Starting in the 1990s, the cryptid scene has been invaded by the dogman/werewolf/canid humanoid.

The stories took off in the American Midwest, first in Wisconsin – thanks to Linda Godfrey’s coverage of the Beast of Bray Road, followed by the Michigan Dogman legend. Godfrey’s books expanded to include stories of “American werewolves”, encompassing the Rougarou legend of the southern states. Now, the “dogman” or canid humanoid cryptid accounts can be found nearly nationwide.

There are a percentage of people who deeply believe that humanoid beings with canid characteristics exist across America. The stories are spreading and gaining popularity. Faked videos and images, and supposedly genuine eyewitness accounts, are fueling the belief. These stories are propagated via YouTube, TikTok and podcasts. New videos purporting to show a dogman creature appear every week.

While numerous non-scientific outlets for dogman stories exist, this week, vertebrate paleozoologist and well-know cryptid scholar Dr. Darren Naish has produced a comprehensive look at the dogman phenomenon on his Tetrapod Zoology blog, and discussed it on both his podcast and the Monster Talk podcast.

Whatever you believe about the canid humanoid phenomenon, it is popular and widespread enough to demand attention. It is, as they say, “a thing” these days – a true Pop Cryptid that expanded out of a core set of tales (eyewitness and hoaxed) that spread across the US, and is now making its way around the world by the exact means that Pop Cryptids reproduce – via media.

Most often, the creature is associated not with a zoological animal but with a supernatural, demonic, or magical entity who lurks near human burial sites. Naish explains that the plausibility of an actual dog-man biological entity is nil, but many people who consider the creature to exist as described do not subscribe to a scientific worldview. Instead, they take a spiritual view or are willing to accept an alternative reality that could include such a being (traveling through interdimensional portals, etc.). Why might this be a popular take? You should check out the podcast discussions to find out. The dogman is most definitely a complex socio-cultural idea with legs.

• Werewolves in America; the Tale of Dogman – Tetrapod Zoology
• Episode 93: Darren Naish Presents “Badgerman vs Dogman” – Tetrapod Zoology Podcast
• S03E46 – Darren Naish pt 1 : The Dogman – Monster Talk

https://moderncryptozoology.wordpress.com/2024/08/16/dogman-leads-the-pack/

#BeastOfBrayRoad #canidHominoids #dogman #MichiganDogman #popCryptids #popularCryptids #werewolf

Hey weirdos, I made you some jewelry, featuring two books by the incomparable Linda S. Godfrey.

I hope she's found all the answers to her dogman questions on the other side of the veil.

#Cryptids #MichiganDogman