challenges against a local dog. In each small section of the game there are four challenges, two of which are to find eight smells of the same colour and compete against a local dog. These missions include races, obedience trials, tug-of-war games and a territorial game where the player must run around urinating in marked areas to obtain territory.
There are also salons in some levels where Jake can get his coat cleaned and brushed. He also gains a shiny new collar with a silver 'J' at the front.
Once these dogs are beaten, the player is able to take control of that dog and use their special abilities to find other bones. Other challenges include scent-collecting challenges, and a minigame called "Doggy Do", where the player must copy the moves of the local dog. There are also dangers in certain areas, such as the dog catcher and his Doberman. The player must also keep the Jake healthy by feeding him, allowing it to defecate and coax people into giving the player snacks by growling and barking or performing tricks unlocked by doing the obedience trials. Jake is able to do a range of tricks including begging, sitting, lying down and marking his territory. Jake can interact with NPC's some things include chasing chickens, steal sausages, and shake kittens.