Character Relationship Map: Dogs

Characters

• Harlan Thompson (played by David McCallum) — protagonist

  Harlan is the biology department head at Southwestern University, an outspoken critic of its elitist administrators and a mentor-like presence to Michael. He correctly identifies the dogs as organized...

• Michael Fitzgerald (played by George Wyner) — supporting

  Michael is a newly hired biology professor whom Harlan regards with semi-affection and tries to protect from the university system. His pheromone theory helps explain the dogs' coordinated behavior. H...

• Jimmy Goodman (played by Eric Server) — supporting

  Jimmy is the local sheriff who initially discourages the armed posse from hunting the dogs, though he ultimately joins them. After the pack kills the other hunters, he survives briefly, shoots one att...

• Aintry (played by Dean Santoro) — supporting

  Aintry is a Southwestern University professor who brings Miss Engle home after a date and feels dejected when she declines his request to enter. His interaction with her establishes their unreciprocat...

Canonical Relationships

Family, romantic, and professional connections based on plot evidence.

• Michael Fitzgerald → Aintry (Professional University Colleague) — They are faculty members at the same institution.

  Michael is a newly hired biology professor at Southwestern University, while Aintry is also identified as an SU professor.

• Harlan Thompson → Aintry (Professional University Colleague) — They belong to the same university faculty, although no direct conversation is shown.

  Harlan is a biology department head at Southwestern University, and Aintry is identified as an SU professor.

Story Dynamics

Alliances, conflicts, and narrative interactions that evolve throughout the story.

• Michael Fitzgerald → Jimmy Goodman (Alliance Emergency Contact) — Michael participates in the attempted coordination with the sheriff.

  Harlan and Michael call Jimmy on the radio after discovering the dead man at the police station.

• Harlan Thompson → Jimmy Goodman (Alliance Emergency Contact) — Harlan relies on the sheriff's radio channel during the emergency.

  Harlan and Michael call Jimmy on the radio after finding a dead man at the police station and receive no response.

• Harlan Thompson → Michael Fitzgerald (Alliance Scientific Partner) — They cooperate as biological investigators during the crisis.

  Harlan and Michael examine the evidence together, develop the pheromone theory, and attempt an experiment to stop the dog packs.

Story Analysis

A biological mystery becomes a spreading survival crisis when coordinated dog packs overwhelm a university town.

Plot Progression

1. The Cattle Mystery — Harlan investigates dead cattle and rejects the initial coyote explanation. A rancher's decision to wait with a rifle ends in a fatal dog attack.
2. Pheromones And Denial — Harlan and Michael identify coordinated dog behavior and connect it to a possible pheromone experiment. The university president refuses to warn the public.
3. The Failed Counterattack — A dog show exposes the threat to the town, while a posse attempts to hunt the packs. The scientific experiment collapses and Jimmy dies after the posse is destroyed.
4. Campus Under Siege — Harlan and Michael discover deaths at the police station and confront the president's attack. Michael then attempts to evacuate students while the university collapses around them.
5. A Wider Contagion — The students are overwhelmed at the library, and Michael is found dead. Harlan drives away after hearing that similar attacks are spreading to neighboring communities.