I'm sure they were. A dog is always a good companion to have, in good times and in bad.

[she watches him work his magic curiously.

she takes a deep breath] A Blight is what happens when the Darkspawn manage to corrupt an Old God--a dragon--into an Archdemon to lead the Darkspawn army. During a Blight, the Darkspawn all surge to the surface from underground. The Darkspawn spread corruption wherever they go, to land, to people, even to the sky. A Blight can only be stopped by a Grey Warden.