Neither Wolf Nor Dog

Fatback is Dan’s Labrador retriever, and the unofficial fourth member of the road trip at the heart of Neither Wolf Nor Dog. Nerburn positions Fatback as a symbol of Dan’s connection with non-human beings and the spirit world, which Nerburn struggles to understand. In their time on the reservation, Dan tries to explain to Nerburn that he can “understand all the trees, the wind, all the animals, the insects […] everything speaks to me” (69). As evidence of this communication, he calls Fatback to him silently. Nerburn watches in awe as “Fatback [comes] rustling through the tall grasses wagging her tail” (70). When Dan acknowledges her, Fatback “wag[s] her tail furiously, then pushe[s] back off through the weeds” (70). This exchange demonstrates the familiarity and simplicity of Dan’s relationship with non-humans—a connection that baffles Nerburn, reinforcing his characterization as an outsider.

Although Dan initially tells Nerburn that Fatback “just showed up here one day” (13), Nerburn later learns that Fatback belonged to Dan’s late son. According to his granddaughter, Dan believes that his son’s “spirit is in [Fatback]” (246), and he keeps the dog close as a way of staying connected to his son.