Players "walk" a virtual dog by walking on a treadmill and control the pet with a leash attached to a plastic dog in front of the player. Inu no Osanpo simulates the experience of walking a dog. Players first choose one of six breeds of dog to walk: Poodle, Pug, Pembroke Welsh Corgi, Shiba Inu, Labrador Retriever, or Siberian Husky. The difficulty of the game changes depending on the breed of dog chosen. After selecting a dog, the player selects one of three possible walking routes, each with a unique scenario. The goal of Inu no Osanpo is to maintain the dog's happiness long enough to complete the entire route.