How to get a dog collar in Arc Raiders

Your feathered companion Scrappy represents more than just cosmetic appeal in Arc Raiders—this resourceful rooster serves as your insurance policy against failed expeditions. When you invest in upgrading Scrappy’s capabilities, you’re essentially building a safety net that continues generating value regardless of mission outcomes.

Scrappy’s fundamental mechanics revolve around passive material acquisition. While you’re engaged in combat or exploration above ground, your avian ally systematically gathers crafting components behind the scenes. This becomes particularly crucial when considering the permadeath-like consequences of failed raids. Even if you perish and lose all personally collected loot, Scrappy’s separately stored haul remains secure, ensuring some progress from each outing.

The progression system for Scrappy follows an escalating rarity curve. Each training level demands increasingly scarce items, with the dog collar serving as your initial hurdle at level two. Successfully obtaining and applying this accessory transforms Scrappy from a novice gatherer into a significantly more productive companion, directly impacting your resource accumulation rates.

While dog collars can theoretically appear anywhere throughout Arc Raiders’ expansive maps, their classification as rare items means random discoveries prove exceptionally uncommon. To maximize your efficiency, you should concentrate efforts on specific container types within residential zones, which dramatically improve discovery probabilities.

The most productive hunting grounds cluster around two primary locations:

Within these areas, prioritize searching wooden crates, metal lockboxes, and especially bedroom dressers and bathroom cabinets, as these container types exhibit higher rare item spawn rates. Additionally, maintain vigilance for loose item spawns—dog collars frequently appear on tabletops, kitchen counters, bedside tables, and shelving units without container interaction required.

Advanced players should develop systematic looting patterns, clearing buildings methodically rather than randomly exploring. Starting with multi-story apartment complexes in Buried City typically yields better results than scattered homesteads, though both locations remain viable. For those familiar with Class Guide strategies, applying similar methodical search patterns used in tactical shooters can significantly improve efficiency.

Image: Embark Studios via Polygon

Arc Raiders incorporates a sophisticated tracking system that dramatically simplifies locating specific items like the dog collar. To activate this feature, navigate to the Workshop interface, select the “Train” option for Scrappy, then click “Track” adjacent to the dog collar requirement. This action places a persistent diamond-shaped icon next to any dog collars you encounter, making them instantly recognizable even amidst cluttered inventory screens or busy environments.

This tracking functionality extends beyond companion upgrades—it’s equally effective for quest items and crafting materials, serving as an essential quality-of-life tool for targeted farming. When combined with the residential area focus strategy, the tracking system typically reduces search time by 40-60% compared to unassisted hunting.

Visual identification tips: Dog collars appear as leather accessories with metallic buckles, typically displaying brown and silver coloration. They occupy a single inventory slot and are easily overlooked without tracking enabled, especially when mixed with other common items. For players transitioning from other extraction shooters, this system operates similarly to priority marking in our Complete Guide for objective highlighting.

Image: Embark Studios via Polygon

Successfully obtaining the dog collar and upgrading Scrappy to level two marks merely the beginning of your companion’s development journey. The immediate benefit manifests as noticeably increased gathering rates and expanded storage capacity, making subsequent farming sessions more productive.

However, this achievement unlocks the next progression tier, which introduces substantially more challenging requirements. At level three, Scrappy demands lemons and apricots—agricultural items that spawn in completely different locations than the dog collar, typically in greenhouse areas or agricultural settlements. This pattern continues with each level, introducing new item categories and hunting grounds.

Strategic planning becomes essential at this stage. Rather than viewing Scrappy upgrades as isolated tasks, integrate them into your overall progression strategy. The resources gathered by an upgraded Scrappy can significantly accelerate your weapon and equipment development, creating a virtuous cycle of improvement. For optimal character development, balance your time between Weapons Unlock activities and companion upgrades to maintain parallel progression.

Common mistakes to avoid: Don’t neglect Scrappy upgrades in favor of direct loot gathering—the long-term benefits far outweigh short-term gains. Additionally, avoid spending excessive sessions hunting exclusively for dog collars; instead, incorporate searches into your regular gameplay to prevent burnout while maintaining steady progress.

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