An amazing game that never grows old; strategy, teamwork, cards and marbles all rolled into one!
Check out this video to get a brief overview and explanation of uDog:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8rZIzefxpI
Tradition has it that early settlers in Quebec, Canada developed a game called “Tock.” A Swiss lady learned the game in Canada, copied it on a piece of paper, and took it back to Switzerland in 1982. She began making the game, calling it “Dog” (due to a linguistic misunderstanding).
I was introduced to a version of Dog in Europe in 2011, and it immediately became my favorite. Like the Swiss lady, I traced the game on a piece of paper, brought it back to Michigan, and made my own game out of a piece of plywood. When I asked my good friend Quint Thocher (who also happens to be our daughter’s father-in-law) to help me cut my game into pieces so it could be used for 4, 6, or 8 players, he responded by creating a new design and taught me how to make it, start to finish. In subsequent years, I expanded the variations to include a 10-player and 12-player game.
As I introduced the game to family and friends, I began to get requests from some who wanted their own game. As a result, I began making the game as a hobby in my garage, decided to call it “uDog”, asked my daughter to create a logo (thanks, Rachel!), and in the first 10 months had filled 55 orders – all by word of mouth! uDog is now being played (as of 2023) in all 50 states in the USA, and in Australia, Canada, Chile, China, Czech Republic, England, India, Romania, Georgia, Israel, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Mexico, Moldova, New Zealand, Philippines, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Taiwan and Ukraine!
And, after playing it hundreds of times myself, it’s still my favorite game! You’ve got to try it!
uDog is a high-quality wooden board game for endless family fun! The rules are simple, the strategy is subtle, and the competition is serious! Box contents include (depending on variation): Four to 12 interlocking board game pieces, 16 to 48 colorful marbles, two decks of standard playing cards, one dice, four quick reference cards, and instructions. Custom uDog cards are also available. Made in Grand Rapids, Michigan.


