Dogman: Canine or Primate
By: Robert Prevo
For those who take the subject of the Dogman seriously, while there may be many questions surrounding them, one of those is not whether or not this being is a canine or a primate. With out question, or missing a beat, there answer is a resounding “Canine!”, generally followed by a look that reads, “How could you even ask such a question?”
So, how and why do we ask such a question?
Well, there are a number of reasons. Not the least of which are the anatomical and morphological reported traits that belong almost primarily to the primates and have never been seen in true, or modern canines.
Lets take a look at the general description of a “Dogman” as reported by eyewitnesses.
Canine in appearance
Facultative Bipedal (Quadopedal and bipedal)
Human-like hands
Glowing Eyes
Legs are either canine-like or reported to appear “backwards”
Human-like torso musculature
Maned (lion-like)
Alright, so lets try to remove any presumptions of origin, and look at these features one at a time.
(Canine Appearance)
The idea that a creature that looks canine-like in appearance means that it must be a canine is not a strong point to stand on. There are many creatures that have a very canine-like appearance and are not canine at all. Some have actually not been even remotely close, such as the Thylacine (Tasmanian Tiger). Others would include, but are not limited to Hyenas, Raccoon Dogs, Bush Dogs, members of the weasel family, members of the fossa family, pinnipeds (seals and sealions), and not least of all are the primates such as the lemurs and to a degree baboons.
(Facultative Bipedalism)
The concept and evolution of facultative bipedalism is not generally considered widespread in the animal kingdom. It is generally seen in only a few species such as lizards, primates, insects, bears, raccoons, marsupials, pangolins, and sporadically in some canines and felines. The latter generally being related to a traumatic injury to the front legs. Other than that, unless trained to do so, this type of locomotion is difficult to maintain, and is never a fluid movement.
(Human-like hands)
The “Carpus” or hand that is anthropomorphic in morphology is generally believed to have been developed genetically through our ancestors being arboreal (live primarily in trees), at least for a period of their evolution, coming down out of the trees later. This theory is based on the functional ability of the carpus to grasp around objects with the addition of an opposable thumb, something not truly seen outside of the primates, except for the giant panda, a few lizards, and select marsupials, all of which are arboreal.
(Glowing eyes)
The “glowing eyes” or “Self-illuminating eyes” are addressed in the previous blog by the same name.
(Legs that are either canine-like or reported to appear “backwards”)
The rear legs of the canine are not confined to canines alone. Rather, the morphology of the anatomy is very common in mammals, and is an echo of those that are found in reptiles and avians.
These members of the animal kingdom appear to have strange hind legs, but in truth they’re comparable to a human who spent their entire life wearing and walking in tall stiletto heels, placing all the weight upon the toes and the front of the metatarsophalangeal joint.
Mammals with this kind of rear leg design include most predatory mammals. This also includes primates and ursines (bears), with a modification to the rear foot, making them plantigrade, rather than digitigrade (like humans).
(Human-like torso musculature)
It seems that in earlier eye-witness encounters with entities referred to as “Dogmen”, the torso are was described as being more “barrel chested” like what one would expect to see in a bear, or an actual wolf that stood up. This stands in direct opposition to the more compressed, human-like torso that has become more commonly reported in the past decade of eyewitness accounts. It is common to hear the eyewitness say something to the effect of the “Dogman” looking like he was “ripped” and had been going to the gym, looking like Arnold Schwarzenegger.
(Maned (lion-like)
The mane of the African Lion, as seen with other animals that have similar manes, or masses of hair and loose skin, have developed this as a form of defense against aggressors who have similar weaponry (tooth and claw) as themselves. As a matter of fact, it is more likely that this feature, which is generally sexually dimorphic (males only), has more to with mating and defense against one’s own kind, than anything else.
Manes are most generally seen on select animals in such groups as felids, primates, ungulates, and to some extent canids. While “manes” do exist in many other mammals, their design and use is much different.
As you can see, there are certain aspects of the description relating to these “Dogmen” that are not applicable to them being canine, or at least canines that we know scientifically. These include "Facultative Bipedalism”, “Human-like hands”, “Self-illuminating eyes”, and “Human-like torso and musculature”. However, these attributes are found in primates globally.
There are also other factors that need to be addressed, such as behaviors that eyewitnesses report being observed in these “Dogman” interactions.
Some of these behaviors include, but are not limited to the following.
Climbing (trees and homes)
Territoriality
Attacking dogs and other animals
Kill via decapitation
Alone or in groups
Malicious intelligence
Burrow or “Den” digging
(Climbing (trees and homes)
(Territoriality)
(Attacking dogs and other animals)
(Kill via decapitation)
(Alone of in groups)
(Malicious intelligence)
(Burrow or “Den” digging)
