Hawks captain James Sicily led superbly after suffering a dislocated shoulder early in the game and kicked what turned out to be the winning goal in Sunday's 14.14 (98) to 14.7 (91) win on Sunday at Marvel Stadium.
Bulldogs young gun Jamarra Ugle-Hagan was paid a free kick late in the game and had a chance to level the scores.
But his shot hit the behind post for out of bounds on the full and it proved the Bulldogs' last chance, with the Hawks clearing out of defence  then scoring a behind on the siren.
The Hawks' second win of the season comes a week after top side Sydney mauled them by 76 points.
It leaves the Bulldogs on the brink at 3-5 and comes after a difficult few days for coach Luke Beveridge.
Calsher Dear kicked a goal on debut as the Hawks extended the Bulldogs' woes. (Morgan Hancock/AAP PHOTOS)
Essendon ruckman Sam Draper said in a podcast last week that several Bulldogs players would leave the club at the end of the season if Beveridge stayed as coach.
Beveridge labelled Draper's comment "bizarre" and Bombers coach Brad Scott called it disrespectful.
The Bulldogs bounced Hawthorn with the first three goals of the game in the opening five minutes.
But the Hawks steadied and with debutant Calshear Dear kicking his first goal, they only trailled five points at the first change.
Dear is the son of Hawthorn premiership ruckman Paul Dear, who died of cancer two years ago.
His mother Cherie flew in from a European holiday early this morning to watch him play.
Sicily was in agony after being crunched in a first-quarter marking contest and left the field, but he returned at halftime and the key defender went forward.
Sicily went off early but returned to help shore up Hawthorn's win. (Morgan Hancock/AAP PHOTOS)
The Hawks hit the front early in the second term and stayed there until midway through the fourth, when three Bulldogs goals put them back in front.
But majors to Jack Ginnivan and Sicily put the pressure back on the Bulldogs.
Bailey Williams kicked his second to reduce the margin to six points in the final frenetic minutes, but that was the last goal of the game.
Captain Marcus Bontempelli was mighty in a losing cause with 26 possessions, seven clearances and two goals, while Jai Newcombe also impressed in the midfield for Hawthorn and teammate Connor Macdonald kicked three goals.
Bulldogs midfielder Tom Liberatore had to be helped from the field late in the match after he suffered an accidental blow to the head.
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