Tradition / Region: Chinese Mythology Alternate Names: Shan Zi Category: Dog
In ancient Chinese legend there is mention of a strange creature known as Shan.
It was described as a dog with the face of a human. When it encountered people, it was said to smile, an unsettling expression that marked it as something unnatural. The creature moved with great speed, running like the wind itself.
Its appearance was not considered fortunate. Wherever Shan was seen, it was believed that strong winds or destructive storms would soon follow. Because of this, its presence was taken as a sign that a wind disaster was near.
Thus Shan was remembered as a swift, human-faced dog of ill omen, whose smile foretold the coming of violent winds.
Gallery
Sources
Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). 山𤟤. In Wikipedia, from https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%B1%B1%F0%A4%9F%A4
Tradition / Region: Chinese Mythology Alternate Names: — Category: Dog
The Myth
In strange tales recorded in old Chinese stories, there is mention of terrifying creatures known as the Wild Dogs.
They were not ordinary animals but monstrous beings said to roam battlefields and places of death. Their bodies were beast-like, while their heads resembled those of humans. They fed not on flesh alone but on the brains of the dead, tearing open skulls to suck out what lay within.
One story tells of a man named Li Hualong who fled into the mountains during a time of rebellion and war. Dead bodies lay everywhere across the land. When he saw soldiers approaching, he feared he would be captured and killed. To escape notice, he lay down among the corpses and pretended to be dead.
While he lay there, a creature approached. It had a human-like head and moved among the bodies, gnawing at their skulls and feeding on their brains. When it came near him, Li Hualong seized a stone and struck it in the mouth. The monster fled, leaving a trail of blood behind as it escaped into the wild.
Afterward, in the place where the creature had bled, two of its teeth were found. They were long, curved, and sharp, proof that the thing had not been a dream but one of the dreadful Wild Dogs that haunted the aftermath of war.
Thus these creatures were remembered as horrors of desolate places — dog-like monsters that followed death itself, feeding upon the fallen where no one dared remain.
Gallery
Sources
Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). 野狗子. In Wikipedia, from https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%87%8E%E7%8B%97%E5%AD%90
Tradition / Region: Chinese Mythology Alternate Names: Disaster-Fighting Beast, Scourge beast Category: Dog
The Myth
In ancient Chinese lore there is mention of a strange and dangerous animal known as the Huodou.
It was said to live in a distant southern land near the dark mountains. In that country, people were believed to withstand fire and even eat burning charcoal. Among them lived a creature that also fed on fire. This beast was described as black in color and shaped somewhat like a dog.
The creature’s nature was considered deeply ominous. Though it could consume flames, it was also said to breathe fire itself, spreading destruction wherever it went. Because of this, it was taken as a sign of disaster.
A later tale tells of a young man named Wu Kan, who lived alone until he discovered a mysterious white snail. When he brought it home, the snail transformed into a beautiful woman who became his wife and helped him with his household.
The local magistrate grew jealous and sought to cause them trouble. He demanded that Wu Kan bring him strange and dangerous things. Each time, the wife managed to provide what was asked. At last, the magistrate demanded a Scourge Beast.
The woman obtained a creature shaped like a dog and gave it to her husband to deliver. The beast consumed fire, but what it expelled afterward was also fire. Soon after it was brought to the magistrate’s house, flames spread from it and the building burned completely to ashes.
After this, Wu Kan and his wife disappeared, and nothing more was known of them.
Thus the Scourge Beast was remembered as a black, dog-like creature tied to fire and destruction — a being that could swallow flames yet also bring ruin wherever it appeared.
In Portuguese tradition, the Corrilário is said to be the spirit of a restless dead person, appearing in the form of a dog.
These beings are believed to be the souls of those whose lives ended wrongly or whose fate remained unfinished. Some say they were people who died violently, who left promises unfulfilled, or who failed to complete the rites expected of them in life. Others say that a werewolf who dies before the time appointed for his curse must continue on after death as one of these wandering spirits.
As a Corrilário, the soul does not find rest. Instead it is bound to wander the roads and paths of the world. Unlike werewolves, which are said to follow only straight roads, the Corrilário moves along both straight ways and hidden shortcuts, passing through fields, tracks, and lonely routes where few people walk.
Because they are spirits tied to unfinished fate, they are thought to remain in this form only for as long as they would have lived had death not come early. Until that time has passed, they continue their wandering, like messengers moving between places, never settling.
Thus the Corrilário was remembered as a ghostly dog of the roads — not a beast of malice, but the shape taken by the unquiet dead, walking the paths of the living until their destined time was finally spent.
Sources
The Narrator. (2020). Corrilários. In portuguesecreaturesandlegendsgalore.wordpress.com, from https://portuguesecreaturesandlegendsgalore.wordpress.com/2020/01/17/corrilarios/
Tradition / Region: Japanese Mythology Alternate Names: In’gami, Irigami Category: Dog
The Myth
Inugami are powerful dog spirits said to serve human masters. They are known throughout western Japan, especially in Kyūshū and Shikoku, and are most often connected with wealthy or influential families.
To ordinary eyes, an inugami may appear as nothing more than a common dog. Its true form, however, is far more unsettling. It is said to exist as the mummified head of a dog, preserved and hidden within a secret shrine in the house of its owner. From this hidden vessel, the spirit carries out the will of the family it serves.
Inugami are loyal and obedient, performing tasks much like a living dog. They may bring prosperity, protect the household, or carry out secret commands. Families said to possess such spirits, known as inugami-mochi, treated them almost as members of the household. The spirits were believed to pass down through generations, so that each family member would have their own inugami.
Yet these spirits were not without danger. If mistreated or angered, an inugami could turn on its master with violent fury. They were also known for their power of possession. An inugami might enter a person’s body, settling inside and bringing suffering. Those possessed were said to feel strange pains, intense jealousy, or uncontrollable hunger, and some would bark like a dog. Removing such a spirit required another sorcerer and could take great effort and expense.
The creation of an inugami was believed to involve a dark and terrible ritual. A dog would be driven into extreme desperation through hunger and suffering, and at the height of that torment its head would be severed. The spirit born from that fury would become a powerful and vengeful entity. The head was then preserved and enshrined so that the spirit could be bound and commanded.
Because of the fear surrounding these practices, families suspected of keeping inugami were often shunned by others. Even the accusation of using such spirits could force a household into isolation.
Thus the inugami were remembered as loyal yet dangerous dog spirits — protectors, servants, and sources of both fortune and ruin, bound to families by dark rites and hidden shrines.
Tradition / Region:English Mythology Alternate Names: Canis getulus, Canis lucernarius, Mimic Dog Category: Dog
The Myth
In early accounts of strange animals recorded by scholars and writers, there are descriptions of a mysterious creature known as the Getulian Dog.
It was said to be a four-legged beast of unusual appearance. Some described it as red and black, or white and black, with a broad, frog-like head and large protruding ears. Others gave it a sharper, darker face, with long legs, shaggy hair, and a short, curved body. Though dog-shaped, it seemed unlike any known breed.
What made the creature most remarkable was not its appearance but its behavior. The Getulian Dog was believed to possess an uncanny intelligence and the ability to imitate human actions. It could copy gestures and movements, and some stories claimed it could even serve people, performing tasks much like a servant.
In certain accounts, the animal was said to be capable of appearing in performances or plays, behaving in ways so human-like that observers were astonished. Because of this strange ability, it was sometimes called the Mimic Dog.
Whether the creature truly existed or belonged to the realm of marvels, it lived on in the writings of naturalists and storytellers alike, remembered as a curious and almost human dog whose nature blurred the line between beast and person.
The Ahuizotl was a feared creature of the lakes and waters in the lands of the Aztecs.
It was said to live in deep pools, caverns, and the shores of great lakes. The creature was about the size of a small dog, with dark, smooth fur that shone like wet stone. Its ears were small and pointed, and its body sleek and slippery. Most terrifying of all, it possessed hands like those of a monkey, not only on its forelimbs but also at the end of its long tail.
The Ahuizotl was believed to serve the rain gods, especially Tlaloc and Chalchiuhtlicue. Some said it guarded the waters and the fish within them. Others believed it was sent by the gods to gather souls they favored, taking them from the world of the living and bringing them to the paradise of Tlaloc.
People feared going near certain waters because of it. The creature was said to hide below the surface, waiting for someone to approach. When a victim came too close, it would seize them with the hand at the end of its tail and drag them beneath the water.
Some tales say the creature ate only certain parts of its victims — the eyes, nails, and teeth — leaving the rest behind. Because of this, the dead were believed to belong to the gods, and only priests were permitted to handle their bodies.
The Ahuizotl was also said to lure its prey. It could cry like a human baby, drawing compassionate people toward the water’s edge. At other times it caused fish and frogs to leap to the surface, tempting fishermen closer until they were within reach.
Thus the Ahuizotl was remembered as a servant of the rain gods and a terror of the lakes — a dark, dog-shaped water spirit whose unseen hand could reach from the depths and pull the living into the world of the gods.
Tradition / Region: Inuit Mythology Alternate Names: Walrus Dog Category: Dog
The Myth
Along the harsh coasts of Alaska, hunters told of a strange and dangerous creature known as the Az’-i-wû-gûm Ki-mukh’-ti, the Walrus Dog.
It was said to resemble a large dog in shape, though more slender and elongated than any ordinary animal. Its tail was long and thick with muscle, strong enough to strike with deadly force. Instead of fur, its body was covered in tough black scales, making it nearly impossible to kill except with the finest weapons.
The creature was believed to live among herds of walrus. Though not one of them, it moved with them and seemed to act as their guardian. Because of this, walrus hunters feared encountering it while at sea.
Stories told that the Walrus Dog was one of the creations of Raven, the great being who shaped many animals and spirits of the world. Like many of Raven’s works, it was both part of nature and something beyond it.
Hunters warned that if the creature was disturbed, it could become deadly. Its tail alone could kill a man, and one tale spoke of a time when it attacked an umiak on the water and slew everyone aboard.
Thus the Az’-i-wû-gûm Ki-mukh’-ti was remembered as a powerful spirit-beast of the northern coasts — a scaled dog that guarded the walrus herds and brought danger to those who crossed its path.
Tradition / Region: Chinese Mythology Alternate Names: Heavenly Dog Category: Dog
The Myth
Tiangou, the Heavenly Dog, is a powerful creature of the sky known throughout ancient China.
In one form, it is seen as a dark, enormous dog that appears during eclipses. When the Sun or Moon suddenly darkens, people said it was because Tiangou had risen into the heavens and begun to devour it. The creature was believed to swallow the heavenly body, causing the sky to dim until the light returned again.
One story tells that after the hero Hou Yi shot down the nine extra suns that scorched the world, he received an elixir of immortality from the Queen Mother of the West. Before he could drink it, his wife Chang’e secretly consumed the potion herself and began to float upward toward the heavens.
At that moment, Hou Yi’s black dog entered the room and licked the remaining drops of the elixir. The magic transformed it. Growing larger and more powerful, the dog leapt into the sky and chased after Chang’e. Terrified, she fled to the Moon and hid there.
The dog followed her and swallowed the Moon itself, taking Chang’e with it.
When the Queen Mother of the West learned what had happened, she seized the creature. Recognizing that it had once belonged to Hou Yi, she did not destroy it. Instead, she ordered the dog to release the Moon and Chang’e, and she set it as a guardian of the gates of Heaven. From then on, it was known as Tiangou, the Heavenly Dog.
In other traditions, Tiangou is not only feared but also respected. In a more benevolent form it appears as a celestial guardian, linked to the stars and said to protect against misfortune, robbers, and danger.
Another story tells that a divine archer named Zhang Xian watches the sky for the Heavenly Dog. When Tiangou threatens the heavens, Zhang Xian draws his bow and shoots to drive it away, protecting both the sky and the lives of the people below.
Thus Tiangou is remembered as both a devourer of the Moon and a guardian of Heaven — a celestial dog whose presence explains the darkening of the sky and whose power reaches across both myth and the stars.
In the traditions of the Guanches, the ancient inhabitants of the Canary Islands, there were feared creatures known as Tibicenas.
They were imagined as great wild dogs, enormous and terrifying, with glowing red eyes and long black fur. These beings did not roam openly across the land but lived deep inside caves within the mountains. Some caverns were believed to be their lairs, and certain caves were still known by names connected to them.
The Tibicenas were said to emerge at night. When darkness fell, they crept out from the mountain depths and prowled the land, attacking livestock and sometimes people. Because of this, they were feared as dangerous spirits rather than mere animals.
In Guanche belief, the Tibicenas were not independent creatures but were the offspring of Guayota, a malignant being associated with darkness and the underworld. This made them part of the world of demons and hostile spirits, tied to the hidden places of the earth.
Different islands knew them by different names. On Tenerife they were often called Guacanchas, while on Gran Canaria they were more commonly known as Tibicenas.
Thus the Tibicena was remembered as a cave-dwelling demon in the form of a great black dog, a night hunter of the mountains and a servant of the dark powers beneath the earth.
