Dog is a psychologically disturbed nightkin who helps Father Elijah by capturing "assistants" for him and fitting them with explosive collars in 2281. His alternate personality, God (referred to by the former as simply "the voice"), is trying to break Dog free of Elijah's grasp. The "Dog" personality is activated by the sound of Father Elijah's voice, and the "God" personality is activated by the sound of his own voice (via holotape or radio). When one personality is dominant, the other is said to be in "the cage" or "the basement".