- John Wick’s Dog spawns in one of two locations per match: Sinister Strip or The Battlewoods. The game picks randomly at the start of each match.
- The dog is locked in a cage guarded by NPCs. Eliminate the first two guards and four more reinforcements spawn immediately. Clear all six before touching the cage.
- Interact with the cage to rescue the dog, then interact with him again to pet him. Petting completes the quest.
- Rescuing rewards you with full health and shields restored plus a weapon drop, including a possible Legendary Lancehead Pistol or Mythic 9mm Baba Yaga Pistol.
- You must own the Chapter 7 Season 3 Battle Pass to unlock the Dog (Pen & Ink) Sidekick. Without it you can pet the dog and get the loot, but the Sidekick will not register.
- If another player already freed the dog when you arrive, just walk up and pet him — it still completes the quest and unlocks the Sidekick.
- The Dog Sidekick does not require locking in a final appearance — you can swap his look anytime, unlike every other Fortnite Sidekick.
Where to find John Wick’s Dog in Fortnite Runners
In Fortnite Chapter 7 Season 3, John Wick’s Dog does not have a fixed spawn point. Each match, the game randomly assigns the dog to one of two POIs on the Shattered Coast map. There is no icon for the dog on the main map screen before you land. You will only see his location marker on your HUD and minimap once you are close enough to the POI.
The two possible spawn locations are:
Sinister Strip
At Sinister Strip, John Wick’s Dog is inside the main lobby of the large casino building — the central structure with the two cube rifle statues at the entrance on the southern side. Head directly into the main lobby floor. The cage is on the ground level. Do not waste time checking side buildings — the dog is always inside the casino’s main room when he spawns here.
Sinister Strip is the more popular of the two spawn locations because it is easier to navigate quickly. It is also heavily contested. Expect other players dropping on this location specifically for the dog. See our guide on the Sinister Strip locked prison cell for the full layout of this POI so you know the building structure before you land.
The Battlewoods
At The Battlewoods, the dog spawns inside a building in the sewer area beneath the main POI. Head down into the sewers and look for the cage. The Battlewoods spawn tends to be less contested than Sinister Strip early in a match, making it a slightly safer option if you are not confident in your early-game gunfights.
You will not know which POI has the dog until you are on the ground. If you land at Sinister Strip and the casino lobby is empty, the dog is at The Battlewoods that match. Move on immediately rather than searching the whole POI.
How to rescue John Wick’s Dog — step by step
Step 1 — Arm yourself before approaching the cage
Do not walk up to the dog’s cage the moment you land. The guards open fire as soon as you get close. You need at least one weapon before you engage. Grab floor loot from the building you land on before pushing toward the cage. Close-range weapons — shotguns or SMGs — work best here since the guard fight happens inside a building with tight corridors.
If you are running a Sprite this match, having your ability active helps. The Earth Sprite’s loot bonus helps you arm up faster on landing. The Demon Sprite’s siphon keeps you topped up through the fight. See the best Sprites in Fortnite Runners for which ones suit aggressive early drops.
Step 2 — Eliminate the guards in both waves
Two NPC guards patrol the cage area when you arrive. Engage them and clear the first wave. The moment both are down, four more guards rift in immediately as reinforcements. Do not approach the cage during this window — get into cover and deal with the second wave first.
All six guards need to be eliminated before you can interact with the cage. Trying to open the cage while guards are still alive does nothing. Stay patient, clear the room, then move to the cage.
This is a high-traffic area in 2026 lobbies. It is common for enemy players to third-party the fight while you are dealing with the NPC guards. Stay alert to real players pushing from outside the building while you are clearing the second guard wave.
Step 3 — Interact with the cage to rescue the dog
Once all guards are eliminated, walk up to the cage and press the interact button. On PC press E, on PlayStation press Square, on Xbox press X. The cage unlocks and the dog steps out.
Step 4 — Pet the dog
After the dog is free, interact with him one more time to pet him. This second interaction is the step that completes the quest. It is easy to miss — some players rescue the dog and then run to grab the weapon loot before petting, and the quest does not register until they come back and interact.
Pet the dog first. Then collect the loot.
What do you get for rescuing John Wick’s Dog
Completing the rescue rewards you with three things:
- Full health and shields restored — your HP and shields refill immediately after the rescue interaction. This is a significant advantage early in a match and makes the detour worth doing even if you are not interested in the cosmetic unlock.
- Weapon drop — a weapon spawns from the cage area after the guards are defeated. This can include a Legendary Lancehead Pistol. There is also a chance — not guaranteed — of receiving the Mythic 9mm Baba Yaga Pistol, John Wick’s signature weapon. For everything on that Mythic, see the 9mm Baba Yaga guide.
- Dog (Pen & Ink) Sidekick — unlocked for Battle Pass owners only. Added to your locker after you return to the lobby.
The health, shields, and weapon drop are available to all players regardless of Battle Pass ownership. The Sidekick unlock is locked behind the pass.
What if another player already rescued the dog
If you arrive at the location and the cage is already open, the dog is free and wandering the area. You do not need to fight any guards. Walk up to the dog and interact to pet him. That single interaction completes the Battle Pass quest and unlocks the Dog (Pen & Ink) Sidekick — you still get the weapon loot drop and a chance at the Lancehead Pistol too.
You do not need to be the player who opened the cage. Petting a dog that someone else freed counts in full.
Battle Pass requirement — do you need the pass to unlock the dog
Yes. You must own the Fortnite Chapter 7 Season 3 Battle Pass to unlock the Dog (Pen & Ink) Sidekick. If you do not have the pass, the quest will not register even if you rescue and pet the dog yourself. You will still get the in-match loot rewards, but the Sidekick will not be added to your account.
The Battle Pass costs 800 V-Bucks and is included with Fortnite Crew. John Wick himself unlocks at level 85 on the same pass — the Dog Sidekick is a separate quest completion reward that sits outside the level track entirely. For the full Battle Pass breakdown, see our Fortnite Runners Battle Pass guide.
Dog (Pen & Ink) Sidekick — styles and how to unlock more
Once unlocked, John Wick’s Dog appears in your locker as the Dog (Pen & Ink) Sidekick. He is a black pitbull in the same cel-shaded Pen & Ink art style as the John Wick skin.
The Dog Sidekick works differently from every other Sidekick in Fortnite. Most Sidekicks require you to lock in a final appearance — a permanent choice you cannot reverse. The Dog does not. You can swap his look at any time. Toggle options include whether he wears a collar and whether he uses the Pen & Ink style or a gradient style.
Additional cosmetics unlock by playing matches with the Dog (Pen & Ink) Sidekick equipped. You earn Sidekick points passively each game. No further quests are required beyond the initial rescue. The extras include:
- Dog (Gradient) style — unlocks after completing 3 of the Dog’s Sidekick rewards
- Emoticon
- Reaction style
- Emote — marked as coming soon at the time of writing in June 2026
Equip the Dog from your locker and keep playing. Everything fills in passively over time without any specific quest objectives.
Tips for completing the John Wick’s Dog quest fast
- Drop directly on the POI. Do not loot the outskirts first. The dog’s location gets contested quickly and other players will reach the guards before you if you delay. Land on the building, grab the first weapon you see, and push immediately.
- Bring a shotgun or SMG. The guard fights happen inside tight building interiors. Long-range weapons are less useful here. A shotgun clears both NPC waves efficiently and leaves you ready for real players who push during the fight.
- Do not forget the second interact. Rescue the dog first, then pet him. Players miss the quest completion constantly by running to loot after the cage opens instead of petting the dog while they are standing right there.
- Try The Battlewoods if Sinister Strip is flooded. If you see five players dropping on Sinister Strip’s casino from the bus, the dog might be at The Battlewoods instead — or Sinister Strip will be a bloodbath before you get near the cage. Adjust your drop decision based on bus path and player density.
- You only need to do this once. The quest completes one time and the Sidekick is permanently yours. No need to repeat the rescue in future matches.
Other Fortnite Runners guides
- How to extract Sprites in Fortnite Runners — Extraction Sites, Portable Extractor, Sprite Dust, and how to summon Sprites before matches
- All Mythics in Fortnite Runners — every Mythic weapon and utility item and where each one drops
- Boss locations in Fortnite Runners — all bosses, their drops, and where to find them on the Shattered Coast
- NPC locations in Fortnite Runners — every NPC, what they sell, and where they are on the map
- Fortnite Runners tips and tricks — full beginner-to-advanced season guide
