Popchik

Popchik, also called Popper, is a purebred Maltese dog who begins as Xandra Terrell's neglected pet and becomes a steadfast, affectionate companion to Theodore Decker and Boris Pavlikovsky during their chaotic adolescence in Las Vegas. Though small and often anxious, he is fiercely loyal and territorial, and his presence provides a thread of warmth and continuity through Theo's years of loss, addiction, and rootlessness, eventually following him to New York to live out his old age with Theo and James Hobart.

Identity and Background

Popchik is a purebred Maltese whom Xandra won in a raffle. He is described as a small, fluffy white dog, and Xandra admits she knows he needs a bath but finds it a pain to keep him groomed. When Theo first arrives at the house on Desert End Road, Popchik is left alone for long periods with only a Petco drinking fountain and a large feeder, and the house smells of dog waste. Xandra leaves the television on Animal Planet for him when she is out. He is initially kept mostly outdoors, in a brown plastic igloo on the shady side of the fence, and is often chained up, straining and yapping at the glass door. Boris, who dislikes the name Popper, renames him with a series of nicknames including "Amyl," "Nitrate," "Snaps," and "Popchik," and the latter name sticks.

Life in Las Vegas

Once Theo and Boris begin spending time together, they start bringing Popchik inside despite Xandra's rules. Inside, he is surprisingly quiet and starved for attention, sticking close to them, trotting anxiously at their heels, and curling up to sleep on the rug while they read and listen to music. Boris teaches him to dance on his hind legs for food, and they feed him steak straight from the frying pan. Popchik becomes a constant presence in their shared life, sleeping between them in Theo's bed and snoring contentedly. He is fiercely territorial about his place next to Theo, and will jump up and bark if anyone opens the bedroom door. When Boris's father, Mr. Pavlikovsky, arrives home in a violent rage, Boris shoves Popchik into Theo's arms and hisses at him to get the dog out, knowing his father would kill it. Popchik remains silent during the escape. After Boris's father beats him, the three of them—Theo, Boris, and Popchik—run to the abandoned community center playground, where Popchik trots along behind them as they weave and laugh in the dark.

Journey to New York

After Theo's father dies and he decides to flee Las Vegas, he refuses to leave Popchik behind, saying he will not leave him for Xandra to lock up and starve. Boris warns that airlines will not take a dog, but Theo insists he will take the train. A cab driver named J.P., who is a magician, helps Theo smuggle Popchik onto a Greyhound bus by hiding him in a canvas shopping bag with a cardboard box at the bottom, covering him with a newspaper. J.P. advises Theo to sit in the back and not keep looking down at the bag. Popchik is quiet for most of the journey, but at a stop in Effingham, Illinois, the bus driver, Denese, discovers him. She threatens to put them off if any passenger complains, but the other passengers do not object, and they are allowed to continue. Throughout the long, cold journey, Popchik stays curled in his bag, and Theo gives him water and food at rest stops.

Life in New York with Hobie

When Theo arrives at Hobie's house in Greenwich Village, Pippa Blackwell is the one who first notices Popchik sticking his head out of the bag. She lifts him up and cuddles him, and he quickly becomes part of the household. Pippa takes him for walks, though he is terrified of city traffic and yowls at passing cabs. Hobie has him bathed, and he emerges fluffy and snow-white. Popchik becomes a constant companion to Theo in his room, snoozing on the carpet by his feet while he studies. He is also a fierce barker and territorial about his place next to Theo, and Theo knows he will raise the alarm if anyone opens the bedroom door while he is sleeping. As Popchik ages, he grows stiff and creaky, no longer able to stand with his paws on the edge of the bathtub as he once did, but he still sits on the bath mat and watches Theo anxiously. He sleeps curled by Theo's feet, and when Theo wakes in the night with nightmares, Popchik is often placed on his chest by Boris, a warm weight that helps him fall back asleep.

Old Age and Significance

By the time Theo is an adult, Popchik is very old, with bad teeth and a mild case of heartworm that Theo pays to treat. He is deaf and sometimes falls asleep in out-of-the-way places. He is also extremely excited whenever Boris visits, running in circles and screaming with joy. When Boris reappears in Theo's adult life, he immediately recognizes Popchik and exclaims that he has gotten fat. Popchik's presence provides a small, steady anchor of affection and loyalty through Theo's years of grief, addiction, and moral compromise. He is a living link to the chaotic Vegas years and a creature who loves Theo unconditionally, offering a simple, wordless comfort that Theo craves but often cannot find in his human relationships. His eventual death, though not depicted in the novel, is foreshadowed by his increasing frailty, marking the end of an era in Theo's life.