The Dog House
The Dog House is a 5×3 Pragmatic Play slot with 20 fixed paylines, released in 2019. Its mechanics are built around one symbol: the kennel wild. It lands only on reels 2, 3 and 4, carries a 2x or 3x multiplier on every appearance, and becomes sticky for the whole free spins round. Several sticky wilds on the same payline add their multipliers together, which is where the large free spins results come from.
This page covers the paytable, the wild multiplier rules, how the number of free spins is drawn, and the RTP, volatility, bet limits and max win as stated in the game. The Dog House demo on this page uses the same rules and maths as the real-money version.
Where to Play The Dog House
The Dog House is part of the core Pragmatic Play catalogue. The casinos below list Pragmatic Play among their providers, accept players from Australia and are reviewed on BetsAuthority. After loading the slot, open the rules screen and check the RTP line, because operators can select lower configurations.
Quick Facts About The Dog House
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Slot | The Dog House |
| Provider | Pragmatic Play |
| Release | 2019 |
| Layout | 5 reels / 3 rows |
| Paylines | 20 fixed lines, left to right |
| RTP | 96.51% (per in-game rules; lower versions exist) |
| Volatility | Medium (official in-game rating) |
| Bet range | 0.20 to 240 per spin (casino limits may differ) |
| Maximum win | Up to 6,750x the bet (as advertised in the game) |
| Wild | Reels 2, 3 and 4 only, 2x or 3x multiplier |
| Free spins | 9 to 27 spins drawn from a 3×3 grid, sticky wilds |
| Extras | No bonus buy, no retrigger |
How The Dog House Works
Wins pay left to right on 20 fixed paylines, starting from the leftmost reel, and only the highest win per line is paid. The four dogs are the premium symbols. At a A$2 total bet the Rottweiler pays A$75 for five of a kind (37.5x the bet), the Shih Tzu A$50 (25x), the pug A$30 (15x) and the dachshund A$20 (10x). The collar pays 7.5x and the bone 5x for five. A and K pay 2.5x for five, while Q, J and 10 pay 1.25x.
The paw print bonus symbol appears only on reels 1, 3 and 5. Three of them pay 5x the total bet in any position and trigger the free spins round. Because all three reels must show a bonus symbol at the same time, the feature arrives less often than in scatter-anywhere games; in the demo session used for this page it took several hundred spins to land.
Wild Multipliers on Reels 2, 3 and 4
The kennel wild substitutes for every symbol except the bonus symbol and can appear only on the three middle reels. On every spin, all wilds on the same reel receive a random multiplier of 2x or 3x, which applies to each payline the wild is part of. If two or more wilds sit on one winning payline, their multipliers are added, not multiplied: a 2x and a 3x wild on the same line give 5x, and three 3x wilds give 9x.
Free Spins and Sticky Wilds
Before the round starts, a 3×3 grid spins and each of the nine cells reveals 1, 2 or 3 free spins. The numbers are added together, so the round awards between 9 and 27 free spins. The demo round captured for this review drew 11.
During free spins, every wild that lands on reels 2, 3 or 4 stays on screen until the round ends, and its multiplier, revealed when it lands, does not change. Special reels are used, bonus symbols are removed and the round cannot be retriggered. Each new wild therefore adds to a growing set of fixed positions, and every payline that runs through two or more of them pays with the combined multiplier.
The result depends heavily on how early wilds land. In the captured round, four wilds were fixed by the second spin (3x, 2x, 3x and 2x), and six by the sixth spin. From that point almost every spin paid across several lines with summed multipliers, and the 11 spins returned A$2,482.60 at a A$2 bet, about 1,241x. A round in which wilds arrive late, or land only on one reel, can pay a small fraction of that.
RTP, Volatility and Bet Limits
The rules screen gives a theoretical RTP of 96.51% with a minimum bet of 0.20 and a maximum of 240 per spin. Casinos can deploy lower RTP settings of the same game, and the only way to see which one is live is the RTP line in the rules at that casino. The game rates itself medium volatility, described as steady payouts with a range from low to very high. The base game header advertises wins of up to 6,750x the bet.
Worked Example: Summed Wild Multipliers
At A$2 total bet, the line bet is A$0.10. Suppose a payline shows a Rottweiler on reel 1, a 3x wild on reel 2, a 2x wild on reel 3 and Rottweilers on reels 4 and 5. The line forms five Rottweilers with two wilds, so the base A$75 win is multiplied by 5x (3 + 2) for A$375. In free spins those two wilds would stay put, and any later Rottweiler or other symbol combination on that line would again be paid at 5x.
Bankroll Tips for The Dog House
- The feature needs three bonus symbols on reels 1, 3 and 5 at once; budget for 300 or more spins between features.
- There is no bonus buy, so stake size is the only lever on cost; keep it at a level your budget can sustain over long dry runs.
- Base game wins with a single wild are common but small; most of the return sits in free spins.
- Set deposit and session limits before starting.
- Each spin is independent; a long run without the feature does not raise the chance of the next one.
Pros and Cons of The Dog House
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| 2x or 3x wild multipliers in the base game | Bonus symbols only on reels 1, 3 and 5 |
| Sticky wilds with summed multipliers in free spins | Free spins cannot be retriggered |
| 9 to 27 free spins per round | No bonus buy option |
| 96.51% RTP in the default version | Lower RTP versions exist at some casinos |
| Free demo available | Round value depends on wilds landing early |
Demo Play vs Real Money
The demo is useful for measuring two things before any deposit: how many spins it takes to trigger the feature, and how differently rounds pay depending on wild timing. The captured session needed several hundred spins for one feature, then produced a 1,241x round. Neither figure is typical on its own; a larger sample in demo mode gives a more realistic picture.
For real-money play, use a casino that displays the RTP in the game rules, processes withdrawals in stated timeframes and offers deposit limits and self-exclusion. Our casino reviews list these details. Later titles in the series, such as The Dog House Megaways, add more ways to win and a bonus buy.
Frequently Asked Questions
The in-game rules list a theoretical RTP of 96.51%. Casinos can run lower versions, so check the rules screen where you play.
The game rates itself medium volatility. Free spins results still vary widely depending on when sticky wilds land.
Land 3 bonus paw symbols on reels 1, 3 and 5 at the same time. They also pay 5x the total bet.
A 3×3 grid reveals 1, 2 or 3 spins in each of its nine cells, so the round awards between 9 and 27 free spins. It cannot be retriggered.
Wilds appear on reels 2, 3 and 4 with a 2x or 3x multiplier. Multipliers of several wilds on the same payline are added together, and in free spins all wilds are sticky.
The game advertises wins of up to 6,750x the bet.
Responsible Gaming Note
The Dog House is a game of chance and should be treated as paid entertainment. Only play if you are 18 or older, set a budget and a time limit before you start, and stop when either is reached. Free and confidential support is available 24/7 from Gambling Help Online on 1800 858 858.
Final Verdict
The Dog House uses a single mechanic, multiplier wilds on the middle reels that turn sticky in free spins, and the outcome of each feature depends on how early and where those wilds land. The in-game rules list a 96.51% RTP, medium volatility and a 0.20 to 240 bet range, with wins advertised up to 6,750x. The feature trigger requires three specific reels, so expect long gaps between rounds. Test it in the demo and confirm the RTP at your casino before staking money.
