Hellhounds and Devil Dogs
Hell hounds, devil dogs and a spectral black dogs. Folklore is filthy with the tales of the ghostly black dog. Whether it’s a single entity or they’re running in a pack, the spirit of a dark canine is almost always associated with the demonic realm or even Hell. Typically it’s thought that they have been put on earth to guard the portal to the underworld, or that they’ve been sent here to do the bidding of the devil, and hunt down the souls of those who have somehow escaped death, or simply need to be somehow marked or tagged for some sort of eminent occurrence. No matter the lore, the sight of a large black dog is seem as an ominous warning of misfortune ahead.
These apparitions are typically nocturnal, they’re generally much larger than an average dog, with large glowing red eyes, sometimes and they’re often preceded by a thick mist along the ground as well as the strong scent of sulfur. Some believe these creatures are shapeshifters and can walk upright if they want.
In Wisconsin newspapers as far back as the lay 1800s report the presence of hellhounds in the Chippewa Valley. Running in packs at night devouring sheep and larger cattle as well as shadowing travelers just off the side of the road, staring from the darkness with their smoldering red eyes. Of course there have been recent sightings in the area as well, in Eau Claire and the outskirts of Menominee.
Devil dogs, Hellhounds, the Devil’s Pack, because of their appearance are generally considered to be malevolent, just the name is enough to regard them as sinister in nature, however, there are also some that have been known to behave benevolently. Some stand in paths that have been damaged or washed out, keeping travelers from trying to take them, others trot alongside those in distress, or who are lost in attempts to help guide them. And even Old Shuck, one of the most notorious spectral black dogs, terrifying in every way, has been known to accompany lone woman on there way home as a protector rather than a harbinger of misfortune.