Dogman: Human-Dog Hybrid Mythology
The #Dogman #Cryptid is a mysterious creature that has been sighted in North America for centuries. Reports of this creature vary, but generally describe it as a canine-human #hybrid, typically with the head and torso of a human, and the body and legs of a canine. It is said to be bipedal and often stands upright on two legs. Reports of sightings have been especially frequent in the state of Michigan. Reports of sightings of the Dogman Cryptid are similar to reports of Bigfoot sightings, as both creatures have been witnessed around North America for many years, although descriptions and locations differ.
One of the first recorded sightings of the #Dogman Cryptid in the USA, sometimes referred to as a werewolf, was in 1887 in Wexford County, Michigan, when two lumberjacks saw a creature with a man's body and a dog's head. Wexford County, Michigan was established in 1840 as #Kautawaubet County, after a #Potawatomi phrase meaning "broken tooth," and the name of a local Potawatomi chief. In 1843, legislators renamed the county Wexford, after County Wexford in Ireland. The witness reported the creature to have been around 7 feet tall with the head of a wolf and the body type of a human, and said they heard a howl that had the sounds of a human scream mixed in. This account is similar to a Potawatomi legend of a werewolf-like creature known today as the #Michigan Dogman.
Earlier still is an account in Canada. According to the Gazette de Québec, the first reported sighting of a #werewolf in Canada dates back to the 1600s, when the first French settlers came over from France and brought with them stories of werewolves, who had been terrorizing their homeland since the late 1400s. One story, which was passed down through generations, recounts a young woman who was attacked and killed by a werewolf. The villagers in the area reported seeing a large wolf-like creature roaming the area at night, and the creature was eventually tracked down and killed by the local hunter.
People tend to look beyond simply accepting #werewolves or #dogmen as possible realities. They want to know why they exist, and our stories of these mysterious and terrifying creatures reflect this. "Bisclavret" ("The Werewolf") is one of the twelve Lais of Marie de France written in the 12th century. It tells the story of a werewolf who is trapped in lupine form by the treachery of his wife. The tale is thought to have been referenced in Sir Thomas Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur with the tale of Sir Marrok, who has a similar story. Written in the Anglo-Norman dialect of French, the story of "Bisclavret" is a unique combination of medieval folklore and courtly love literature. Despite being hundreds of years old, the themes of the story are still relevant today and can be seen in modern works, such as the film "The Wolfman".
Throughout history, there have been myths and stories of humans with dog heads, or dog-like creatures, such as the Greek god #Cerberus, the Egyptian god #Anubis, and the Hindu god #Narasimha. Dog-like humans have been featured in ancient mythology, with stories of gods and creatures possessing both human and canine characteristics. The transformation of a human into a werewolf is perhaps a modern interpretation of these ancient myths.
But how would this transformation be physically possible? The physiology of werewolves is mysterious and complex. It involves supernatural transformations, usually due to the influence of a magical object or the bite of another werewolf. The transformation involves changes in the body such as increased strength, speed, agility, and senses, as well as the physical transformation of the body into a wolf-like creature. It implies that we are capable of cell-level metamorphosis brought on by both metaphysical forces and sometimes sheer will. The transformation of a werewolf is similar to that of a caterpillar to a butterfly; an internal shift of energy and power that produces drastic external changes.
Is there a distinct difference between werewolves and the "dogman"? While werewolves are traditionally seen as mythical, supernatural creatures, the "dogman" is seen as more of a cryptid, or an animal that is not known to exist in the scientific community. This implies that the transformation of the "dogman" is more physical, whereas the transformation of a werewolf could be described as more of a spiritual and psychological transformation. The werewolf's transformation is thought to be temporary, while the Dogman is always in dog-man form, unable to transition into fully dog or fully man. In that case, how would you know if you had seen one or the other? Well, that's not easy to answer as no one has an answer (despite many who claim to). At the risk of making too light of the topic, one could consider whether the creature was wearing the remnants of any clothing. As they are both known to stand on two legs, have features indistinguishable from each other, and are often reported to invoke a sense of dread when they are around (even before they are spotted) it seems impossible to tell.