How to play Save the Dog
In Save the Dog a sleepy puppy has picked the worst possible place for a nap: right next to a beehive. You have one line to keep him safe. Draw a shelter around the pup, lift your finger and the hive bursts open. Your drawing drops into place under gravity and a swarm of angry bees comes buzzing straight for the dog. Keep every single bee away from him for ten seconds and the puppy wags his tail. Let one sneak through a gap and it's back to the drawing board.
- Look at the level. Find the pup, every hive and the ground, ledges and walls around them.
- Draw one continuous line with your mouse or finger. You can't draw on the puppy or right next to a hive.
- Lift off. Your line falls and settles, and the bees start pouring out of the hives.
- Watch the countdown at the top. If no bee touches the pup before it reaches zero, you win.
- Stung? Tap Try again and seal the gap the bees found.
Tips for a bee-proof shelter
- Domes beat roofs. A curved dome with both ends touching the ground leaves no side gaps. A flat roof lets bees fly straight in underneath.
- Land the ends on solid ground. Your line drops as soon as you lift off. Start and finish it right on the floor or a ledge so it does not slide or tip.
- Walls are free shelter. If the pup is beside a wall, draw from the wall over the dog to the ground. You save ink and the bees have one less side to attack from.
- Balance on pillars. When the pup sits on a small pillar or platform, make your dome just wide enough to rest on its edges. Too wide and the line slips off.
- Mind the gaps. Bees are small and persistent. Any opening wider than a bee will be found within a few seconds, so close shapes tightly against the ground.
- Don't overdo it. A huge scribble is heavy and wastes ink. The best shelters are short, smooth arcs, and they earn three stars.
The levels
The first rescues are simple: one hive, one pup and plenty of floor. Soon the bees come from two or even three hives at once, the puppy naps on a high ledge or a narrow pillar, curls up in a pit or snoozes against a wall. In one level the bees attack from below; in another two puppies need protecting at the same time, side by side or far apart with a post between them. The ink bar gets tighter as you go, so later levels reward neat, efficient shapes over big defensive blobs.
Why this simple idea is so much fun
Protect-the-pet drawing puzzles became one of the most popular casual genres on phones because the goal is instantly clear and the drama is real. You get a few seconds to think, one line to draw and then ten nervous seconds of watching bees bounce off your work. Every attempt teaches you something about stability and gaps, and because the swarm reacts to your drawing, no two shelters play out quite the same way. It's quick, it's cute and it quietly trains spatial thinking and planning.
More games to play
Like puzzles where a single line saves the day? Try Draw Puzzle, where one line brings two balls together. Want to test your drawing skills instead? Challenge yourself withDraw a Perfect Circle or see if an AI can recognise your doodles inGuess the Drawing.
Shield the Pup FAQ
How do you play Save the Dog?
Draw one line with your mouse or finger to build a shelter around the sleeping puppy. When you lift off, your line drops into place and the bees fly out of their hives. If no bee touches the pup for 10 seconds, you win the level.
Why did my line fall over?
Your line is a real physical object with weight. It drops as soon as you finish drawing, so it needs to rest on the ground, a ledge or a wall. Dome and tent shapes with both ends on the ground are the most stable.
How do the bees move?
Every bee flies straight for the nearest puppy with a little random wobble. Bees bump off your line and the scenery, and they keep searching for gaps, so any opening big enough for a bee will eventually be found.
How do I earn three stars?
Stars depend on the ink you use. Protect the pup with 60% of the ink bar or less for three stars, up to 85% for two stars, and any successful rescue earns one star.
Does Save the Dog work on mobile?
Yes. It works in the browser on phones, tablets and computers. Draw with a finger on touch screens or with a mouse on desktop. There is nothing to install.
Is my progress saved?
Yes. Your unlocked levels and best stars are stored in your browser on this device, so you can come back any time and keep playing.