(SQAUK) – A dogman cryptid is a creature that is said to resemble a humanoid dog or wolf, with features such as fur, claws, fangs, and a tail. Some reports also describe the dogman as having human-like eyes, hands, or feet. The dogman is often associated with the state of Michigan, where it is known as the Michigan Dogman, but sightings have also been reported in other parts of the United States and the world.
The origin of the dogman legend needs to be clarified. Still, some sources trace it back to the Native American folklore of the Odawa tribes, who lived around the Manistee River in Michigan. According to these stories, the dogman was a creature that stalked the woods and preyed on humans and animals.n
The first alleged encounter of the dogman by a non-native occurred in 1887, when two lumberjacks in Wexford County, Michigan, claimed to have seen a beast with a man’s body and a dog’s head. Since then, many other sightings and encounters have been reported, especially in the northwestern quadrant of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula. Some of the most notable cases include:
- In 1937, Robert Fortney was attacked by five wild dogs near Paris, Michigan, and said that one of them walked on two legs.
- In 1967, a group of teenagers in Manistee, Michigan, witnessed a large, hairy creature with glowing eyes and a dog-like face near their car.
- In 1987, disc jockey Steve Cook at WTCM-FM in Traverse City, Michigan, recorded a song titled “The Legend,” which he initially played as an April Fool’s Day joke. The song narrated the story of the dogman and its ten-year cycle of appearances, ending in years with the number seven. The song became a hit and renewed interest in the dogman phenomenon.
- In 1997, a 13-year-old boy in Reed City, Michigan, claimed to have seen a dogman outside his window and took a blurry photograph of it. The photo was later analyzed by experts and deemed inconclusive.
- In 2006, a deputy sheriff in Luce County, Michigan, reported seeing a large, black, wolf-like animal running on its hind legs. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources investigated the sighting, but detectives found no evidence.
- In 2017, a couple in Emmet County, Michigan, captured a video of a strange creature crossing the road in front of their car. The duo uploaded the video to YouTube, which went viral, with many viewers speculating that it was a dogman. However, some skeptics suggested it was a bear with mange or a hoax.
The dogman is not only a Michigan phenomenon, as eyewitnesses have reported seeing similar creatures in other states, such as Wisconsin, Kentucky, Ohio, and Texas. Some creatures have different names, such as the Beast of Bray Road, the Dogman of LBL, the Grassman, and the Wolfman. Some researchers have also linked the dogman to other cryptids, such as the werewolf, the skinwalker, and the sasquatch.
The dogman is controversial and mysterious, as there is no conclusive evidence or scientific explanation. Some possible theories include:
- The dogman is a natural, undiscovered animal, possibly a relic population of an ancient canine species, such as the dire wolf or the amphicyonid.
- The dogman is a misidentified or exaggerated sighting of a known animal, such as a bear, coyote, wolf, dog, or hybrid.
- The dogman is a hoax or a prank perpetrated by people wearing costumes or using props.
- The dogman is a supernatural or paranormal entity, possibly related to shapeshifting, curses, or demonic forces.
- The dogman is a psychological phenomenon caused by fear, imagination, or hallucination.
The dogman remains a fascinating and elusive subject for cryptozoologists, who study animals not recognized by mainstream science. Cryptozoology is a pseudoscience that relies primarily on anecdotal stories, eyewitness accounts, and folklore rather than empirical evidence or rigorous methods. Skeptics and scientists constantly criticize and dismiss the dogman and other cryptids as myths, legends, or hoaxes.
