Black Dogs

Although their appearance may seem frightening, Black Dogs have been known to protect young woman and children from danger.

Basic Information

For hundreds of years, people have been seeing black dogs. Usually seen around crossroads and associated with various forms of evil, people have feared the creatures. Some believe the animals are either ghosts, or apparitions that foretell the death of those who see it. But evidence suggests a different reason for their existence: as protectors. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's most famous book with Sherlock Holmes, The Hound of Baskerville, is honoured for its use of the black dog legend.

Descriptions of the Creatures

Usually black dogs are gigantic hounds with glowing red eyes that resemble fire or burning coals. The creature is abnormally large; very tall and muscular. As expected, the creature shows up on lonely roads late at night. Reports also include dogs of other colours: white, yellow and gray are sometimes reported. Usually the dogs appear from nothing, and disappear into nothing once the person is either safe or menaced away.

A leading investigator of black dogs, Theo Brown, wrote,

"Oral tradition sometimes gives us a legend, but this has probably been invented to explain the ghost. [Black dogs] . . . if regarded purely as a symbol must represent some universal guardian of the threshold personified in various cultures."

Sightings and Cases

There are many sightings of the creature, but several must be noted for either strangeness or "chill factor".
The famous folk-blues singer and guitarists Robert Johnson of the 1930s was said to have made a deal with the devil for his amazing talents. He never denied the rumours, which were spread by those jealous and in awe of abilities. In 1936, in "Cross Road Blues", he alluded to the meeting with a man in black who he met at a cross road. In another song, this came forth: "I've got to keep movin'. . . There's a hellhound on my trail."

The first recorded example of black dogs comes from the chilling account of a French manuscript. Written in 856 A.D., the Annales Franorum told of a sudden darkness that overtook a small church during a service. A large black dog, with glowing eyes appeared in the church and looked as if it searched for something before disappearing. On August 4, 1577, in Bongay, England, a black dog showed up in a church during a violent storm. Running through the aisles, the dog killed two worshippers and injured another as it burned the man violently. Seven miles away, on the same day, a similar attack took place.

More modern stories don't share the violent characteristics of the older tales. Usually, the dogs in recent times seem to act as ghosts instead of demons. Most new cases, in fact, involve the dogs helping woman and children in the time of danger; protecting them on dark lonely roads.

However,  Ed Koehler tells of a very strange encounter with a black dog. While working as a sercruity guard. Around 1983 in the Dallas area, Ed came to see a very tall man from the corner of his eye after his partner saw a black dog. It was later learned that the building was atop a torn down farm were a farmer, his wife and large black dog had been killed. Very creepy indeed!