If the puppy joins your party, it changes the story somewhat. For example, when you face The Pet it will crush your dog, killing it. Later when you run into the skull in the dungeon, it says that someone from your past wants to see you again and it brings your undead dog back into your party.
Bonuses
Donate 100 silver to the priests, both in towns and in the wild to unlock various bonuses, such as movies, artwork, and songs. Use the following trick to unlock the bonuses easily. After getting at least 2,000 silver, save the game. Find a priest and make a 100 silver donation. Keep donating 100 silver until all your silver is gone. Then, pause game play and select the "Exit To Main Menu" option without saving your game. Answer "Yes" when warned that your unsaved chapter progress will be lost. Once at the title screen, enter the "Extras" menu to view the unlocked bonuses. Exit that menu and load your previously saved game. Immediately save the game again. You will still have your silver and the unlocked bonus options. There is no easy way to get all the bonuses. You must do a set amount of large donations which are listed as follows. The number indicates the number of large donations that must be made with the corresponding bonus that you will get. Note: If you save and leave the game you must redo every donation to get up to the same amount as when you saved.
1: Movie: Introduction
2: Song: Beer, Beer,: Beer
4: Art Gallery 1
6: Art Gallery 2
10: Movie: Bard's Tale Logo
15: Song: Bad Luck - Ogan
20: Art: Gallery 3
25: Song: Bad Luck - Wolves
30: Art Gallery: 4
35: Song: Bad Luck - Minion
40: Movie: InXile Logo
45: Art Gallery 5
50: Song: Bad Luck - Jail
60: Art Gallery: 6
70: Art Gallery 7
80: Song: Tale of the Nukelavee
100: Song: Here's to the Bard
120: Art Gallery 8
140: Art Gallery: 9
160: Song: You're a Fooling One
180: Art Gallery: 10
200: Song: Bad Luck - Lava Life
220: Song: Bad Luck - Lava: Death
220: Song: Bad Luck - Bard
260: Art Gallery: 11
500: Movie: Ending 2
600: Movie: Ending 1
700: Movie: Ending 3
Easy kills
After you kill the giant rat in the beginning of the game, go through Houton village and find the puppy in the middle part of the village. Respond nicely and the dog will follow you. As you journey on, the dog will distract enemies, thus making easier kills.
Easy money
Early in the game (without cheating), go talk to the barrel maker that is inside one of the Broch's. This is the Broch that is near the middle of the town, but at the west end; his door is facing north (if you were to be facing his door, you would be facing east). The name of the place at the bottom of the screen when you walk in will read "Boyd's Barrels", at the west side of Houton. After you talk to him, go back outside. Go to the right side of his Broch and start destroying the barrels next to his dwelling (that are under the awning). He will come out and talk to you. Give him nice responses. He will give you the "Barrel Maker - Break lots of Barrels" quest. After that, every time you see a barrel, make sure you do whatever it takes to break it into tiny pieces. Then, go into The Drunken Rat bar and smash all the barrels on the upper floor. This is the floor you are on when you first walk in the front door. There are eight barrels that you can smash with your fists or a sword, and three behind the three singing drunks that you cannot destroy until you have bought a bow at the store. This makes a total of eleven barrels. Then, go down the stairs in the back room of the bar. You will find eleven more barrels to smash. After all those barrels have been smashed, go out the front door of the bar. Then, go back in and smash them all over again. After smashing a large number of barrels (over 100) go to the man who gave you the quest. He is standing next to the awning where you broke his barrels. He will give you 500 Silver. By doing this, it, you can make as much money as desired early in the game. Note: Try buying the Longbow to shoot the three barrels behind the singing drunks. Once you can enter the Fairyhaunt Woods, talk to the hunter. He will tell you that the forest is full of grouse. Buy a bow, shoot one, then talk to the hunter again. He will say that he owns some grounds full of game (actually just grouse). If you have a dog you can easily find grouse. This is a slow but steady way to earn money.
Final choice
In the final choice, if you have summons out you can ask their advice, unless they do not talk (then the Bard just says "Right").
Little Red Riding Hood reference
Sometimes when you kill a wolf, you will get a red cloak or a picnic basket.
Star Wars reference
If you choose to be snarky to the elder after defeating Silkbeard, he will say "May the queen of the Sith take you."
The Highlander reference
Talk to the crier in The Tup Pub in West Dounby and agree to be in the talent show. You will get the Boots of "Quickening" as a reward. Read about these boots in the menu to learn that they were made for the Highland warrior Connor McLaihd. This is a reference to Connor McCloud from the Highlander movies. Also, all the other quickening boots have been lost, and the narrator says there surely can be only "one" pair left.
You Got Served references
The Knight summon occasionally says "Thou hast been served".