The Call of the Wild · Character

Spitz

A cunning lead dog whose snarling claim to the team's front position forces Buck into a fight for dominance.

supporting

Also known as Dat Spitz

First appearance: II: The Law of Club and Fang

As a supporting figure in The Call of the Wild, Spitz is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

Rival lead dog; Buck kills him to become leader of the sled team.

In the storyThe Call of the WildOpen this moment free

See Spitz in The Call of the Wild Book page

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Spitz is the trail-wise leader of François and Perrault's team, a fighter who laughs at hell and tolerates no rival near his place at the front. He and Buck circle each other from the first days in harness, their rivalry sharpened by stolen food, snapped warnings, and the unspoken knowledge that only one of them can lead. When the showdown finally comes, François's verdict—'Dat Spitz fight lak hell, an' dat Buck fight lak two hells'—marks the moment Buck seizes the leadership he believes is his by right.

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The fuller portrait of Spitz sits in Reading Lens — open the free preview to keep reading with notes on the page.

See Spitz in II: The Law of Club and Fang

Character Web

14 connections

A slice of how Spitz sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.

Relationship types

Rivalry
Other

Character groups

Sled team members
Protagonist
Minor and background characters

+9 more in the full Character Web

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.

Setup
Escalation
Breaking point

In this excerpt, the narrative reaches its dramatic climax because Buck’s feat of earning sixteen hundred doll…

Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.

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Relationships

Buck
rivalry · negative
Buck and Spitz are fierce rivals competing for dominance as lead dog of the sled team,… How this plays out →

Relationship notes

How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.

See Spitz in II: The Law of Club and Fang

In the story

Spitz appears across 4 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

The Call of the Wild
Rival lead dog; Buck kills him to become leader of the sled team.
Into the Primitive
A big, snow-white dog from Spitzbergen who is friendly in a treacherous way and attempts to steal Buck's food, but is disciplined by François's whip.
II: The Law of Club and Fang
Acts as lead dog and antagonist; laughs at Curly's death and bullies other dogs.
III: The Dominant Primordial Beast
Bully and rival who provokes Buck; loses the final fight and is killed by Buck.

Chapter companion notes

Spoil-light check-ins for Spitz unlock in the free preview.

See Spitz in II: The Law of Club and Fang

See Spitz in The Call of the Wild