Adopt a new dog and forget the pooper scooper !

The recently released DOGZ4 from Mindscape has kept my three little girls quite busy over the past few weeks including taking care of their puppies. Dogz4 is a virtual pet that gives you all the benefits of loving and caring for your new pet without the mess or arguments about who is going to let the dog out.

Upon loading the software, you are first faced with two challenges that require decisions and creativity. Your first challenge is to decide from among ten different breeds, which you will bring home. This process is completed through the adoption center. As a bonus, not only can you choose one breed, but in this version, you may select two dogz of the same breed or of another. The creative part of this process is to name your new dog, but if the creative juices are not flowing, each pet already has a name.

Now that your selection process is complete, you need to attend to the necessities of caring for your new family member. Upon entering the first playscene a supply case containing your pets needs to be filled with toys, water,food, and medicine. You have the ability to choose from a myriad of toys to place in your supply cabinet of which you can discard and refill at any time during your game play.

As you begin, your new pets are puppies and they just love to run all around your screen and crave your attention. You have the ability to throw toys to these new little friends, of course feed, and water them to maintain their health. Every now and then, these little guys need to know that you love them and with a click of your mouse you can scratch their favorite little spot and watch their eyes light up with joy. Sometimes your puppy may misbehave and with a squirt from the waterbottle, they will know that you are serious.

The playscenes vary from your everyday kitchen and backyard to far away places like Arabia or the old Wild West. If you want you’re Dogz to really feel at home; create a playscene of your own backyard or favorite room. Just a click of a digital camera and you can upload and create a new playscene. Since you are taking your Dogz to new places, you can dress them up from hundreds of choices in the clothes closet.

Looking to enlarge your family? Well if you choose a male and a female to begin with, odds are in your favor that while your sleeping, your Dogz may not be. If you’re happy with just the two, then you have the ability to spay or neuter your pets. If your family does begin to grow, you can keep track by visiting the pets profile and viewing the family tree. You can even keep pictures of your family with the use of the camera, which is always loaded, and ready to use.

One of the most interesting features of Dogz4 is the ability to TALK TO YOUR DOGZ using IBM’s Via Voice technology. Upon the install of the software you are given the option to load IBM’s Via Voice and configure your system to accept your voice commands.

In our home, our eight-year-old daughter has control of the Dogz with her twin three-year-old sisters at the ready. The learning curve was immediate and keeps them all entertained for a great deal of time. Since loading this product over four weeks ago, I have found that this title is selected almost each night as they all look forward to a new puppy or some other new trick. In respect to game play, this software title provides a life lesson through taking care of, all be it, a virtual pet, but nonetheless a responsibility to care for another living thing. If you do not feed, or play with your pets they will die and the game will be over.

Dogz4 is a wonderful and entertaining title for all ages of your family and with a little help from Mom and Dad it can also be an education in family values and responsibility.