The Hawks led throughout Saturday night's contest, coming away with a 19.6 (120) to 16.13 (109) result and ending a 10-match losing run.
A superb effort through the middle from Luke Hodge and Richie Vandenberg, a multi-pronged forward line and better use of the footy were the keys to the result.
Hodge produced a best-on-ground performance with precise delivery by both hand and foot and a willingness to be at every contest.
Vandenberg ran with the Dogs' Scott West all night, restricting the Dogs' best midfielder to just 14 possessions to three-quarter time while picking up 12 of his own.
Nathan Thompson worked tirelessly up forward, presenting well all night and ending the match with two goals.
He was ably supported by Simon Beaumont, who managed three in the first half and Mark Williams' three in the last half.
While Hawthorn booted the first three goals of the match on the way to an 11-point advantage at quarter time, it was a tense beginning - and with good reason.
Hawthorn was winless since its round eight triumph over the Dockers in Launceston. It hasn't sung the song in Melbourne since the season-opener against Melbourne.
The story for the Western Bulldogs wasn't much different. The team from Whitten Oval has endured seven difficult weeks, its average losing margin during that time 46 points.
Entering the contest, the club was a mile away from the form it displayed against St Kilda at the MCG, that 'one day in June' where the Bulldogs toppled the then ladder leaders.
The only pity for the Bulldogs was that it took the impending departure of head coach Peter Rohde for the players to play this way.
But tonight, for the players from both these struggling clubs, the contest represented the first step on a long road back.
Aware of what a match between 16th and 14th represented - a realistic chance of victory against an evenly-matched opponent - the teams felt each other out early, wary of over-reaching.
But the floodgates opened from the second quarter, which saw the Hawks kick six goals and the Bulldogs seven, onwards.
At the end of an exhausting 11-goal term, Hawthorn was 17 points in front.
Goals to Daniel Bandy and Robert Murphy to start the last half saw the margin drop below double figures and the Doggies were well in the contest.
They stayed in touch throughout the third quarter and managed to narrow the half-time deficit by three points with a quarter remaining.
When Adam Cooney, the number one overall selection at the 2003 National's AFL Draft slotted through an on-the-run effort a minute into the final term, the tension was palpable among the 22,330 in attendance.
However, the Dogs were left to rue a couple of missed opportunities, kicking 4.6 in the final term and the brown and gold was able to hold on and celebrate a significant victory, its first under interim coach Donald McDonald,
Brad Johnson, Daniel Cross and Nathan Eagleton were better players for the Dogs, as was Cooney, who played one of the best games in his fledgling AFL career.
While Hawthorn remains at the bottom of the ladder, their 3-16 record sees them only a game behind Richmond, whom they play in round 21, and the Bulldogs.
Hawthorn coach Donald McDonald was delighted to be able to give his club's long-suffering fans something to celebrate.
"It's just good for the boys and great for our supporters. They've seen one win in Melbourne for the whole year, which was round one so it's been a pretty lean year for them," McDonald said.
"Everyone's rapt, we're rapt, it's just been sensational to have this victory because it's been an ordinary year and we can salvage something out of the last three weeks."
"It's just really good for our players' confidence, just to know that they can win a game of footy. It was a real tough game."
After an extremely difficult week, outgoing Bulldogs coach Peter Rohde said the performance was a step forward, although he was frustrated that it was triggered by his sacking.
"I reckon the last two and-a-half hours have probably been the most enjoyable two and-a- half hours of my week.
"(I'm) very disappointed to have lost, but I thought there were some pretty positive signs there," Rohde said.
"I think our future is really bright. Tonight our young players, I thought, took steps. (With) some of those young players that took steps tonight (I've) probably been frustrated that they hadn’t been taking enough steps throughout the last 40 games, but I think there was a lot of them that showed signs."
Western Bulldogs: 3.2 8.4 12.7 16.13 (109)
Hawthorn: 5.1 11.3 15.3 19.6 (120)
Goals: Western Bulldogs: Murphy, Bandy 3, Darcy, Cooney, Robbins 2, Hahn, Eagleton, McMahon, Cross 1
Hawthorn: Williams, Beaumont 3, Hodge, Vandenberg, Thompson 2, Everitt, Picioane, Ries, Barker, Brown, Barlow, Cox 1
Best: Western Bulldogs: Murphy, Cooney, Hahn, Johnson, Eagleton, Gilbee
Hawthorn: Hodge, Mitchell, Everitt, Thompson, Beaumont, Vandenberg, Bateman
Injuries: Western Bulldogs: Smith (hamstring), Morgan (hamstring)
Hawthorn: None
Reports: None
Umpires: Avon, Chamberlain, Vozzo
Crowd: 22,330 at Telstra Dome
