The Demons were the better side in the first half and surged late in the game, but the Bulldogs were able to hold off the late charge to win 15.14 (104) to 15.7 (97).
However, the win may have been costly with forward Robert Murphy – in just his fourth game for the season – straining a hamstring in the first quarter.
Murphy left the ground around the 20-minute mark and watched the rest of the game from the bench with ice taped to his right leg.
The Dogs had already suffered an injury blow ahead of the bounce with defender Ryan Hargrave withdrawing with a leg problem.
His replacement, Dylan Addison, gave the Dogs some grunt but had concerns of his own towards the end as he spent time on the bench getting his right knee heavily taped.
Jason Akermanis was brilliant for the victors side with four goals and 19 touches, Daniel Giansiracusa gave them drive inside 50, Scott Welsh rediscovered touch with three goals and Tom Williams restricted Brad Miller to just four kicks for a return of only two behinds.
For the Demons, Cale Morton and Brent Moloney both had 37 touches and Brock McLean had 36, while Matthew Bate kicked four goals.
Both sides observed a minute's silence before the game to honour Melbourne legend and late Brownlow Medallist Dr Donald Cordner, who passed away during the week.
The Demons were perhaps inspired by the sentiment and the better side in the first term. They took an 11-point lead into the first change after making more of their forward opportunities and getting much more of the ball.
McLean and Moloney started strongly, and Murphy and Giansiracusa were the Dogs' best early on, while Morton was the highest possession getter with 13 first-term touches.
There were eight individual goal-scorers on the board after the quarter, and it was Bate who became the game's first multiple goalkicker when he slotted his second after being handed a 50m penalty from opponent Brian Lake.
Nathan Jones followed that up with a booming 60m goal two minutes later, and suddenly, the Dogs were 22 points in arrears.
Brad Johnson pegged one back after marking in front of Cameron Bruce before Akermanis – who owned the second term – booted his first and narrowed the gap to 10 points.
The Dees rallied with a goal to Ricky Petterd, but the Dogs answered with another three to the home side's one. At the 28-minute mark, Addison was awarded a free kick for tackling Clint Bartram within scoring distance.
Addison's goal gave the Dogs the lead but the Demons stole it back with a goal to Bate. Welsh missed an opportunity to give his side the half-time advantage with a shot after the siren, which left the Demons with a three-point lead.
In the third term, Russell Robertson opened the ledger with a goal that put his side nine points clear but the celebrations were short-lived as the Dogs began to make the Dees pay for tardiness at the stoppages.
Goals to Akermanis, Welsh and Lindsay Gilbee gave the Bulldogs their biggest lead of the game – 12 points – at three-quarter time.
Gilbee kicked the first goal of the fourth but the Dogs then shanked three opportunities, and the Demons were quick to capitalise with majors to Addam Maric and Aaron Davey.
The Dees were brave in the deciding term and twice got within two straight kicks, but the Dogs had done enough in the third to ensure the result.
The Bulldogs now have a short rest before facing the unbeaten Geelong on Friday night.
Melbourne 5.2 10.3 11.4 15.7 (97)
Western Bulldogs 3.3 9.6 12.10 15.14 (104)
GOALS
Melbourne: Bate 4, Robertson 3, Maric 2, McLean, Sylvia, Jones, Petterd, Davey, Valenti
Western Bulldogs: Akermanis 4, Welsh 3, Gilbee 2, Murphy, Hahn, Johnson, Cooney, Addison, Boyd
BEST
Melbourne: Morton, Moloney, McLean, Bate, Johnson, Davey
Western Bulldogs: Akermanis, Giansiracusa, Gilbee, Boyd, Williams, Welsh
INJURIES
Melbourne: Nil
Western Bulldogs: Hargrave (leg) out, replaced in selected side by Addison, Murphy (hamstring)
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Nicholls, Hay, McInerney
Official crowd: 28,279 at the MCG
