Install Doggy Talents Next on your server

Doggy Talents Next, by DashieDev and MashXP, gives your dogs talents, breeds, costumes, food and improved dog AI. It is the continuation of the original Doggy Talents mod, and it runs on Forge, NeoForge and Fabric. This guide installs it from the Mods tab and lists the server settings worth knowing.

Checked against Doggy Talents Next 1.19.1 on NeoForge 1.21.1, October 2026.

Which mod to pick

The original Doggy Talents project on CurseForge, by percivalalb, has no file newer than Minecraft 1.19.3. Doggy Talents Next credits ProPercivalalb and NovaViper for maintaining the original before it, and it is the one still updated. Search results also show add-ons such as Better Dogs X Doggy Talents Next and Doggy Talents Next's Palette Of Paws. Those are separate projects, and this guide does not use either.

Pick the right build

Modrinth lists these files:

• NeoForge, Minecraft 1.21.1: 1.19.1, the newest release.
• Forge, Minecraft 1.20.1: 1.19.1.
• Fabric, Minecraft 1.21.1: 1.18.63.
• NeoForge, Minecraft 1.21.11: 1.19.0-beta1, a beta.

The NeoForge file needs NeoForge 20.5 or newer. To change loader or version, open JAR Manager under More, choose the loader under Server software and the version under Minecraft version, then press Apply change. Switching reinstalls the server and keeps your world, so make a backup in the Backups tab first. Change your Minecraft version or mod loader has the full steps.

Install it

1. Open Mods under Content and keep the Modrinth chip selected. The Game version filter starts on your server's version.
2. Search for Doggy Talents Next and press Install.
3. Restart from the Console tab. The install toast says "Restart the server to load it".

On Fabric the mod also needs Fabric API and Forge Config API Port, and Modrinth's dependency list for it is empty, so no prompt will offer them. Search for each and install them before you restart.

Open the Installed view to check. The mod should be listed with no Failed to load badge.

Players need it too

Modrinth lists the mod as required on both the client and the server. Each player installs the same version for their loader and Minecraft version, plus Fabric API and Forge Config API Port on Fabric. Join a modded server from your launcher covers the player side, and Fix the mismatched mod channel list error explains a refusal when versions differ.

Server settings

The mod's server config includes these options, each with a comment in the file:

• enable_starter_bundle gives new players of the world a starter bundle of items.
• disable_dog_gender removes the rule that only dogs of opposite genders can breed.
• enable_pup_get_parent_levels lets puppies start with levels from their parents.
• immortal_dogs stops dogs dying; at zero health they become incapacitated instead.
• all_player_cannot_attack_dog turns off friendly fire from every player toward every dog.
• all_dog_block_portal stops dogs wandering into portals and changing dimension.

On NeoForge 1.21.1 the mod stores its server config as doggytalents-server.toml in the config folder, and its talent list as doggytalents-talents.toml next to it. The world's serverconfig folder holds only a readme.txt, so do not look for the files there. Stop the server before you edit a file in the File Manager.

The mod also registers /dog locate and /dog revive commands. The first reports where a dog is, and the second answers "Summoned" followed by the dog's name and "from the Ark Of Yamato". Each needs a subcommand, so /dog on its own is rejected as incomplete.

Common problems

• The server stops at startup: on Fabric, Fabric API or Forge Config API Port is missing. On Forge or NeoForge, the file does not match your loader or Minecraft version.
• No results for your version: Modrinth lists builds up to Minecraft 1.21.11. Change the version in JAR Manager.
• Other crashes: Fix mod and plugin errors on Minecraft covers reading the Console log.