An unnamed female writer and academic living in a rent-controlled apartment in New York City. She works as a writing teacher and shares a deep, historically complex bond with her former mentor. Following his death, she reluctantly agrees to foster his enormous dog, which forces her to confront her building's strict no-pets policy.

A middle-aged British writer and former professor known for his charm and complicated personal life. Before his death, he struggled with severe depression and felt out of place in modern academic settings. He leaves behind three former wives and a large rescue dog.

A huge, aging harlequin Great Dane found wandering in a park without a collar. He suffers from arthritis and occasional nervous fits. He acts as a quiet, demanding presence in the narrator's small apartment, requiring significant physical care and emotional accommodation.

The third and final wife of the deceased friend, roughly the same age as him. She maintains a polite but distant demeanor with his old friends and handles the immediate logistical aftermath of his death, including finding a home for his dog.

The first wife of the deceased friend and a former student who studied alongside the narrator. She lives abroad but maintains a steady correspondence, acting as a sounding board and occasional voice of warning.

The second wife of the deceased friend. She harbored intense jealousy regarding his other relationships and offers to take the dog during an intervention, though her offer is swiftly rejected.

The superintendent of the narrator's apartment building. He enforces the landlord's strict policies but feels visible guilt about threatening a grieving tenant with eviction.

A mental health professional who works with the narrator. She encourages bringing the dog to sessions and gently challenges the narrator's self-perception regarding her past relationships.

A writer and teacher working on a new piece of fiction. She deals with the emotional fallout of a close friend's recent crisis, using her literary skills to process the complex feelings surrounding his near-death experience.

A male writer and teacher who recently survived a suicide attempt. He feels humiliated by his failure and spends time in a psychiatric ward taking writing classes to pass the time.

A small dachshund owned by The Man. He is temporarily cared for by The Woman during his owner's hospitalization.