The Michigan Dogman is a legendary cryptid that is said to live in the northern woods of Michigan, particularly near the Manistee River. It is described as being similar to the Rougarou werewolf of Louisiana.
| Cryptid Name: | Michigan Dogman |
| Location: | Northern Woods of Michigan, USA |
| Category: | Canine / Hominid Cryptid |
| Description: | Resembles a large, upright canine, often likened to a werewolf or a wolf-like creature with human characteristics. |
| Size: | Typically described as being larger than a normal wolf, often around 7 feet / 2 meters tall when standing upright. |
| Behavior/Characteristics: | Said to be elusive and rarely seen, with reports of it being aggressive or territorial in some accounts. It is often depicted as a nocturnal creature. |
| Diet: | Unknown, but often assumed to be a carnivore preying on small animals and possibly scavenging for food |
| Habitat/Environment: | Dense forests and remote areas near the Manistee River in Michigan. |
| Evidence: | There is no concrete scientific evidence supporting the existence of the Michigan Dogman. |
| Sightings and Encounters: | Various anecdotal accounts and alleged eyewitness reports have been shared, but none have been scientifically verified. The legend gained popularity in the late 1980s, thanks in part to a radio song. |
| Skepticism/Explanations: | Many skeptics believe that sightings of the Michigan Dogman are hoaxes, misidentifications of other animals, or simply products of imagination. It is often considered an urban legend or myth. |
What Does The Michigan Dogman Look Like?
The Michigan Dogman is a cryptid that is said to look like a human-wolf hybrid that is bigger than a typical wolf with reports saying that it stands at around 7 feet / 2 meters tall when it’s standing on its hind legs.
It has a strong body that is covered in fur which is described as shaggy and is either gray, brown, or black in color. It has clawed paws and is capable of walking on all fours or standing upright.
Its head is wolf-like or canine in appearance with pointed teeth while some people describe it as having human-like features. Its eyes are often described as glowing or having an eery and unnatural appearance to them especially when seen in the dark.
Michigan Dogman Sightings
Michigan Dogman sightings date all the way back to 1938 when a man by the name of Robert Fortney was attacked by five wild dogs. He managed to shoot one of the dogs but claimed that when the other four made their escape, one was running away on two legs.
Since then there have been a number of sightings which I’ve summarized below:
| Year | Sighting Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1938 | Paris, Michigan | Robert Fortney suffered an attack by five wild dogs; he managed to shoot one but claimed that one of four ran away on two legs. |
| Late 1950s | Allegan County | An Allegan County resident reported seeing a similar creature. |
| 1967 | Manistee | Two fishermen at Manistee reported a sighting. |
| 1967 | Cross Village | Multiple reports from witnesses in Cross Village. |
| 1980 | National Mine | A family claimed a sighting of the creature. |
| July 1987 | Lake County | The sheriff investigated a supposed Dogman attack on a rural cabin. |
| 1989 | Traverse City | A witness in Traverse City claimed a Dogman sighting. |
| 1993-94 | Reed City | Multiple sightings and a blurry Dogman photo were reported. |
| 1994 | National Mine | Another sighting by a family in National Mine. |
| July 1997 | Wexford County | Veronica Freels and her daughter reported seeing a creature resembling the Dogman. |
| June 2006 | Reed City | Another sighting in Reed City. |
| Feb 2007 | Antrim County | Claims that Dogmen or their tracks had been photographed in Antrim County. |
| May 2007 | Benzie County | Claims that Dogmen or their tracks had been photographed in Benzie County. |
The Legend of the Dogman Song
In 1987, Steve Cook recorded a song about the Michigan Dogman titled “The Legend”. After the song was released, the radio station received hundreds of calls from people who said that they had seen the dogman.
Steve Cook however said that the song was meant as an April Fools joke and that he had based the song around different North American myths and legends and that he didn’t have any experiences with the dogman himself.
This is the song… lyrics down below.
Michigan Dogman Song Lyrics
A cool summer mornin’ in early June is when the legend began. At a nameless logging camp in Wexford County where the Manistee River ran. Eleven lumberjacks near the Garland Swamp found an animal they thought was a dog. In a playful mood they chased it around ‘til it ran inside a hollow log. A logger named Johnson grabbed him a stick and pocked around inside. Then the thing let out an unearthly scream and came out, and stood upright. None of those men ever said very much about whatever happened then. They just packed up their belongings and left that night and were never heard from again. It was ten years later in ’97 when a farmer near Buckley was found slumped over his plough his heart had stopped, there were dog tracks all around. Seven years past the turn of the century they say a crazy old widow had a dream of dogs that circled her house at night. They walked like men and screamed. In 1917 a sheriff who was out a walkin’ found a driverless wagon and tracks in the dust like wolves had been a stalkin’. Near the roadside a four-horse team lay dead with their eyes open wide when the vet finished up his examination he said it looked like they died of fright. In ’37 a schooner captain said several crew members had reported a pack of wild dogs roaming Bowers Harbor, his story was never recorded. In ’57 a man of the cloth found claw marks on an old church door. The newspaper said they were made by a dog, he had stood seven foot four. In ’67 a van load of hippies told a park ranger named Quinlyn They’d been awakened in the night by a scratch at the winda… there was a dogman lookin’ in and grinnin'. In ‘77 there were screams in the night near the village of Bellaire. Could have been a bobcat, could have been the wind. Nobody looked up there. Then in the summer of ’87, near Luther it happened again. At a cabin in the woods it looked like maybe someone had tried to break in. There were cuts around the doors that could only have been made by very sharp teeth and claws. He didn’t wear shoes cause he didn’t have feet, he walked on just two paws. So far this year no stories have appeared Have the dogmen gone away? Have they disappeared? Soon enough I guess we’ll know cause this is the time to fear. And when another ten years has come around The seventh year is here. And somewhere in the north woods darkness a creature walks upright. And the best advice you may ever get is don’t go out at night.
