Cryptid Profile: Dogman

Before we get too involved with this, I make no claims whatsoever of being an expert on the subject of cryptids. This blog entry will cover things I’ve read, been told, or have found through other means. I make no pretense of “knowing more” than anyone or possessing “special knowledge.” I merely compiled information and quite frankly, I’m a horror writer. I gathered the information and presented it here in a format that I hope you’ll enjoy.

I wanted to start the Cryptid Profiles with a look at one that actually worries me: The Dogman.

Legends and tales date the Dogman back to times when the first settlers arrived here. There is a considerable amount of lore from Native American sources, as well. There seems to be one thing linking the vast majority of the stories. Witnesses all describe a feeling of pure dread or of sensing nothing but evil from these creatures. A malevolent creature that fills them with fear and drives them to near panic. To me, that is the essence of the Dogman.

Now, Dogman should not be confused with other similar legends. For example, the Werewolf, the Skinwalker, the Loup Garou or Rougarou, and many others. Many different cultures have their own legends of upright walking canids, some evil, and some good. I don’t group Dogman in with these other legends. I’ll save those topics for another time. For now, we’re focusing on the Dogman. Mainly because the other creatures are all suspected shapeshifters. The Dogman does not change shape.

Many encounters, sightings, accounts, tales, and even songs exist on the subject of Dogman. Groups have been formed to search for evidence. Groups like the North American Dogman Project, for one. There are others, but that’s the first one that popped into my head. They take the subject very seriously and use modern forensic tactics to gather evidence. This is how it’s done.

There are so many accounts, so I won’t attempt to mention them all. I will mention a few of the more well-known encounters/locations. The Beast of Bray Road, The Beast of Land Between the Lakes (LBL), The Siege of Lockett Ranch. These are some of the bigger stories I’ve encountered. Are they real? I have no idea. I wasn’t there for any of them. I do know that in the cases of Bray Road and LBL, there are numerous sightings and encounters. If the stories are to be believed, then particularly at LBL, the stories are lethal.

Yes, I said lethal. At least two stories come to mind where this allegedly occurred. First, was when a family was torn apart in a campground in LBL. It was supposed to have happened in the late seventies or early eighties. It was a family of four camping and all were brutally killed and the small daughter had been carried away. I won’t retell the story. You can go to YouTube and search “Beast of LBL” and find that story told many different times. If it’s just a story, it’s terrifying. If it’s true, well then… it’s beyond terrifying. The second is of a deer hunter in LBL who was dragged from his campsite and torn apart. It’s documented on YouTube and many other sources. Search it if you want to hear that entire story. It’s a good one and worth listening to.

You get a feel for the sheer ferocity of the creatures in these two accounts. These are by no means the only stories to come out of LBL. These creatures aren’t friendly and aren’t looking to make friends with us. They’re monsters in every sense of the word and if you venture out looking for these things, don’t go alone and don’t go unarmed. That’s the best advice I can give you. Heed it or not, at your peril.

The Dogman is generally described as a large, bipedal, canid ranging in color from greys to white to completely black. Height varies with encounters and sightings, ranging from man-sized to massive eight to ten feet tall creatures. They’re also described to have yellow to gold eyes that seem to glow of their own accord. Some tales say other colors, but yellow/gold seems to be the most common.

The biggest thing about the eyes is how the witnesses say they made them feel. They describe the eyes as being “pure evil” and staring at them with hatred or malevolence, malice, and death.  They all say they felt fear and threatened by the creature’s gaze. I can understand that. If an upright canid with glowing yellow eyes stared at me, I’m sure I’d be feeling the same way. That, and reaching for my pistol as I slowly backed away.

If you were to encounter one of these things, bear in mind this. This type of creature is a predator. They will react like any other predator. They can smell your fear. Running away from them will invoke the predatory response. They will chase you. If you need to get away, do not turn and run. Keep an eye on the creature, so you know where it is at all times. If you have a vehicle or a shelter nearby, begin moving slowly towards it without turning your back on the beast. If you aren’t alone, someone watches the creature while you move away slowly. Do not panic and DO NOT RUN. If you have a weapon with you, get it ready. I wouldn’t brandish it or begin shooting unless it’s coming after you. You might hit something you didn’t intend to hit or cause it to attack in perceived self-defense. Use force as a defense only. Be calm and move slowly to safety. Do NOT panic.

Many encounters describe something that I find very interesting. They describe seeing the creature on four legs before standing up. They say that just before it stands, they hear a “popping” or “cracking” sound, then the beast stands. Now, this is a bit of pure speculation on my part, but what if this creature stays on four legs to blend in as a wolf (albeit a BIG wolf) until it’s ready to reveal itself. If the popping sound is the paws/hands rearranging themselves. It would explain why skeletal remains could have simply been described as a particularly large wolf. Again, I am not an expert, but this is what I’ve found and what I’ve been able to surmise from my research.

From what I’ve read, the Dogman is a terrifying cryptid, and encountering one in the wild could very possibly be a fatal experience. For all of you would be researchers who are considering going out looking for the Dogman, I say be cautious. Don’t go alone, go in groups, stick together, and don’t go unarmed. Use common sense when searching. If you do encounter the creature, don’t panic. Don’t try to stare it down, as making eye contact in the canine world, is a challenge. Don’t turn your back on the beast and above all, DO NOT RUN. If you do, you just might not survive the encounter.

You’ve been warned.

DA

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