How to increase the age of a dog in The Sims 4?

How to increase the age of a dog in The Sims 4? - briefly

To increase the age of a dog in The Sims 4, you can use the "Make Old" interaction available on pet beds or by selecting the dog directly and choosing the aging option from the menu. Additionally, ensuring that the dog's needs are met can help speed up the natural aging process.

How to increase the age of a dog in The Sims 4? - in detail

In "The Sims 4," increasing the age of a pet, specifically a dog, is not as straightforward as it might be with human Sims due to the game's design limitations. However, there are several methods and workarounds that players can use to simulate the aging process of their pets.

Using Mods and Custom Content (CC)

One of the most effective ways to manipulate a dog's age in "The Sims 4" is by using mods or custom content created by the game's community. These tools can provide more control over various aspects of the game, including pet aging. Here are some popular mods that allow for this:

MC Command Center: This mod offers a wide range of features, including the ability to age up pets manually. To use it, you need to install the mod and then navigate to its menu where you can select your dog and choose to age them up.
Dog Aging Mod: Specifically designed for aging dogs, this mod allows players to set a custom lifespan for their canine companions and manually control when they age up.

Cheats and Console Commands

While "The Sims 4" does not provide direct cheats for aging pets, some console commands can help manipulate the game's internal clock or lifespans, indirectly affecting pet aging. Here are a couple of methods:

Aging Up Pets with Sims: If you want your dog to age along with your Sim family, you can use the cheat testingcheats true and then select your Sim to open the cheat menu. From there, you can manually age up your Sims, which will also affect their pets if they are part of the same household.
Lifespan Modification: You can alter the lifespans of your Sims using console commands. For example, typing sims.modify_lifetime 100 in the cheat console will set the lifespan to 100 days. This change affects pets as well, but it requires manual aging of the Sims.

Save and Load Game Method

This method is more time-consuming but can be effective for those who prefer not to use mods or cheats:

Save Your Game: Before attempting any changes, save your current game state to avoid losing progress.
Load an Older Save: If you have a previous save file where the dog is already older, load that save and then export the pet using the testingcheats true menu.
Import the Pet: Go back to your current save and import the aged pet into your game. This method allows you to essentially "skip" time for your pet without affecting other aspects of your game.

Conclusion

While "The Sims 4" does not offer a built-in feature to directly increase the age of dogs, players can use mods, cheats, and save/load techniques to achieve this goal. Each method has its pros and cons, so choose the one that best fits your playing style and preferences.