Hammett Pooch is a fictional character created by Dashiell Hammett, an American author of hard-boiled detective fiction. The character is ASTA, a wire-haired fox terrier who appears in the 1934 film adaptation of Hammett's novel, The Thin Man. ASTA is the loyal companion of Nick and Nora Charles, the main characters of the novel and film. ASTA is known for his intelligence and wit, often helping to solve the mystery.