How to find Richard the dog in Ocarina of Time

Richard the dog, a white energetic canine, is the subject of a side quest in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake. Players may have encountered Richard during their initial visit to Hyrule Castle Town, though they were unable to pet him due to his owner's accusations of theft. After some time, Richard goes missing, but players can assist the distraught owner in locating him.

To locate Richard, players must venture into Hyrule Castle Town during nighttime. Among the running dogs, Richard stands out as a white dog that twirls and emits a high-pitched bark when interacted with. Other dogs bark more deeply and momentarily stand on their hind legs, unlike Richard.

Since players can only search for Richard at night, they might consider unlocking the Sun's Song to alter the time. Although trial and error are possible, a more efficient approach is to look for the white dogs first, then interact with them to observe their reactions. Given the limited number of white dogs, this process is not time-consuming. In my experience, Richard was found on the street on the left side of the map, though the location may vary for different players.

Upon identifying Richard, players can follow him. The next step is to arrive at the street leading to the town's entrance to meet the dog's owner. After confirming the dog's identity, the owner will reward the player with a Piece of Heart. If Richard has not disappeared yet and the player wishes to initiate the quest, completing Zelda's letter delivery to the guard in Kakariko Village after finishing the Princess of Hyrule Castle quest is necessary. This action will trigger a change in Hyrule Castle Town and unlock the Richard quest.