YOU AIN’T NEVER CAUGHT A RABBIT...
Regular visitors to Doc40 know that the usual stock-in-trade of the weblog is cultural outrage and popular esoterica, but on New Year’s Eve at the stroke of Midnight, I may have beheld an apparition, or at least had a brush with resonating folklore. (See Jan 1st) Clearly to confess such atavism without clouding it in poetry or pretending its metaphor is not easy, although I feel I’m entitled, seeing as how I've published a quartet of critically acclaimed vampire novels that were even lauded by Bookslut who normally scathing of such things. Thus, neighbors, here is an edited version of the all-you-need-to-know about Hellhound encounters that was so kindly supplied by our pal Mr. MR. The italics are mine. Themic norms will be resumed when Doc is good and ready, and no longer feels like Robert Johnson’s old suit.

The term ‘Black dog’ is used to refer to apparitions of creatures which typically resemble black dogs though it is also often used as a generic term for canine apparitions of other colours and types. The term does not usually include apparitions of pets however (Brown, 1978; Miller, 1984). . "

A. That which is generally known locally as the Barguest, Shuck, Black Shag, Trash, Skriker, Padfoot, Hooter, and other names. These are not the names of individuals but of an impersonal creature which is distributed over certain areas…This type, which we may call the Barguest type, changes its shape, a thing that no true black dog ever does." (p.176).

B. That which is nearly always known as the Black Dog, is always black, and is always a dog and nothing else. It is always associated with a definite place or ‘beat’ on a road. It is always an individual. Sometimes it is associated with a person or a family…Another personal association is that with witches." (p.178). "C. A third variety of Black Dog, which is rare, is that which appears in a certain locality in conjunction with a calendar cycle*." (p.179).
(* First few seconds of 2005 would seem to qualify under section C)

The black dog is known by different names in different parts of the British Isles (Bord & Bord, 1985; McEwan, 1986): e.g. Norfolk Shuck, Black Shuck, Old Shuck
East Anglia Old Shock, Shucky Dog, Black Shuck, the Shug Monster
Suffolk Scarfe, Gally-trot, Gallytrot, Galley Trot, Moddey Dhoe
Isle of Man Moddey Dhoo, which means "Black Dog" and is pronounced "Mauther Thoo" in Manx Gaelic
Lancashire Trash, Guytrash, Skriker Yorkshire Barghest, Barghaist, Barguest, Barguest, Barn-ghaist, Skriker
Westmorland Cappel Staffordshire Padfoot Warwickshire Hooter Lincolnshire Hairy Jack Leicestershire Shag Dog Midlands Hooter Somerset Gurt Dog or ‘great dog’ Wales Gwyllgi (dog of darkness)
Scotland Black dog known as the Muckle Black Tyke and in Gaelic as Choin Dubh. Cu Sith** or fairy dog is more common and is usually green or sometimes white.
(** Ghost dog of the Sith, perhaps?)

Black dogs are often associated with a particular place or area (Miller, 1984). Black dogs have also been reported at places associated with violent crimes **** (Miller, 1984). Types of places associated with appearances of black dogs include: roads, crossroads, lanes, footpaths, bridges, gateways, doorways, staircases, boundaries, fields, hedges, green lanes, treasure sites, wayside burials, graves and gallows, wells and trees (Brown, 1958, 1978; Bord & Bord, 1985). Black dogs are often encountered near water, e.g. the sea, ponds, and bridges over streams or rivers (Bord & Bord, 1985). However, Bord & Bord (1985) note that "there are very few places in Britain where one is very far away from water (except in times of drought!)" (p.98). Bord and Bord (1985) theorised that black dogs might patrol ley lines and dis/appear at various ley points such as churchyards, prehistoric remains and ancient trackways.
(*** Now here is does get a tad Rod Serling, and I only made the connection when I read this material, is that there was, in fact, a guy shot dead, about five years ago, exactly where I saw the said dog. (I swear.) The culmination of a Honduran carjacking. It was even on the Channel 2 News. The cops stood around his body for two hours leaning on the hood of a black white, drinking coffee and eating donuts waiting for the CSI to arrive, while the victim lay in the sidewalk under a bodybag. A small growth of candles and flowers appeared the next day and remained until they melted or wilted.)

Black dogs are usually seen at night (Bord & Bord, 1985) though sightings have taken place in daylight (Brown, 1978). They are usually experienced outside, often in lonely rural settings, although a few accounts of encounters inside houses have been reported (Bord & Bord, 1985). In some cases the percipient was making their way home alone at night. Percipients may report that they suddenly become aware of a black dog trotting along beside them (Bord & Bord, 1985; Miller, 1984).

3. Characteristics of the apparitions
It has been suggested that the appearance of the apparition might be influenced by the percipients’ psychological disposition**** and their repertoire of images and symbols (Brown, 1978; Miller, 1984).
(**** I'll go along with that.)

The main ways that black dog apparitions differ from normal dogs is in terms of their size, their eyes and their behaviour (Bord & Bord, 1985). 5. How are these apparitions interpreted?Reactions to black dog apparitions vary from fear and aggression to acceptance and friendship (Miller, 1984). Sometimes people try to stroke the dog (presumably if it appears friendly) whilst at other times people have attempted to strike it (Bord & Bord , 1985). Black dogs in Lincolnshire have often been considered to be harmless and protective (Rudkin, 1935, 1938 cited by Miller, 1984). Indeed, it seems that the English black dog has become a less fearsome and more friendly creature over the last century (Brown, 1978 cited by Miller, 1984). Bord & Bord (1985) suggest that "Working on the basis of first-hand accounts there is rather more evidence that black dogs are friendly (or at least harmless) than that they are dangerous. Indeed the dogs are often positively helpful." (p.94). The appearance of black dog apparitions has often been regarded as an omen of death or bad luck or bad weather (Bord & Bord, 1985; Miller, 1984). Some appearances are good omens but they are mostly believed to be bad omens, either communally or personally (Brown, 1978). A number of other normal, paranormal and supernatural explanations for Black Dog encounters have been suggested. One normal explanation is that reports were made up by parents to keep children away from restricted areas or going near rabid dogs and/or by grave-robbers to keep the public away from graveyards (see Miller, 1984). Alternatively, stories of black dogs might have encouraged certain societal norms, such as respect for the dead, and discouraged grave-robbing (Sikes, 1880; Thomas, 1978 cited by Miller, 1984). Although this theory might be able to explain some historical accounts, it is difficult to see how this could explain more recent reports. Another normal explanation is that the dogs are normal dogs or big cats that have been misperceived (e.g., Miller, 1984). Again this might account for some cases but this explanation cannot readily explain some of the more unusual features of the creatures' appearance/disappearance and behaviour. It has been suggested that the Black Dog might be purely hallucinatory and based upon personal or cultural archetypes (see Baynes, 1950; Jung, 1968, cited by Miller, 1984).

Another avenue that seems to be becoming more popular is the notion that apparitions in general might somehow be facilitated or created by interactions with environmental variables, such as electromagnetism or geomagnetism***** (e.g., Houran & Lange, 2001; Radin & Rebman, 1996) which might be particularly prominent in certain locations, such as ley lines (Bord & Bord, 1985; Miller, 1984). It has been suggested that electrical storms****** might facilitate their appearance (Bord & Bord, 1985).
(***** I like this one)
(****** been having storms in LA for over a week, thunder, rain, the whole bit. I rest my case whatever it might be.)

That’s all, folks.

CRYPTIQUE – If Pluto’s a dog, what the fuck is Goofy?